Korb3n on Dota 2: As long as it has viewers, esports will live

Team Spirit manager Dmitry Korb3n Belov spoke about the current state and future of the professional Dota 2 scene. He believes Valve’s interest in the discipline has declined after reducing entertainment activities and the prize pool at The International.

Dota 2 was neglected from the moment everything was removed from The International. It had always been a marketing product for Valve, and Dota was their favorite creation. And it’s not just about the prize pool.

He added that despite organizational challenges, Riyadh Masters 2025 still managed to capture the atmosphere of a significant event, something The International currently lacks. According to him, as long as Dota 2 has viewers, esports in the discipline will continue to exist, although player earnings are far lower than in Counter-Strike 2.

Earlier, Belov criticized the low level of organization and lack of care for players at the main tournament of the year - The International, which in the past stood out for its scale both in terms of conditions and prize pool.

The International 2025 will take place from 04.09.2025 to 14.09.2025 in Hamburg, Germany, featuring 16 teams. The event’s starting prize pool is $1,600,000.

Cyberscore also recently shared the opinion of PARIVISION player Vladimir No[o]ne Minenko on the influence of fans at Clavision Masters 2025: Snow-Ruyi.