Overview

• The International 2025 opened in Hamburg, where Valve's co-founder delivered brief remarks to fans.
• Newell said players still tell him to "uninstall" about once a week, which he characterized as community enthusiasm rather than hostility.
• He reiterated that he plays Dota 2 every day, crediting the tournament and its community for deepening his attachment to the game.
• Dota 2 reached more than 780,000 concurrent players on September 11, remaining among Steam's most-played titles.
• This year's prize pool sits at about $2.59 million, well below the 2021 peak of roughly $40 million and lower than 2024's $2.78 million.