TI12 Dota 2 Championship: Viewership, Player Performance, Hero Preferences, and Prize Pool

The International 2023 (TI12) Dota 2 Championship recently concluded, and it's time to delve into some intriguing statistics. In this article, we will explore the viewership numbers, player performance highlights, hero preferences, and prize pool earnings of TI12.

Viewership Numbers & Total Hours Watched

TI12 secured the fourth-best viewership in the history of Dota 2 tournaments, surpassing the statistics of TI8 in terms of hours watched and peak viewership. During the grand finals, TI12 captured the attention of 1.4 million viewers, accumulating a total of 65.4 million watching hours. Although it didn't surpass the viewership numbers of the previous year's event held in Singapore, it performed better than the last North American venue.

Player Performance Highlights at TI12

With Team Spirit clinching the trophy at TI12, several player performance statistics stand out. Yatoro led in average kills with 11.2 kills per game, followed by Kiritych from VP with 9.6 kills per game, and LGD's offlaner niu with 9.17 kills per game. Notable mentions include Nightfall and gpk~ with the least deaths of 2.33 per map. In terms of assists, Miposhka topped the charts with an average score of 21.3, closely followed by Sayuw with 18.7 and Mira with 17.9, both from Team Spirit. Gpk~ showcased an impressive KDA average of 8.65 per game, while Yatoro had the highest Gold Per Minute (GPM) and Collapse secured the second position in Experience Per Minute (XPM). LGD's WhyouSm1le demonstrated remarkable healing abilities with 154 HP healed per minute, and Entity's Kataomi, Collapse, and Lelis made significant contributions in the domain of disables.

Hero Preferences and Performance

An examination of hero preferences at TI12 reveals some intriguing trends. Only seven heroes were left uncontested, with Drow Ranger, Anti-Mage, Ursa, and Mars being banned but never chosen by any team. Storm Spirit emerged as the undefeated champion with a 100% winrate in games where he was picked six times. Following closely were Night Stalker with an 86% winrate, and Undying and Chen with a 75% winrate, albeit in fewer than ten games. Dazzle stood out in games with ten or more appearances, boasting a 72% winrate over 18 maps and being the most banned hero with 101 games. Treant Protector and Primal Beast followed in the banning list with 89 games each. The most picked heroes were Muerta, Grimstroke, and Dark Willow. An overview of picks and bans showed Treant Protector, Kunkka, and Dazzle topping the charts, with Muerta being the only hero in the top ten that was picked more often than banned.

Prize Pool Earnings

While Team Spirit is undoubtedly happy after earning themselves the title as two-time TI Champions, TI12 boasted an underwhelming prize pool. A comparison of the earnings of Team Spirit players across the two TIs they won reveals a significant difference. Each player on Team Spirit saw a significantly higher financial windfall during TI10 compared to TI12. The total prize money bagged by Team Spirit at TI10 amounted to a staggering $18.2 million, breaking down to about $3.6 million per player. In contrast, the total prize money secured at TI12 was $1.4 million, with each player earning approximately $284,000. This stark contrast highlights the evolution of prize pools in Dota 2 tournaments and the inflated TI10 and previous TI prize pools, thanks to ludicrous Battle Pass sales.

In conclusion, TI12 showcased impressive viewership numbers, outstanding player performances, intriguing hero preferences, and a notable difference in prize pool earnings compared to previous TIs. The Dota 2 community eagerly awaits the next installment of The International, hoping for even more exciting stats and records.