The International 2016

Last updated

The International 2016
The International 2016 logo.png
Tournament information
Sport Dota 2
Location Seattle, Washington, United States
DatesAugust 3–August 13, 2016
Administrator Valve Corporation
Tournament
format(s)
Round robin, double elimination
Host(s)Valve Corporation
Venue(s) KeyArena
Participants16 teams
Purse$20,770,460
Final positions
Champions Wings Gaming
1st runner-up Digital Chaos
2nd runner-up Evil Geniuses

The International 2016 (TI6) was the sixth iteration of The International, an annual Dota 2 esports championship tournament. Hosted by Valve Corporation, the game's developer, the tournament began in June 2016 with the qualifier phase and ended after the main event at the KeyArena in Seattle in August. The tournament awarded the biggest prize pool in esports history at over $20 million, surpassing the record set at the previous International, with the champion team, Wings Gaming, winning over $9 million.

Contents

Background and format

Like in previous years of the tournament, a corresponding digital compendium for Dota 2 was released before the event. [1] Known as the Battle Pass, 25% of the revenue made by it was sent towards the tournament's prize pool. [1] [2] By the end of July, the crowdfunded prize pool had surpassed the previous year's total of $18.4 million, overtaking it as the largest esports tournament prize pool in history, eventually reaching over $20.7 million. [1] [3] [4]

The event began with open qualifiers in June, with the Americas, China, Europe, and Southeast Asia regions. [5] The winners of each region then went on to the main qualifiers, which also took place in June. Winners of the regional qualifier earned an invite to the main event, while a secondary playoff bracket took place for teams in 2nd-5th place, with the winner of them also earning an invite. Six teams were directly invited without need for qualifying, which was based on consistently good results at previous Dota 2 events. [6] However, The International 2015 champion team Evil Geniuses did not receive a direct invite due to breaking Valve's rules on roster swapping prior to the tournament. [7] They and Team Secret, who also broke the same rule, were forced to make their way through the open and main qualifiers, eventually finishing first in their respective regions, gaining an invite. [8] [9] Two teams from the Philippines, TnC Gaming and Execration, had issues securing travel visas to the United States, but were eventually able to get them one week before the event due to assistance from Filipino senator Bam Aquino. [10]

The event began with the wild card matches on August 2, with the EHOME and Escape Gaming advancing to the round robin group stage the following day. [11] The round robin group stage consisted of two groups of eight teams, with the top four teams of each group advancing to the upper bracket of the best-of-three double elimination main event, and the bottom four advancing to the lower bracket. [11] The Grand Finals, consisting of the winners of the upper and lower brackets, will take place in a best-of-five series. [11]

Teams

Direct invitation
Regional qualifier winners
Wild card

Bracket

Wild card

Round one Round two
    
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg EHOME2
Flag of the Philippines.svg Execration 1
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg EHOME2
Winner's bracket
Flag of Europe.svg Escape Gaming 0
Flag of Europe.svg Escape Gaming2
Flag of the United States.svg compLexity Gaming 1
Flag of Europe.svg Escape Gaming2
Loser's bracket
Flag of the Philippines.svg Execration 0
Flag of the United States.svg compLexity Gaming 0
Flag of the Philippines.svg Execration2

Group stage

All matches consisted of two games against the same opponent in a round robin format for each group, with two points being awarded for a 2–0 sweep, one point awarded for a 1–1 draw, and no points awarded for a 0–2 loss. [12]

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLPts
1 OG 743011Advanced to the upper bracket
2 Evil Geniuses 73319
3 Alliance 73228
4 Wings Gaming 73228
5TnC Gaming73137Advanced to the lower bracket
6 Natus Vincere 72236
7 LGD Gaming 71335
8Escape Gaming70252
Updated to match(es) played on August 5. Source: [13]

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLPts
1 EHOME 752012Advanced to the upper bracket
2Digital Chaos743011
3 Newbee 73228
4 MVP Phoenix 70616
5 Fnatic 72145Advanced to the lower bracket
6 Team Secret 72145
7 Team Liquid 71335
8Vici Gaming Reborn71244
Updated to match(es) played on August 5. Source: [13]

Main event

The best of five Grand Finals were between Wings Gaming, the upper bracket winner, and Digital Chaos, which won the lower bracket. Wings Gaming lost the first game to Digital Chaos, before winning three games in a row to win the series. [14] [15]

Bracket

Upper round 1Upper round 2Upper finalGrand Finals (best of five)
A1OG1
B4MVP Phoenix2
B4MVP Phoenix0
A4Wings Gaming2
B2Digital Chaos1
A4Wings Gaming2
A4Wings Gaming2
A2Evil Geniuses0
B1EHOME2
A3Alliance0
B1EHOME0
A2Evil Geniuses2
A2Evil Geniuses2
B3Newbee0
A4Wings Gaming3
B2Digital Chaos1
Lower round 1Lower round 2Lower round 3Lower round 4Lower round 5Lower final
A1OG0
B1EHOME0
A5TnC Gaming1A5TnC Gaming2
A5TnC Gaming1B2Digital Chaos2
B8Vici Gaming Reborn0
B2Digital Chaos2A2Evil Geniuses1
B2Digital Chaos2
B2Digital Chaos2B2Digital Chaos2
B6Team Secret0A7LGD Gaming0
B5Fnatic0
A7LGD Gaming1
A3Alliance0
B4MVP Phoenix0
B5Fnatic1B5Fnatic2
B5Fnatic2B5Fnatic2
A8Escape Gaming0
B7Team Liquid0
B3Newbee1
A6Natus Vincere0B7Team Liquid2
B7Team Liquid1

Results

(Note: Prizes are in USD)

PlaceTeamPrize money
1 Wings Gaming $9,139,002
2Digital Chaos$3,427,126
3 Evil Geniuses $2,180,898
4 Fnatic $1,442,000
5–6 EHOME $934,671
MVP Phoenix
7–8 Team Liquid $519,262
TnC Gaming
9–12 Alliance $311,557
OG
LGD Gaming
Newbee
13–16Escape Gaming$103,852
Natus Vincere
Team Secret
Vici Gaming Reborn

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