The International 10 (TI10) is probably the most anticipated TI of all time since it was first interrupted by the pandemic in 2020 and now is scheduled to make a comeback after two years. While fans had been eagerly waiting for the event, Valve's update earlier today on June 22, 2021, which notes that TI10 is having problems finding a location, has made them very upset. TI10, which was to be held in Sweden from August 5-15, was not recognized as an “elite sporting event” by the Swedish government. As a result, it would be difficult for participants to enter the country, so Valve decided to look for other venues in Europe if Sweden could not be the final option.
The latest update has sparked the emotions of not just fans, but also professionals, personalities, and teams.
Dota 2 personalities express their feelings and offer alternatives to Sweden as the host country for TI10
Alliance's Swedish co-owner, Jonathan "Loda" Berg, was disappointed that Sweden did not do enough to host the "biggest esports event in the world." Despite the fact that there are a number of professionals and companies in his country that are enthusiastic about esports, Loda believes that the government has done nothing for the industry aside from providing high-speed internet access.
Gabriel "Lyrical" Cruz, Dota 2 commentator, welcomed the communication by Valve but was not happy with what it brought with it.
David "GoDz" Parker, the co-founder of Beyond The Summit, is optimistic that Valve will find a solution to this irksome issue.
Dota 2 statistician, Ben "Noxville" Steenhuisen, was optimistic as well, as he stated that even if it takes a little time, the new location should be safe for all players and they have enough time to prepare for TI10.
Swedish players, Michael "miCKe" Vu and Ludwig "zai" Wåhlberg, were just sad on hearing this announcement.
Kevin "Purge" Godec, commentator and analyst, took the issue on a lighter note by joking that former Sweden TI winner, Henrik "AdmiralBulldog" Ahnberg, would no longer be guaranteed to make an appearance at TI10.
AdmiralBulldog had issues with his visas and his documentation before TI7 and TI8, preventing him from attending the two TIs. He also decided to skip TI9 once again in 2019 for undisclosed reasons.
AdmiralBulldog was surprised by Valve's latest update.
Dota 2's official Twitter account received a number of responses from various teams and personalities, all suggesting alternatives to Sweden based on their home country even though Valve said at the time that they were only looking for alternatives in Europe.
WePlay Esports decided to seize the opportunity by mentioning that they have an esports arena in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Gambit Esports designed a poster for TI10, which was held in Voronezh, Russia.
Team Secret, in a separate tweet then pitched Phillippine Area, the largest indoor arena in the world, in the Philippines as a potential place to host TI10 since the country, unlike Sweden, recognizes esports.
T1’s Chief Executive Officer, Joe Marsh, was disappointed to hear this piece of news but said that Kyiv, Ukraine would be a good place to host TI10 since the organization’s Dota team has recently found success there. T1 finished third at the WePlay AniMajor and were the champions of ESL One Summer 2021 while bootcamping from Kyiv.
Andreas Franck "Cr1t-" Nielsen, the position four player of Evil Geniuses, had already tweeted in celebration of the Danish national football team's qualification for UEFA Euro 2020 top 16 round, is now asking for TI10 to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Former EG teammate SumaiL also endorsed Cr1t's opinion.
In Stockholm, Sweden, TI10 was to begin on August 5, with the main event at Avicii Arena from August 10-15. The current situation for TI10 in Sweden looks bleak. If Sweden denies any further requests as well, Valve does not have much time left to find an alternative since teams and players from all over the world will need time to prepare, follow safety protocols, and get Visas for the country they will be visiting.
