5 reasons to watch The Bali Major 2023

Dota 2 is set to get off to a flying start in Bali on 29 June. The Bali Major 2023 will bring together 18 of the world's best DPC 2023 teams in one place.

Majors are always a source of excitement for The International: it's a battle of the fittest, it's inter-regional rivalries, and it's good prize money, it's worth noting. However, the case of the IO Bali Major 2023 is unique. It's a tournament unlike any other and it has charisma which makes us all the more excited.

If you're still not in the mood for the IO Bali Major 2023 and you're still pondering whether you should be there, here's a checklist for you. We'll tell you why the Bali Major is worth your attention, and give you 5 reasons why you should check out the tournament in Indonesia.

The IO Bali Major - Indonesia's first Major

The Bali Major 2023 won't be the first tournament in Southeast Asia, but it will be the debut of the highest ranked tournament in Indonesia. And that's great news.

Going back in time, we remember the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic which left us without LAN tournaments for a long time. Good thing those days are behind us, and now we can watch Dota 2 of top quality in a varied, beautiful setting. On the latter, there's no doubt about it.

Bali is a paradise and one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. One can only envy the players who will visit this island not only to relax on the ocean, but also to play for material prizes and the beautiful Major winner's cup.

The Bali Major 2023 is the culmination of DPC 2023 and potentially the last Major in the current format

The Indonesian Major in Bali will be the final stop for the professional DPC 2023 season. This fact alone adds The International heresy to the upcoming tournament.

Despite the fact that several participants of the Bali Major 2023 qualify for The International 2023 prematurely, it doesn't change the importance of the tournament - the lion's share of slots at TI 2023 is still open and there will be a real fight for a place in the Bali Major: not only is $500,000 at stake, but the biggest amount of DPC points being awarded in 2023 - 3,500.

From a sporting point of view everything is clear - the biggest amount of DPC points equals more motivation for the participants. But what about the global significance of the Bali Major 2023? That's where things get hectic at The International.

The fact is that Valve announced on June 20 that there will be no future Battle Passes in Dota 2. The latter acted as the cornerstone of the formation of huge prize money for The International and with the abandonment of the traditional compendium concept Valve have tacitly announced a restart of the professional Dota 2 ecosystem.

It's not yet clear exactly how Valve's abandonment of classic Combat Passes will affect the tournament component of Dota 2, but that the changes will be global is a fact. The Bali Major 2023 may be the last tournament in the familiar format, and the current Major concept will undergo major changes in the future.

We'll just have to wait for official roadmaps from Valve and more explicit announcements. Then there's supporting your favorite teams in Bali and watching Gaimin Gladiators even if you don't support them.

Gaimin Gladiators as a modern day Golden OG or why the Bali Major 2023 will help GGs make their name in the annals of history

Bali Major stuns the most competitive and formidable teams in modern Dota 2, but every company has a leader, and in the case of the Bali Major 2023, the Gaimin Gladiators. In 2023, the credibility of the team is unquestionable, but to further engrave their name in Dota 2 history, they must win every Major event of the season - something only OG has managed to do before.

The two-time world champions from The Lima Major 2023 and the Berlin Major 2023 have already earned a place at The International 2023, but clearly want to close out the DPC season with a clean sweep. However, it will be more difficult to do so at the Bali Major 2023: On the way to the third champion GG will be hampered by the 17 remaining participants, and also by laziness.

Obviously, being in focus all the time is trivial. GG play in peak form almost always this year, with rare exceptions in the form of "niggles" during the course of the regional league. The team wears out and the competitors pay more attention in preparation for matches specifically against GG. That's how sports psychology works.

Besides, the Gaimin Gladiators don't really need that victory. Yes, it's very nice and poetic to win all the Major rounds of the season, but you can't expect any material rewards in return. Given the fact that we have already earned a place at The International 2023, there is clearly less motivation to win.

That's where the other teams come in.

Bali Major 2023 - the end of Western European hegemony?

The regional system of the professional scene looks great on paper. Dota 2 is developing in different parts of the world, there's a TIR 2 scene and everyone is happy. Unfortunately, the system is dead, and DPC 2023 confirms it.

All season long, Western Europe rules the ball. The region has historically been strong, but in the season coming to an end, Old World dominance has reached some prohibitive level.

Just look at the results of the Major events in 2023.

I can not remember when in modern Dota was so clearly outnumbered by the representatives of a particular region, albeit a very strong one. However, perhaps the Indonesian Major will change the emphasis and after the Bali Major 2023 we will get another contender for success in The International 2023 in addition to Gaimin Gladiators and Liquid?

There are prerequisites for a "revival" of representatives from regions other than Western Europe. For example, at DreamLeague Season 20 the Chinese - PSG.LGD and Team Aster - as well as Talon, Evil Geniuses and the Eastern European residents 9 Pandas and BB Team showed signs of life.

A potential GG victory in the Bali Major 2023 would be a more colourful storilinear scenario, with Western Europe shifting away from the competition as well.

The debut of IO or a new player in the tournament operator arena

Another unpopular reason to watch the Bali Major 2023 games is the tournament organisers IO. So far, the latter is a real cat in a bag.

Before the Bali Major 2023, IO was the organizer of local tournaments in Southeast Asia and did not create tournaments of this rank. Now the company has the opportunity to showcase their skills in making large-scale shows with well-known clubs. And there can be a wow effect here, or quite the opposite.

IO partnered with Epulze for the Bali Major 2023. The Lima Major 2023 has been organized by Epulze and to tell the truth, the Lima championship is hardly a technically perfect event. Perhaps things will be different in Bali?

At Long Corner, attention

The Bali Major 2023 will start on June 29 and run until July 9 this year. We'll be keeping a close eye on what's happening in the last Major tournament of the season and updating you promptly on everything that's happening in Bali. Stay tuned to EGW, IO Bali Major 2023 is looming.