In the MOBA gaming scene and more broadly in Esports, there is perhaps no rivalry that compares to the relationship between League of Legends and DOTA 2. Members from these two community groups frequently engage in wars against each other: comparing similarities between heroes, items, gameplay… Then there are the legendary figures in LoL compared to the icons of Dota 2… In fact, many even compare… penalties. For instance, LoL has penalties for teams that ignore towers to focus on “farming kill KPIs,” while “diving the fountain” is a familiar term among DOTA 2 fans.
And at this moment, there has never been a better opportunity for the debates between these two largest MOBA gaming communities to explode: the 2021 World Championship and The International 10 are being held at the same time for the first time.
Tournament Prize Pool: LoL 0-1 DOTA 2
There’s no need to elaborate too much; everyone knows that DOTA 2 boasts one of the highest prize pools in the world for TI10 specifically and Esports in general. Just considering this TI10, the championship prize has reached over 40 million USD. Not to mention, even the total prize pool from all major Esports tournaments across different games combined may not compare to TI10. This is one of the factors that makes the DOTA 2 community proud, up to now.
However, it should also be noted that DOTA 2 has an advantage over LoL in that in their major Esports tournaments, there are always items that players can purchase to obtain rare skins and limited items that can only be achieved at high levels. A typical example is the Battle Pass for TI10, which was released in 2020, even though the tournament only took place this year due to the pandemic situation.
In return, the prize money for LoL tournaments comes from Riot and sponsors. Therefore, it’s understandable that the Worlds would have a prize pool lower than DOTA 2, especially during the pandemic phase. Moreover, Riot also supports domestic tournaments, including both large and small regions. Tier B and C tournaments, academy tournaments… are also well-supported by Riot. The LoL community understands why the Worlds has a lower prize pool than DOTA 2 and accepts it, but in this regard, Valve’s game is temporarily leading.
Tournament Organization During the Pandemic: LoL 1-1 DOTA 2
But despite falling short in terms of prize money, and regardless of the real reasons behind it, Riot has always strived to maintain their tournament system to run smoothly. The first example is from 2020 when Covid-19 wreaked havoc, causing almost all major and minor Esports tournaments to be held online or indefinitely postponed, with TI10 being a prime example. Nevertheless, Riot managed to set up a 2020 Worlds that can be considered stable during a time when the world was grappling with the pandemic. That was a commendable effort by Riot, the participating teams, and players at that time.
Moving into 2021, except for Vietnam, all domestic and international LoL tournaments (MSI 2021, Worlds 2021) have been running smoothly. Riot has also provided thorough support for all regions to participate. From moving the competition venue from China (a country that had millions of infections) to Iceland – a country that currently has only about 11k cases, to organizing matches without an audience, requiring teams to undergo strict testing and quarantine before and after entering, ready for regions at risk to stay home (such as the VCS case)… Riot is doing everything possible to ensure the Worlds goes as smoothly as possible.
Similarly hosted in Europe, Valve chose Bucharest, Romania as the venue for TI10. For those who may not know, Bucharest is currently ranked 30th in terms of Covid-19 infections and deaths. Not to mention, there are suspicions that Valve arranged rooms based on DPC points, with Team Spirit and OG having much less comfortable accommodations compared to teams like Alliance, Virtus Pro, or teams from China.
Results and Resolutions: LoL 2-1 DOTA 2
The result: a member of Team Aster (China) contracted the virus while shopping in the city. This prompted Valve to issue a ban on direct ticket sales shortly thereafter.
Immediately after Team Aster contracted Covid-19, they spread it to Invictus Gaming. The TI2 champions got infected when a member interacted with Monet (a player from Team Aster) in the elevator. Subsequently, the DOTA 2 community, especially in China, actively condemned Team Aster for this incident. As for Valve? They took no action to protect their teams despite having some responsibility.
Granted, contracting Covid-19 is unpredictable, as PSG.LGD arrived in Bucharest a month earlier than Team Aster and remained safe. However, the issue lies with Team Aster; while they certainly failed to manage well, they also received no support from Valve. Valve, by choosing such a risky venue with high infection risk, should at least share some responsibility with Team Aster, but all that remains is that Valve prioritized protecting the tournament above all else.
On the other hand, Riot has proven their decision to choose Iceland as the venue for the Worlds was correct, following the success of MSI 2021. Teams that unfortunately missed out on the Worlds also received a share of the prize money. Of course, participation slots are what teams from smaller regions like VCS wish for, but given the current Covid-19 situation, Riot’s actions are completely understandable.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be said that during the pandemic, Riot has performed better than Valve in organizing their largest international tournament. While DOTA 2 had to postpone and still faces numerous issues this year, the Worlds has successfully completed its 11th season. Both still have shortcomings, but LoL is currently leading and continues to prove deserving of the title of “national game” in the current Esports scene.