The International 10 will be held without a live audience when play begins later this week.
It’s the latest setback for Valve, which moved the $40 million Dota 2 championship event — and the original date — from Stockholm, Sweden, to Bucharest, Romania, over the summer due to visa issues. Now COVID-19 has forced the TI10 to be played without live fans.
“We have been carefully evaluating the continued rise of COVID-19 rates in Romania, as well as the resulting introduction of new local restrictions in Bucharest. To ensure the safety of all players, talent, and production staff participating in the event, we have decided to refund all ticket sales for The International 2021,” Valve said in a release Sunday.
The TI10 wasn’t played in 2020 due to the pandemic. Then it was scheduled for Aug. 5-15, 2021, in Stockholm. Play will get underway Thursday.
–Field Level Media
