Valve Cancels, Refunds Tickets for DOTA 2 International Due to Covid Rise

Unfortunate news for anyone excited for the upcoming Dota 2 tournament. Valve has cancelled ticket sales as Covid cases worsen in Romania.

Vaguely named The International, the tournament was due to take place from October 12 until 17 in Bucharest, Romania. During that time, the best of the best for the popular MOBA were going to compete against each other for massive cash prizes.

Unfortunately, the event is now looking like a player-only event as Covid cases in the area rise to concerning levels. Romania recently hit a record of 8.28 per thousand new infections over the last two weeks, possibly due to having the second-lowest vaccination rate in the European Union.

Valve has halted future ticket sales, and stated that they will refund all past sales for The International 2021.

We wanted nothing more than to welcome fans live to the event, but we can no longer do so in a way that allows us to prioritize the health and well-being of both audience members and participants.

Those who purchased tickets will be issued a full refund automatically.

To be clear, the Invitational is still happening, but they will not be admitting live viewers/guests at the event. Viewing will now be exclusively online/remotely.

We look forward to welcoming the best Dota teams in the world to the stage and sharing the experience online with millions of fans around the world.

Its unfortunate that even into the final months of 2021, were still experiencing complications due to Covid. EVO, one of the biggest fighting game events, was cancelled this year for the same reasons. Please folks, get vaccinated, stay safe, and wear a mask.