Valve gives update on The International future as Dota Pro Circuit is cancelled

Valve has announced that the Dota Pro Circuit, more commonly known as DPC, will end with the 2023 season. The existing system of qualifying for The International is expected to be replaced by the invitation system used before the DPC.

A recent blog post from Valve has confirmed rumors of massive changes to the Dota Pro Circuit coming after TI12. The Pro Circuit was first introduced in 2017 and played an integral role in the growth of Dota 2’s competitive scene. However, there were several complaints from pro players regarding the format and structure of the circuit, and it seems that Valve has finally decided to try something new.

Although the community has no clue about what the future might hold, Valve has confirmed that there will be a TI in 2024 despite the lack of a DPC. Here’s everything you need to know about Valve’s announcement ahead of TI12.

Valve cancels Dota Pro Circuit but confirms TI will carry on

According to Valve, the primary objective of the DPC was to create a system with more clarity and transparency when it came to inviting teams for TI. Although the Pro Circuit did prove to be instrumental in achieving that, the excitement has certainly diminished.

Additionally, the DPC rules also forced organizers to comply with a long and strict list of requirements that were necessary for each tournament. These factors did interfere quite a bit when it came to the engagement of audiences as well as the players participating.

Due to these reasons, Valve has decided to move in a direction in which it hopes the Dota scene will be a lot healthier. The end of DPC means that competitive Dota 2 will once again return to its grassroots, resulting in a fair and balanced fighting ground for powerhouses and upcoming rosters alike.

Although Valve has confirmed that TI will be moving back to an invitational event, they have yet to disclose the determining factors behind this process. Given that work for TI13 is already underway, the blog also confirms that we will be hearing more about the workings of these invitations in 2024.