The International 2018 (commonly abbreviated as TI8) was the eighth edition of The International, an annual world championship tournament for the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game Dota 2. The event was organized and hosted by Valve Corporation, the developer of Dota 2.
Event details
- Venue: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Dates: August 15 – August 20, 2018
- Prize pool: The total prize pool amounted to US$25,532,177, funded primarily through the game's in‑game crowdfunding mechanism, the Compendium (later renamed the Battle Pass). This made TI8 the largest prize pool in esports history at the time of the event.
Tournament format
The competition comprised three phases:
- Regional qualifiers: Teams from six regions (China, Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, and CIS) competed for spots in the main event.
- Group stage: Sixteen qualified teams were divided into two groups of eight. Each group played a double‑round robin (each team faced every other team in its group twice). The top six teams from each group advanced to the main event.
- Main event (double‑elimination bracket): The sixteen teams entered a double‑elimination bracket with best‑of‑three matches, culminating in a best‑of‑five grand final.
Results
- Champions: OG (a European team consisting of players Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, Anathan “ana” Pham, and Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen) defeated PSG .LGD (a Chinese team) in the grand final with a score of 3–2.
- Runner‑up: PSG.LGD
- Third place: Team Secret (Europe) and Evil Geniuses (North America) shared the third‑place finish.
Historical significance
- TI8 marked the first championship victory for OG, making them the first team to win The International after having previously placed second (TI5).
- The event introduced a new “post‑season” format that eliminated the “upper‑ and lower‑bracket” distinction, instead employing a single double‑elimination bracket for all teams.
- The prize distribution awarded the winning team US$11,234,158, constituting approximately 44 % of the total prize pool.
Broadcast and viewership
The tournament was streamed live on platforms including Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and the Dota 2 client. According to Valve’s published data, TI8 attracted a peak concurrent viewership of over 1.9 million, setting a record for esports viewership at the time.
Legacy
The International 2018 is frequently cited in analyses of esports economics and competitive gaming culture due to its record‑breaking prize pool, high viewership, and the narrative of OG’s underdog victory. The event contributed to the continued growth and mainstream recognition of professional Dota 2 competition.