TI, The International Championship, is one of the most popular and largest esports competitions in the world. Since the first TI in 2011, the championship has consistently broken records in terms of prize pool size and viewership. A big reason the Championship has grown over time is the wꦐay the game’s publisher and tournament organizer, Valve Corp., has used the annual TI Battle Pass, formerly known as the TI Compendium.
Like many of the seasonal Battle Passes that have been cropping up in games, the TI Battle Pass allows playe𒁃rs of Dota 2 to purchase additional content for the game that is made available for a limited time. Some of 🧸the rewards for players who purchase the TI Battle Pass are unique in the way they include rewards that tie 💧into the Championship Event. Owning a Battle Pass is required for participating in the TI fantasy tournament where spectators create their own teams of players to compete based on statistical performance per day of the actual championship.
The Battle Pass is also the gateway to some community 🌼events in Dota 2. A goo💧d example of this is the annual Arcana vote. In Dota 2 an Arcana is a special set of cosmetic modifications to a character that goes far and away beyond the average cosmetic item. Where the base level cosmetic item may give a cha💫racter a new weapon or outfit, an Arcana changes virtually every aspect of a character. They are also much more expensive than standard cosmetics, making them much rarer. Every year as part of the Battle Pass Dota 2 players get to vote on which of the game's almost 120 characters will receive a n💃ew Arcana.
One of the aspects of the TI Battle Pass that makes it distinct from seasonal passes in many other games is the way that it directly impacts the tournament. A portion of the money used to pur🦋chase each TI Battle Pass is used to fund the prize pool for that year’s tournament. The pool for the upcoming TI is sitting at just under $14 million and still climbing so the Pass is clearly a popular purchase. It also helps that one way to get more rewards from a TI Battle Pass is to purchase them in the form of levels. These levels can also be earned by playing the game and completing challenges. While this leveling and reward structure won’t shock players of various live games, like Destiny 2, Fortnite: Battle Royale, and even Call of Duty, the ability to pay money after th🎉e initial purchase is somewhat distinct.
Ultimately the TI Battle Pass represents the kickoff for the most ex🍌citing time of the year in Dota 2.
Source: