Dota Summit 11 minor to kick off new Dota 2 2019-20 DPC season

Dota 2 fans now know where the 2019-2020 Dota Pro Circuit season will begin.

Dota Summit 11 will serve as the first minor of the new season. The event is scheduled for November 7-10 in Los Angeles, California and will have $300,000 and 660 Dota Pro Circuit points up for grabs.

“The new DPC season will begin at Dota Summit 11,” Beyond the Summit announced on Twitter. “This Minor marks the first ever live studio audience for our Dota events. Stay tuned for more info on talent and tickets.”

This marks a welcome return to the forefront of the Dota 2 scene for Beyond the Summit.

From 2014 to 2017, Beyond the Summit was the most active tournament organizer in the North American Dota 2 scene. The Summit series, later renamed Dota Summit, attracted top teams from around the world and caught the eyes of fans with its emphasis on casual interactions between competitors and casters alike. It also inhabited a special place on the tournament calendar, often standing as one of the final live tournaments hosted before The International.

As time went on, BTS diversified across a number of other titles with event series hosted for Super Smash Bros., Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dragon Ball Figherz, and Mortal Kombat. Meanwhile, the consolidation of pro teams’ focus into the Dota Pro Circuit events likely made it trickier to regularly attract strong lineups to an event outside of that schedule.

This resulted in a sharp decrease in the frequency of Dota Summit events, and an arguable lapse in quality teams attending.

Dota Summit made its return after a yearlong hiatus with Dota Summit 10 ahead of The International 2019. Having Dota Summit 11 take place just four months later is a surprise, but likely a welcome one for Dota 2 fans.

The build towards the event starts in just a few weeks. The joint set of qualifiers for Dota Summit 11 and the first major of the season will run from October 5 to 10. There is still no information about where the first Dota Pro Circuit major is taking place or who will host it.