Cover-Credits:
Two-time The International winner and Team Spirit player Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk expressed his dissatisfaction with the discontinuation of the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) and the decision to revert to the old format where third-party tournaments played a major role in Dota 2 esports. During a recent Twitch livestream, he alleged that Valve's decision to discontinue the previous DPC system was fueled by excessive spending on the league format
Yatoro Bashes New Dota 2 Esports Format
During the stream, Yatoro was prompted by one of his viewers to share his thoughts on the new system that replaced the DPC. According to a transcript given by Dota2.net, without mincing words, Yatoro replied, "It's fu*king bulls**."
According to Yatoro, the previous DPC format, where the first division teams played first and the second division teams played between the DPC and the majors, was superior, and Valve should have simply improved upon it.
However, the new format gives control over to third-party tournament organizers such as ESL, PGL, WePlay, and many others that host tournaments throughout the year. These events would end up judging a team’s standing throughout the year.
One of Yatoro's main criticisms revolved around Valve's financial investment in the DPC. He claimed that Valve had poured a substantial amount of money into the DPC, reportedly around six million dollars annually, and suggested that this extravagant spending may have been a key factor in the decision to shut down the previous system.
Yatoro expressed his belief that Valve's focus on increasing the prize pool and hosting more majors may have led to the discontinuation of the previous DPC format. He said, "I think they didn't care enough to *** that money, so they shut it down."
On 14th September 2023, Valve announced the discontinuation of DPC. The Dota Pro Circuit being the only official league left many third-party event organizers without much room in the yearly calendar to host tournaments.
It said, "By existing as the only official league, the DPC has a stranglehold on the event calendar for the year and what it's filled with."
Valve’s intention to discontinue the DPC was to encourage more third-party event organizers to host tournaments throughout the year, in turn making the game fun to watch for the viewers.
As the Dota 2 community continues to adapt to the new format, the opinions of professional players like Yatoro shed light on the complexities and nuances involved in the ever-evolving landscape of esports. Valve's decisions, including financial investments and format changes, will undoubtedly be subjects of ongoing discussion within the Dota 2 community.
