Written by Dante Uzel on 28 August 2024 18:47
Valve has announced that The International 2024 will be free from in-game advertisements. This decision, revealed late last night, aims to enhance the viewing experience by eliminating what the company describes as "distracting elements."
Since its inception, The International, Valve's premier Dota 2 tournament, has largely been free from sponsorships. The most significant change in recent years came with the introduction of the "Road to TI," which allowed regional qualifiers to sell streaming rights to various studios, permitting them to incorporate sponsorships into their broadcasts. However, this did not extend to in-game content.
Valve's latest decision is driven by a desire to focus on showcasing the players and teams themselves rather than external advertisements. The company asserts that features such as team banners, base logos, player tags, sprays, emoticons, and chat-wheels have been misused as advertising platforms rather than celebrating the teams' identities.
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This policy shift will have immediate consequences for teams such as "BetBoom Team" and "1win Esports," whose names include betting sponsors. Historically, these teams have addressed this issue by abbreviating their names to "BB Team" and "1w Esports" respectively.
A notable change will be seen in the in-game spaces where sponsorships were previously allowed. Valve is removing the "sponsorship" area adjacent to player names, reinforcing their commitment to minimizing commercial influence during the tournament.
Tags: Valve
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