One of the largest prize pools of the year will be spread across the 18 competing teams at ESL One Berlin Major 2023. The Dota 2 competition is being held at the Velodrom Arena in Berlin, Germany, and features some of the best Dota 2 Esports athletes in the world.
The competition is fast approaching, but don’t worry, as I’ll break down everything you need to know ahead of the Berlin Major.
Competition Format
The competition features 18 of the best Dota 2 teams from across the world. The competing teams include the 4 West European teams, in Team Liquid, Tundra Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, and OG, 3 East European teams, in 9 Pandas, Team Spirit, and BetBoom Team, 4 Chinese teams, in Xtreme Gaming, PSG.LGD, Invictus Gaming, and Team Aster, 3 Southeast Asian teams, in Talon Esports, Execration, and Team SMG, 2 North American teams, in TSM and Shopify Rebellion, and 2 South American teams, in beastcoast and Evil Geniuses.
The competition features two different stages, the group stage and the playoffs. The group stage features 2 groups of 9 teams that will compete in a best-of-3 single round-robin format. After each team plays their 8 matches, the top 4 placing teams will advance to the playoffs, the 5th and 6th placing teams will advance to the lower-bracket playoffs, and the remaining teams will all be eliminated without a chance to claim any of the $500,000 prize pool.
The playoffs will proceed with a double-elimination best-of-three match format, up until the Grand Final when the match will follow a single-elimination best-of-five format. The top 4 seeds in both groups will advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs, while the 5 and 6-seeds will inhabit the lower bracket of the playoffs. The lower bracket teams will be given a chance of redemption, as the victor of the lower bracket will see the victor of the upper bracket in the Grand Final.
Major Preview
The competition kicks off action on Wednesday, April 26, with the Grand Final scheduled for Sunday, May 7. There’s a lot at stake for these competing teams as there’s a lot of money and Dota 2 Pro Circuit, DPC, points at stake. The bottom ten placing teams will go home with nothing, the 7 and 8-seeds will earn $12,500 and 200 DPC points, the 5 and 6-seeds will earn $25,000 and 300 DPC points, the 4-seed will earn $50,000 and 350 DPC points, the 3-seed will earn $75,000 and 400 DPC points, the runner-up will earn $100,000 and 450 DPC points, and the Grand Champion will earn a whopping $200,000 and 500 DPC points.
The groups have been set as 9 Pandas, BetBoom Team, Evil Geniuses, Execration, Gaimin Gladiators, PSG.LGD, Team Aster, Team Liquid, and TSM inhabit group A. While beastmode, Invictus Gaming, OG, Shopify Rebellion, Talon Esports, Team SMG, Team Spirit, Tundra Esports, and Extreme Gaming will compete in group B.
The Berlin Major will award one of the largest prize pools in the world in just a few weeks, and the Dota 2 action will surely be tense. Millions of viewers worldwide prepare for what promises to be some truly entertaining Dota 2 Esports action. Catch all of the action of Twitch and Youtube as the competition will begin on April 26.
