Dota Pro Circuit 2023
The DPC 2023 is getting closer as we head into the new year. In fact, the long-awaited Division 1 bracket kicks off on January 9. High-profile teams such as Team Secret, Liquid, Team Spirit and the TI11 champions, Tundra Esports, are all vying to qualify for the first Major of 2023. Before we get there, we have the opportunity for a packed schedule, or more time off for teams, depending on their approach to the season.
The upcoming DPC season is going to consist of shorter weeks, though more games will be played each week. There will be nine weekly series per region, with most teams playing up to three series. In contrast, past DPC seasons consisted of Division 1 series lasting twice as long. While some fans would agree that fewer games per week during CPD would put less pressure on players, this comes at the cost of ineffective coverage of players’ time.
Historically, third-party tournaments, such as ESL One or WePlay’s Omega League, were all the rage. They filled the lull between DPC Tours and the later Majors, but felt rushed. Hence, as a more affordable alternative, tournament organizers turned to online tournaments that often featured Division 2 teams or, at best, one or two Division 1 teams that didn’t qualify for the Majors.
Worse, teams that qualified for the Majors often did not want to play in third-party tournaments or would withdraw if they received a direct invitation. Just look at how ESL One Mumbai 2019 turned out, with five teams withdrawing. Thus, the downward trend of large tournaments that once rivaled Valve-sponsored ones is severely hurting the Dota 2 community. Fewer tournaments mean fewer opportunities for investors looking for a lively audience to show their advertisements to.
Contrary to popular belief, esports players can play more sessions than physical esports players. While long duration in any sport is synonymous with physical fatigue after the match, esports players can play many sets with short breaks. In fact, most esports organizations impose strict training regimens so that players play at least eight hours and do not have access to their cell phone for disciplinary reasons.
Of course, there is also concern about psychological fatigue after a loss in a long match. However, the same can be said for teams that build momentum in their first games before facing other opponents. However, don’t take our words, those of the casual players, at face value. Team Secret captain Clement “Puppey” Ivanov also had a similar stance on Valve’s excessively long seasons. To quote Puppey: “I don’t understand why I need three weeks to qualify for a tournament. I literally need three days to do it.”
Considering that it took Valve six seasons of DPC to finally shorten the regional leagues, we can assume that this indirectly sheds a light on the Dota 2 esports situation. Beyond The Summit, a staple among Esports production studios, recently released a statement announcing that it would not be hosting any Dota 2 tournaments in the upcoming season. Despite hosting most of the regional Dota 2 leagues in Southeast Asia and North America, BTS has not hosted a single major.
Hopefully, with more leeway in the calendar between Valve-sponsored DPC events, we will once again have outside organizers hosting tournaments, and teams can more easily decide whether they want a mental break or to continue to grind.
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