eSports is an industry that is taking over the world by storm with the love of fans and avid video gamers alike. “Defense of the Ancients 2,” better known as DotA 2, is the first eSports game that held a tournament with a prize pool of over USD 20,000,000.00 in the history of the industry – the Galaxy Battles.
Organizers have also started to recognize the passion of Southeast Asian gamers for the game. Hence, the eSports tournament organizers Fallout Gaming (FG) and Purpose Win (PWEL) have announced that the next Galaxy Battles will be held in the Philippines on January 19-21, 2018 at the Philippine Arena, Bulacan.
With sights set on bringing the tournament home to South East Asia, both organizers have a vision to reinvent the DotA 2 eSports competitive scene through the delivery of the tournament, the tournament itself, and explorations into experiential consumer engagements.
The season two of Galaxy Battles comes with the tagline “Emerging Worlds,” which plays a double meaning in its phrase. It represents merging the amateur scene with the professional scene for the first time ever in DoTA 2 history, and bringing South East Asia on par with the rest of the world’s mature eSports markets across the globe.
The upcoming Majors, with a total prize pool of USD 1,000,000.00, will commence in mid-November with the regional invitational qualifiers and the open qualifiers played throughout 6 regions: China, South East Asia, Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), North America, and South America. The qualifying period will run for an approximate duration of 4 weeks and will determine the top 8 qualifying slots. The slot allocations per region are divided as such: 1 slot will be award to the Open Qualifiers; 1 slot to China; 1 slot to South East Asia; 1 slot to Europe; 1 slot to CIS; 1 slot to North America; and 1 slot to South America.
The Galaxy Battles Major will also see 2 slots being allocated for the first time to the New Blood Championships, South East Asia’s first amateur tournament. An initiative started by the organizers to help shed light on aspiring eSports athletes and talents in the region.
The venue boasts a 60,000-seating capacity and will be the home of the Galaxy Battles Major. The Philippine Arena and its surrounding area will be separated into 3 main sections:
- The Galaxy Battles Esports Arena – a 60,000 capacity eSports battle ground where the top 18 teams of the world will battle for the USD 1,000,000.00 total prize pool.
- The Galaxy Battles Dota 2 World – the first ever Dota 2 themed activities ground will feature a range of theme park like activities, food and beverage zones, resting pods and rest areas, and a sponsorship areas where partners are able to feature their products, services and engagements.
- The Galaxy Entertainment Arena – located in an open-air stadium parallel to the Philippines Arena will host the Galaxy Battles music festival that will feature international, regional, and local artists throughout the duration of the event.
With the fusion of eSports, entertainment and experiential activities the event taps into more than just the viewership aspect of eSports but also explores the outer ecosystem which reaches into both passive and active consumer activities.
The Galaxy Battles Major is set to open next year; but fret not as the tickets will be available as early as November 2017! It is an exciting start to the year and definitely one to experience, for both neophyte and enduring fans of the game alike.
UPDATE:
MANILA, Philippines – Fallout Gaming did not anticipate the recent decision expressed by Valve Corporation to withdraw the Major status of the upcoming Galaxy Battles II, at the Philippine Arena on January 19th - 21st, 2017.
The decision was made on Friday morning, January 05th, 2017, by the Valve Corporation, the parent company and developer of DotA 2 (Defense of the Ancients) in light of the recent issues that have surfaced between Fallout Gaming and the Games and Amusement Board of the Philippines.
Fallout Gaming secured the requirements set by the Games and Amusement Board of the Philippines and continues to comply with its rules and regulations, including mandatory drug testing. In line with this, Fallout Gaming encourages teams and its individual members to abide by the laws of every country they are competing at.
In compliance with the Philippine government, Fallout Gaming believes that mandatory drug testing is a requirement that will help shape the future of esports. The company feels that this regulation is a step towards the right direction to legitimize esports. We are currently working hand-in-hand with Valve Corporation to promote a stronger and healthier gaming community.
Rest assured that Fallout Gaming is now working closely with the Games and Amusement Board of the Philippines to resolve any issues within the next twenty-four hours. Fallout Gaming firmly believes that there is a way to develop a healthy esports community in Southeast Asia. This can be accomplished through a head start at Galaxy Battles II in order to usher a new beginning for esports.
Fallout Gaming will continue to update the community for any further developments.