The International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the year

The International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the year

As a longtime Dota 2 fan and esports enthusiast with countless hours spent watching The International tournaments, I can confidently say that Valve’s decision to ban ads for in-game content is a game-changer! It’s like they’re finally giving us the pure, unadulterated, ad-free Dota experience we’ve been craving since TI1.


Valve just made a statement: No Ads for the In-game content. How will this affect the whole show?

In a daring late-night declaration, Valve revealed that The International 2024 tournament would be free from any in-game adverts. According to their blog post, the decision was taken to eliminate potentially distracting elements, thereby enhancing the overall spectator experience.

Ever since its debut, The International has always been a tournament without sponsors. But that changed when the “Road to TI” was unveiled. During this phase, broadcasting rights for the regional qualifiers were purchased by various studios worldwide, enabling them to generate income through sponsorships. However, it’s essential to note that these changes did not affect the game content itself; they were only applicable to the streaming platform.

In relation to The International 2024, the decision to abstain from any form of advertising is intended specifically for the benefit of the players and teams. Valve contends that they’ve incorporated various aspects into Dota to honor these individuals, but these opportunities have been exploited as advertising instead of highlighting their unique identities. Examples of such features include:

  • Team banners
  • Base logos
  • Player tags
  • Sprays, emoticons, chat-wheels, etc.

How will the new “Advertisement ban” will affect players and teams at The International 2024?

Teams like “BetBoom” and “1win Esports,” due to having gambling-related sponsors in their names, should experience immediate consequences, as these names will be displayed in-game. Historically, they’ve addressed this issue by simply changing their names to “BB Team” and “1w Esports.”

Instead, the most significant alteration will manifest in the game environments. Previously, Valve permitted a “sponsor” area beside the player’s username.

The International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the yearThe International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the year

This exclusive decision concerning The International event may similarly impact the advertising areas previously utilized by players. Although these spaces were specifically allocated for promotional purposes, they are also classified as “in-game” content deemed “distracting” by Valve, which they’ve chosen to restrict.

Occasionally, some players took advantage of the ‘sponsor’ area to create humorous content, as it wasn’t compulsory to include a brand name in that spot.

The International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the year

It remains uncertain what specifically caught Valve’s attention as “disturbing” in regard to sponsorship prospects; however, the community is undoubtedly elated. Certain gamers expressed their joy on Reddit, celebrating the anticipated reduction in betting sponsors and advertisements during The International.

A smaller group expressed worries about the potential economic impact this decision might bring upon the teams’ economies. Nevertheless, the general feeling is optimistic, as teams can continue to generate revenue through in-game team packages that are available for purchase.

The International 2024 to be the first ad-free tournament of the year

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2024-08-28 18:10

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