Tech

Video Game Tournament Prize Pool Greater Than Women’s World Cup

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The popular online computer game “Defense of the Ancients 2” will host a tournament where the competing teams play for a prize pool over $15 million, a figure actually higher than the recent women’s World Cup.

Colloquially referred to as “Dota 2,” this “multiplayer online battle arena” game, or MOBA for short, pits two teams of five against each other in an attempt to destroy the opposing side’s base, or “Ancient.”

The game has amassed a following of millions of dedicated fans who log on daily.

According to Steam, just over 800,000 users played Wednesday.

The popularity of “Dota” has lead to the creation of a full-fledged professional scene where teams compete online or locally at “LAN” events.

The Fifth International, an annual competition that features the best teams from around the world, boasts a prize pool of $15,444,887, according to Liquipedia.

The initial prize pool stood at at $1.6 million before being opened up to crowdfunding, where the fan base could buy a compendium that offered them in game rewards.

In contrast, the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup had a prize pool of only $15 million. (RELATED: Women’s World Cup Players Overpaid Compared To Male Counterparts)

The International is scheduled to take place Aug. 3-8.