Evil Geniuses, Secret to compete at ONE Esports Dota 2 event

Steven Rondina Published 25/09/2019

The 2019-2020 Dota tournament calendar is looking a lot more crowded than it did last year. While things were sparse outside the Dota Pro Circuit last season, there are a number of interesting events set to take place outside the DPC in the upcoming season.

One of the most eye-catching tournaments is the ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore. It boasts a strong lineup of teams and a massive prize pool that sticks out in a big way, even in the middle of a hectic stretch in the game.

ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore will be starting on December 17, so which teams are participating? And who exactly is ONE Esports?

ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational teams, prize pool

The ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore is set to be a 12-team tournament. The format has not yet been revealed, but the event is listed as having a group stage that runs from December 17 to 19 while the playoffs go from December 20 to 22. The playoffs are open to the public and will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

This likely means the entirety of the tournament will be taking place in a live setting.

The full list of teams has not been revealed, but the first six direct invitees suggest that the event will be stacked.

The three teams that won majors during the 2018-2019 Dota Pro Circuit season are all set to compete with Team Secret, Vici Gaming, and Virtus.pro receiving invitations. Fan favorite organizations Natus Vincere and Evil Geniuses are also booked, as is China’s most popular team, PSG.LGD.

The stars are turning out for this event despite it being put together by a rookie tournament organizer, but it’s easy to see why. The event will boast a massive $500,000 prize pool with a $200,000 first-place prize.

Six other teams will compete at the event, though it is unknown how they will be selected. Regional qualifiers are likely, but more invites could also be distributed.

What is ONE Esports?

If ONE Esports isn’t a familiar name to any esports fans out there, that isn’t surprising. The ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore was the first event announced by the fledgling tournament organizer.

Not much is known about the long-term direction of ONE Esports, but the company is seemingly looking to gain traction across multiple titles. In addition to this Dota 2 tournament, One Esports currently has plans for two fighting game events in Japan with the ONE TEKKEN Tokyo Challenge and the ONE Street Fighter Tokyo Challenge.

The ONE Esports logo might stick out for combat sports fans, though.

That’s because the organizer is actually an offshoot of MMA promotion ONE Championship. The promotion has carved out a niche as one of the most visible MMA promotions in Asia. While the continent has a rich history in combat sports, it had become an underserved market for a time. This is a void that ONE aggressively works to fill.

Odds are that ONE is looking to do the same for esports by hosting events in Singapore and Japan.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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