Team Secret captain and TI veteran, Puppey, shares his ideas on the current DPC format and regional Leagues.
The Dota Pro Circuit governs Dota 2 esports throughout the year. The DPC acts as a long-format qualifier for The International which remains the Dota 2 crown jewel. Over the years, the DPC format has seen significant changes, from reduction in Majors to the League system and more. Today, Team Secret spoke to the press and the team's captain Puppey shared his views on the DPC format and regional leagues.
You would have a good system where you work and take a break - work and take a break. Instead you just sit there and you play Dota games every 3-4 days. I don't think Dota functions well like that.
Thoughts on the current DPC format
As teams and players await the finals weekend starting October 29th, Team Secret attended a media day with the press. When asked about the changes he’d like to see in the Dota Pro Circuit, Puppey had a lot to say.
"I would want to see more tournaments, more Majors. I do not like the fact that there's only three chances," he stated. "Human beings usually tend to give one chance, a second chance for everything. So if something, the first time doesn't work out, you try to go for the second run.
But by the time the first and second run work out, apparently, you don't really have enough points to even win the third Major and go to TI - like Entity had to be in that spot.
I would like to see way more Majors, way more chances. At least five."
In July 2017, Valve announced significant changes to the Dota Pro Circuit. A new system comprising Majors and Minors was announced with 11 Dota 2 Majors and 11 Minors. Dota 2 Majors had a minimum prize pool of $500,000 while the minors had a minimum prize money of $150,000.
I would like to see way more Majors, way more chances. At least five
The system saw teams playing throughout the DPC season and ultimately the best teams qualified for The International.
The next season, Valve drastically reduced the number of Majors and Minors to 5 each. The 2021 season saw the introduction of Regional Leagues and just two Majors in the season - The WePlay Animajor and the Oneesports Singapore Major. The number was subsequently increased to 3 in the next season, a far cry from the original 11 a few years ago.
How to improve the Dota Pro Circuit
As Puppey shared his thoughts on the DPC format, the rest of the team also chimed in. The team’s coach, Heen, suggested an increase in number of DPC points for Majors compared to qualifiers.
The winner of ESL One Stockholm received 680 DPC points. The winner of the Regional Leagues received 400 points last season.
They should increase the points given at the Majors compared to qualifiers. It's creating too much imbalance and a situation where you can't even win the third Major and get to TI because majority of points are being farmed up in regionals.
The Prize Money and importance of the final Major
Despite only 3 Majors last season, one of which was canceled, the Majors had a prize pool of $500,000. In 2017, the 11 Dota 2 Majors had million dollar prize pools, each.
I think we should have more Majors or if we have these, then more prize pool. Because everyone is playing only for DPC. There's no player playing for money. Before you had the Kiev Major, the Manila Major - all these Majors had a lot of prize pool. Now it's just, just a tournament for DPC only.
Continuing to speak about the Dota 2 Majors, Puppey said the final Major is often overlooked. With the Final Major directly impacting teams’ qualification status for TI, all eyes are on which teams make it to the TI list. Other Team Secret players agreed.
You don't really care who wins. In the third Major, I can say from my experience that everybody here didn't really care who wins that Major
"You don't really care who wins," recalled Puppey (with others agreeing). "In the third Major, I can say from my experience that everybody here didn't really care who wins that Major. We were just mostly looking at 'Oh who's qualifying. Is Fnatic going to qualify? Is VP going to qualify?' And we're not even looking at who's the winner. We don't even care. There's 9 teams that are green and there's three teams that are fighting."
Length of Regional Leagues
Resolution brought up the topic of the length of the qualifiers. This season, regional leagues play out over six weeks. Valve has reduced that time to three weeks for next season.
[The length of the qualifiers] is three weeks right now instead of six. But I still feel it should be like the group stage of TI ... almost. I don't understand why do I need three weeks to qualify to a tournament. I need literally three days to do it,” he said.
“I understand you want to do content and stuff. But you're just stealing time from Dota," said Puppey. "There's a lot of tournaments to be played. You can have a fruitful area where much more tournament organizations come there and make more tournaments and you would have your content. You would have a good system where you work and take a break - work and take a break. Instead you just sit there and you play Dota games every 3-4 days. I don't think Dota functions well like that.”
Team Secret are set to play Tundra in the upper bracket of TI11 on October 29.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Dota 2 news and updates.