Dota 2 The International 2026 (TI15) heads to Shanghai

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Gabe Newell revealed that The International 2026 will take place in Shanghai, China. This is the first time the event will be held there in seven years.

Gabe Newell announced that The International 2026 will take place in Shanghai, China. He made the announcement during the final matches of The International 2024, which are currently happening in Hamburg, Germany.

The International 2026 will be in Shanghai, China

The International 15 (TI15) is coming back to Shanghai, the same city that hosted TI9 in 2019. The most recent International event held in Asia was TI11 in Singapore back in 2021. TI13 and TI14 were both held in Europe, which has been the dominant region in Dota 2 for the past five years.

TIYearLocation
TI12011Cologne, Germany
TI22012Seattle, USA
TI32013Seattle, USA
TI42014Seattle, USA
TI52015Seattle, USA
TI62016Seattle, USA
TI72017Seattle, USA
TI82018Vancouver, Canada
TI92019Shanghai, China
TI102021Bucharest, Romania
TI112022Singapore
TI122023Seattle, USA
TI132024Copenhagen, Denmark
TI142025Hamburg, Germany
TI152026Shanghai, China

Is Dota 2 as a game still popular in China?

Dota 2’s popularity in China has fallen considerably since 2019, and it’s nowhere near as popular as it was during its peak years from TI3 to TI8. By late August 2025, it wasn’t even among the top 20 most-played games in Chinese internet cafes, while its main competitor, League of Legends, consistently ranks among the top three.

Even a game that isn’t very popular in China can still have more players than the most popular game in many other countries.

Dota 2’s popularity in China has been decreasing for a few reasons. Starting in 2019, the Chinese government put limits on gaming for those under 18. By 2021, these restrictions limited players under 18 to just three hours of gaming per week, and only during holidays.

This has put a stranglehold on China’s ability to develop new Dota 2 players, an issue that is also an issue for League of Legends. Meanwhile, many of the iconic Dota 2 players from China such as Lu “Somnus / Maybe” Yao, Bai “rOtK” Fan and Zeng “Ori” Jiaoyang have long since retired.

One challenge for Dota 2 is the growing popularity of mobile gaming, as it’s only available on PCs. This, combined with the much larger marketing efforts of competitors like Tencent, compared to Valve’s Chinese partner Perfect World, explains why Dota 2 faces an uphill battle.

China remains a good location for The International

Although fewer people in China are watching Dota 2 these days, the country remains the top choice for hosting major esports tournaments due to its strong infrastructure and convenient location. Chinese fans are also known for being incredibly enthusiastic at The International (TI) events worldwide. Holding TI in China could help reignite interest in the game within the country.

As a gamer, I can see how Valve and Perfect World could make a *ton* of money with things like themed bundles – imagine some awesome China-inspired Immortal sets! It’s clear there’s a huge market there. Just look at Riot – they raked in $35 million in just five days from a VALORANT skin bundle on Douyin, which is a big social media platform in China. That’s seriously impressive, and shows what’s possible!

The International 2026 in Shanghai promises to be an incredible event. The 2019 opening ceremony was already stunning, featuring a live orchestra, powerful Chinese drums, and traditional fan dancers-all within a packed 18,000-seat arena. It makes you wonder how they’ll make the 2026 event even more impressive after seven years!

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2025-09-14 20:12