Blast, a respected organizer known for hosting major tournaments for CS2, is going all-out on Valve’s other flagship—Dota 2. This comes several years after Blast was last seen hosting something Dota-related, and it may be a signal of bigger things to come.
Blast announced its return to Valve’s flagship MOBA today, May 8, claiming it’s “shaking up the Dota 2 scene like a well-timed Earthshaker,” with an accompanying 15-second teaser on YouTube. All we know so far is that Blast aims to host its first Dota 2 tournament later this year and intends for it to stretch from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1. Blast also shared its plans for hosting several tournaments in 2025, with at least four confirmed, the earliest of which is set to happen in February next year.
“This strategic move marks a significant expansion of BLAST’s tournament portfolio, further diversifying its offerings beyond its successful ventures,” the company wrote in the official announcement. Though the move is presented as a first, Blast had a brief stint in hosting Dota 2 tournaments in 2020, with a Bounty Hunt tournament involving six European teams. Since then it has been absent from the MOBA’s professional scene, and it seems they’re now committing fully.
Blast’s tournaments were some of the biggest during the CS:GO era, and its recent Blast Premier 2024 in CS2 proved nonetheless significant. Going by these examples, Blast is set to expand Dota 2‘s pro scene significantly, though only time will tell how everything will play out. Still, more tournaments and more esports is always a good thing.
Dota 2 itself is going through some big shifts currently, with its new months-long event adding new content, modes, and more to Valve’s second-biggest title.
Published: May 8, 2024 12:46 pm