14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that video game developer Valve has plans to move the major The International tournament for DOTA 2 from the month of August to July this year and it might also change the venue for the event, which traditionally used Benaroya Hall.
OnGamers quotes anonymous sources from inside the team that handles development for the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena title.
Gabe Newell, the leader of Valve, says that a new location for The International might be somewhere in the Key Arena area of Seattle.
The change from August to July seems to be linked to long-term problems that affect the eSports industry, with too many events scheduled in close proximity to one another.
This is causing both competitors and fans to be unable to follow all the teams and the matches they are interested in and a major reshuffle of the competition calendar is currently being planned.
Representatives from Major League Gaming, the Electronic Sports League, Dreamhack, the best ranked team, and, apparently Valve are now set to meet in order to make sure that a long-term solution is implemented.
The biggest change seems to be linked to DOTA 2 The International, which will move to July, and a rule will state that only one major event can take place during one month.
Valve will probably announce the official move in the coming weeks, and it is also expected to reveal a new Compendium initiative for its MOBA title, which will offer exclusive unlocks to the player base.
The International has become the biggest DOTA 2 tournament in the world and it is offering impressive prizes to the best team.
The entire event can be viewed online and fans of the title use the option to watch the best strategies and proper use of various characters, but hardcore players say that the experience of actually attending the competition cannot be matched by simply seeing them from a distance.
DOTA 2 is still in beta stage at the moment, although access to the MOBA is offered to all those who want it.
The Valve team working on it is still tweaking aspects of the game and trying to create a final balance.
The title is facing tough competition from the already established League of Legends from Riot Games and newcomers like Infinite Crisis from Turbine, and Heroes of the Storm from Blizzard will challenge both in the near future.