Practice and training on a daily basis have led Team Liquid to win the China Dota 2 Super Major. The esports event has determined the eight pro teams for the upcoming International 8. With Overwatch esports growing in popularity, Activision Blizzard that forecasted $1 billion in esports profits.
Team Liquid win the China Dota 2 SuperMajor
Team Liquid has won the China SuperMajor, the Dota tournament before The International 8. Having won TI7, TL is still on their winning streak to be a top esports team.
Their performance at ESL One Birmingham 2018 was one of the worst matches yet, ranking them in 8th place. This disappointing result turned into motivation to play better for what happened in the next tournament surprised esports fans taking the China Dota 2 Super Major title away from Virtus.Pro in the Grand Finals.
Liquid’s competitive journey at China Dota 2 Super Major looked much more promising. In the group stages, TL beat Team Spirit and Newbee. Advancing in the Upper Brackets, Team Liquid defeated TNC Pro Team, Secret and PSG.LGD that led the top esports squad to the final match against Virtus.Pro winning with a record of 3-2. The proud winners of China Super Major took home a prize of $555K, earning them 1,125 Pro Circuit points.
The Road on the way to The International 8
Before the China Super Major, the Dota 2 Pro Circuit leaderboard showed Virtus. Pro in the lead, the runner-up’s Team Liquid, PSG.LGD and Team Secret earned their place for an invitation to TI 8.
Another four teams Mineski, Newbee, Vici Gaming secured their place in The International 2018. Unfortunately for Optic, they could not beat Virtus. Pro and so VGJ.Thunder secured their final spot.
The TI8 invited teams are now determined, many esports fans will expect more dota 2 action in the regional qualifying matches starting on the 18th June till 25th June. Practice makes perfect in time for the International 8, dota 2 tournament which will take place between 15 – 25 August 2018.
Activision Blizzard will reach $1 billion in Esports Revenue
The Overwatch esports game has become a phenomenon across the four corners of the world. Its developers, Activision Blizzard organised the Overwatch League competition that started in January running through till July 2018.
The major part of the revenue that Activision have achieved was from selling 12 team slots to entrepreneurs around the world. CEO Robert A. Kotick wrote to shareholders in a letter, saying “We have sold the first 12 teams for almost a quarter of a billion dollars ... and expect our league to eventually grow to 28 teams.”
This statement proves how much Activision Blizzard wants to grow. Last year, according to ESPN, each of the slots in the tournament sold for a staggering $20 million, which has corroborated with what Kotick said in his letter.
The success of the Overwatch League tournament surpassed their viewership predictions. On top of this, Activision has announced that prices of esports teams are set to increase.
CEO Robert Kotick expressed the company’s future in video games and esports: “The Overwatch League continues to thrive, and our players are getting even broader recognition of their incredible talents in mainstream media. We see even greater opportunity with the playoffs and Grand Finals still to come. And we’ve begun sales of our next round of Overwatch League teams. And over time, we believe our esports initiatives could rival traditional sports for audience interest, advertiser interest, sponsors, ticket sales, and merchandise sales, both virtual and physical.”
According to ESPN, the next round of team sale slots will vary from $30 million to around $60 million. So assuming that Activision’s plan is to have 28 team spots sold in the OW League would mean a minimum of $480 million to a maximum of around $960 million in total profits. An increase in profits means to focus on more viewership of the Overwatch League featuring the grand finals in the last week of July 2018.
