The Esports World Cup (EWC), a multi-title esports competition, has announced MOBA title Dota 2 will be returning for its 2025 edition.
Valve’s MOBA featured in 2024’s competition under the Riyadh Masters name and is the fifth title to be confirmed for next year’s event.
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The prize pool for the EWC’s Dota 2 tournament for 2025 has yet to be revealed. According to a release, teams in attendance will be competing for ‘a life-changing prize pool’ but exact details haven’t been shared at the time of writing.
The 2024 Riyadh Masters Dota 2 tournament saw 20 teams competing for are share of $5m (~£3.9m) in prize money. The event also contributed to the $20m (~£15.7m) Club Championship which saw organisations compete for points to win a share of the additional price pool.
2024’s Riyadh Masters achieved strong viewing figures throughout the tournament that ran throughout July. The tournament recorded peak viewership of 419,244 along with an average of 178,349 across its 147-hour airtime according to Esports Charts.
Dota 2 becomes the sixth title announced for the 2025 Esports World Cup. It joins the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Warzone, Honor of Kings, Free Fire and Street Fighter 6 which have already been confirmed for the event taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next Summer.
The Esports World Cup Foundation, the organisers of the Esports World Cup, is backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. The event has previously faced criticism from several esports industry stakeholders due to the Kingdom’s human rights record.
