“Dota is impossible to monetize”, — Maincast analysts discussed the challenges facing the Dota 2 ecosystem

In the latest episode of Maincast’s podcast, Dmitry Droog Chumachenko, Alexey BafiK Bafadarov, and Viktor GodHunt Volkov discussed the causes of the Tier 2 scene’s crisis, as well as issues currently facing the first division.

Casters called the Tier 1 level the “millionaires’ club” — finances and viewership are concentrated exclusively on major tournaments, which has led to the top tier being closed off from the second division.

Tier 2 tournaments (such as the CCT or EPL series) attract very few viewers. Due to low viewership, sponsors are not interested at this level. Furthermore, new mid-tier teams and organizations are created to last only 2–3 months (for example, the NAVI x VISA Academy Dota 2 project, which lasted only one season and was suspended). Investors quickly realize that the project isn’t paying off, funding dries up, and the players disperse. Viewers simply don’t have time to remember the teams’ names or develop any attachment to them.

Partly because of the inability to earn money honestly on the Tier 2 scene, fixed matches are rampant, which further damages the reputation of the lower division.

Commentators also mentioned monetization issues in Dota 2, which affect even the Tier 1 level. At the moment, esports clubs are kept afloat solely by sponsorship from betting companies. Major traditional businesses (such as automotive brands and IT companies) are reluctant to enter Dota 2 due to the community’s high level of toxicity and the lack of control over players’ behavior in pubs and the media.

Analysts have noted that Dota 2 lacks a system similar to the one in CS2 — the Valve Regional Standing (VRS) — an open ranking system that grants local tournaments official status and allows teams to earn points to qualify for major tournaments. Dota 2 lacks such a transparent ecosystem, which is why local Tier 2 tournaments are losing their significance.

Additionally, in CS2, clubs generate revenue by selling stickers and capsules. In Dota 2, this system is implemented only within The International tournament series. The return of expanded support for teams through in-game tickets, bundles, and sets could improve the situation.

As CyberScore previously reported, syndereN and SUNSfan commented on the format of EWC 2026 and “The Dark Carnival.”