The International Dota 2 Championships 2019, also known as TI9, kicked off at 
the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China on August 20. This is the first time 
that an Asian city is hosting the annual tournament since 2011. 

Photo-https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190821/2557834-1-a

At the opening ceremony, Gabe Newell, co-founder of American video game 
developer and the developer of the game Valve, extended his thanks to the the 
Shanghai government and citizens for hosting the event on behalf of the entire 
Dota 2 community, intoning in Chinese: "Xie xie, Shanghai (Thank you, 
Shanghai)!"

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Audiences at the venue witnessed a Chinese fans dance show to the accompaniment 
music that was a perfect blend of a symphony orchestra and Chinese folk music, 
representing the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. Then, to the sound of 
a resonant battle drum, the participating teams ascended the stage. As the 
defending champion due to their win last year, the OG team came out last, 
showcasing the glory of the TI9 event: The Aegis Shield.

As the opening ceremony came to an end, the opening game of the main event 
began between the PSG.LGD and VP teams. Sixteen teams from around the world had 
competed fiercely to gain entrance to the main stadium. The final lineup of 
contestants will embark on a six-day final race in pursuit of the championship 
trophy. By the end of the opening ceremony, the prize pools to be distributed 
at TI9 had exceeded US$33 million, with 45.5 percent allocated to the 
championship team. TI9's total prize pools exceeded that of World Cup, becoming 
the world's first e-sports competition with a single prize exceeding tens of 
millions of dollars.

Shanghai's favorable e-sports policies paved the way for a successful TI9 

In recent years, a series of favorable policies meant to attract the e-sports 
sector were issued by the Shanghai government as the city makes every effort to 
transform itself into a global e-sports capital. Last year, at an event in 
Vancouver (Canada), Shanghai's former vice mayor Weng Tiehui announced that the 
TI9 event would take place in the Chinese city in 2019.

By this summer, the favorable regional policies, combined with top e-sports 
event like TI9, had made Shanghai the most appealing city in the eyes of 
e-sports enthusiasts around the world. 

E-sports enthusiasts who watched the competition said that the magnificent 
venues in which the TI9 took place made evident the degree to which China has 
"earned their chops" in terms of holding the world's top e-sports event. 

TI9's promotional films have been very successful in showcasing the city's 
charisma. The creation of an e-sports atmosphere in several metro stations 
including the China Art Museum and Century Avenue stations demonstrated the 
cultural soft power reflected by the combination of the e-sports sector, 
Chinese culture in general and Shanghai's urban culture.

Photo-https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190821/2557834-1-c

Perfect World to build an e-sports event brand

As the official distributor of Dota 2 at mainland China, Perfect World has 
maintained an excellent relationship with Valve, with the goal of delivering 
high-quality game and e-sports competition experiences to players. Valve's 
decision to hold TI9 in Shanghai is not only a great boon for players based in 
China but also in the whole of Asia, the decision is also a full affirmation of 
the long-term, successful management of the event alongside Perfect World's 
execution ability.

Previously, Perfect World had accumulated a wealth of experience through 
hosting some of Valve's world-class e-sports competitions. Established in 2015, 
the Dota 2 Asia Championships (DAC) have been staged successfully three times, 
becoming one of the most influential and large Dota 2 events outside the TI 
series. Perfect World also held professional competitions such as the Perfect 
World Masters and the SuperMajor, and held two world-class competitions in 2018 
alone. 

In the non-professional field, Perfect World has developed the College League 
and the City Challenge to encourage players to join the system, building new 
blood and solidifying the authority of the standardized and comprehensive event 
system.

Photo-https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190821/2557834-1-d 

With higher-than-expected influence, TI9 not only realizes the dream of 
e-sports for professionals and enthusiasts, but also gives additional impetus 
to China's e-sports sector. The sector is expected to gain even greater 
visibility from products, events, team brokers and other industry segments, 
while leading e-sports companies, of which Perfect World is one, are expected 
to become the main beneficiaries and continue to maintain their advantages in 
future competitions.

Source: Perfect World Co., Ltd.


Image Attachments Links:

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   Caption: The opening ceremony of The International Dota 2 Championships 2019

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=343154

   Caption: Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, spoke to the players and 
audiences at the opening ceremony.

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   Caption: The e-sports culture at the metro stations of Shanghai

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   Caption: Dota 2 Asia Championships (DAC) 2015