Dota's Hall of Fame: A Ranking of the Most Iconic Internationals

When Valve Software hired IceFrog in 2009, to develop a separate game from the Warcraft 3 custom game, there were very high expectations. And after years of development and tuning the game, Dota 2 became the epitome of eSports gaming. We all know how the story went with this game, which led to the biggest event in eSports - The International.

The International is an event that is watched by millions of fans around the globe where the top teams of Dota 2 compete with each other to win the The Aegis of Champions trophy and cash prize that can have reached up to $40 million. If you want to know which tournament was the best, you’ve arrived at the right place. Even though we talked about the three most existing tournaments before, this time we will go through all the tournaments and rank them from most boring to the best one ever.

9. The International 4: A Meta-heavy Era

Many of the fans consider The International 4 the least memorable one. The main reason behind this low score is the change of the gameplay format. The strategies were constantly repeated and one-sided, so it was almost impossible to enjoy it as much as its previous forerunners. Basically, it is pretty boring to watch a one-sided team winning. We are totally with fans on this one. The winner of TI4 was Newbee's, who won over Vici Gaming in a series of predictable matches. The record in a long lasting game was reached that year, it lasted 27 minutes total.

8. The International 2: "The Play" that Defined an Era

Second to last, in our list is the TI 2, mostly because of its failure to evolve Dota 2 to a new level. This tournament will be remembered for Na'Vi's legendary " the play " (definitely worth a look), but nothing more than that. Dota 2 is known for its intense gameplay and this was not really happening in the TI2 tournament because of the lack of depth and excitement.

7. The International 6: Underdog Triumphs and Unforgettable Highlights

TI6 will be remembered by the new guys on the block Digital Chaos. Even though DC did everything they could, the winners were Wings Gaming. Despite initial skepticism, DC's gameplay through the lower bracket, fueled by w33haa's stellar performance on Invoker, provided some of the tournament's most memorable moments. However, Wings Gaming's eventual triumph was the end of an era, since the team disbanded shortly after winning the Aegis.

6. The International 5: CDEC's Cinderella Run and EG's Historic Comeback

CDEC Gaming's Cinderella run at The International 5, coupled with Evil Geniuses' historic comeback in the grand finals, makes this one of the most existing events in TI history. From Universe's iconic Echo Slam to Sumail's clutch plays, the tournament provided significant moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. In the end, EG's victory marked a turning point for Western teams in the international scene.

5. The International 7: Team Liquid's Unforgettable Triumph

Team Liquid's miraculous lower bracket run at The International 7 freezed their place in Dota history. Despite facing formidable opponents, including the ideal team Newbee, Liquid's dominance culminated in a thrilling victory in the grand finals. Their victory together with the existing tournament matches, makes TI7 one of the most existing tournaments in Dota esports history. After all the excitement of the tournament, fans had to play at the best cryptocurrency-friendly casinos to keep the adrenaline flowing and keep the momentum.

4. The International 9: OG's Unprecedented Back-to-Back Victory

When teams win back-to-back championships it means they’ve really kept the pace and sharpened their skills even more in that one year period. OG is a testament of what good teamwork and talent means to win two years in a row. Despite facing stiff competition from the likes of Team Secret and PSG.LGD, OG's innovative strategies (for the time) and their flawless execution propelled them to lift the The Aegis of Champions once again. This win cemented their legacy as one of the greatest Dota teams of all time in TI tournaments.

3. The International 1: Igniting Esports History

The moment where it all began. Back in 2011, Valve announced the 1st Dota international. This is a historic moment in eSports history, where all things went up for competitive gaming. In the T1, we can remember Na'Vi domination and smart strategy execution that assured them the championship, defeating EHOME in a thrilling 3-1 series.

2. The International 8: OG's Redemption Story

Gamers love redemption stories, and in this it was one for OG. Their strategy was on point, great teamwork and brilliant skills. But, their path was not only with gameplay, they had to overcome internal turmoil and roster changes at the last minute. A dramatic showdown against PSG,LGD defied the odds and the Aegis was claimed by OG.

1. The International 3: Fountain Hooks and Million Dollar Dream Coils

The International 3 remains a pinnacle of Dota esports, thanks to iconic moments like Na'Vi fountain hooks and Alliance's Million Dollar Dream Coils. With a record-breaking prize pool and the shift from Dota 1 to Dota 2, TI3 marked a turning point for this competition and its game value. Its legacy makes TI3 one of the greatest Dota tournaments of all time.

This is the place where the magical number of one million viewers was broken. Watched by the whole world (including China), this set a stone a tradition among gamers - to watch TI on their favorite streams.

Overall this is our opinion on ranking the best International Tournaments. You may agree or disagree on our order, but you can’t disagree on the fact that TI is an event worth your time (and crypto).