The International goes to China for 2019 championships

The International 2019 will be held in Shanghai, the first time the tournament will be held outside North America since its first at Gamescom seven years ago. Specific dates are not yet announced.

Valve revealed next year’s plans yesterday at the Grand Final of The International 2018, won by OG Dota in five games over PSG.LGD.

The first International was held in 2011 at Cologne, in a 16-team tournament that saw Natus Vincere crowned the first champion, winning $1 million. The International was held in Seattle from 2012 to 2017, before going across the border to Vancouver for this year’s championship. This year’s prize pool was another record, $25 million, with $11 million of that going to OG Dota.

Shanghai is familiar territory for top-flight Dota 2 competition. Mercedes-Benz Arena was the main event site for the second major in 2016’s Dota Major Championships series. China is also a hotbed for Dota 2. More International competitors have come from China, by far, than any other nation. Teams from China have also won three Internationals, and have placed inside the top four in all of the others.