Cover-Credits:
Valve has unveiled an overhauled structure for the schedule and format of The International 12 (TI12), the most significant Dota 2 event of the year. In a blog post published on Dota 2’s website, Valve explained that this year's TI is divided into three parts, with matches taking place only on weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). This means for the tournament, there will be a weekend for Group Stage (12th-15th Oct), a weekend for Playoffs (20th-22nd Oct), and a weekend for The Finals (27th to 29th Oct). Format-wise, the Playoffs are mostly the same, but the Group Stage has seen a changed structure and an overall reduction in the number of games played. The goal of these changes is to make TI less overwhelming for both players and viewers and to make each game more meaningful, Valve explained.
Valve releases TI12's revised three-phase schedule and format
There are three weekend runs for TI12, and Valve mentioned they will be divided into two phases - The Road To The International has the Group Stage and Playoffs, while The Finals fall under The International. When games are scheduled only on weekends, fans are more likely to be able to watch live, Valve mentioned.
Starting on 12th Oct 2023, The Road To The International will feature 20 teams competing against each other followed by The Finals which will begin on 27th Oct when only eight teams will remain and battle for the Aegis.
Here is the breakdown of how TI12 will progress over three Friday-through-Sunday weekends.
The Road To The International
Group Stage Phase 1 (12th and 13th Oct)
20 teams in four groups of five teams each (A change from two groups of 10 teams each and a reduction to four games per team instead of the previous nine)
The top four teams in each group move to Group Stage Phase 2
The bottom team in each group is eliminated
Group Stage Phase 2 (14th and 15th Oct)
16 teams from Group Stage 1
Eight head to head series (A and B partner groups, C and D partner groups. Please check the image below this section for seeding)
All series are Bo3s
The winning teams (eight) advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs
The losing teams (remaining eight) advance to the lower bracket of the playoffs
Playoffs (20th to 22nd Oct at the Seattle Convention Center’s Summit)
16 teams in a double elimination bracket
All series are Bo3s (The first round of the lower bracket was previously Bo1)
Eight teams begin in the upper bracket
Eight teams begin in the lower bracket
The top eight teams advance to The Finals (The International)
The International
The Finals (27th to 29th Oct at the Climate Pledge Arena)
Eight teams in a double elimination bracket
All series are Bo3s except for the grand finals
Bo5 grand finals
The winner takes home the Aegis of The Champions
With a revamped structure, it will be interesting to see how this year's event goes. The shift from two to four groups will most likely be the most anticipated change since it will require Valve to carefully seed teams to ensure that all are equally competitive.
While the Group Stage takes place from team hotels, the Playoffs will take place in front of a live audience. Out of 20 teams that are to compete at TI12, 12 teams have booked their slots through the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) 2023 while the remaining eight teams will be finalized by the end of this month through the regional qualifiers.
Furthermore, Valve released an update on TI12’s tickets, noting that they will be available in the second half of August.
