Commentator Alexander "JAM" Korotkov compared the Riyadh Masters 2024 and The International 2024 for Dota 2. He believes the tournament in Saudi Arabia is not as prestigious yet.
Interviewer: "The International is still more prestigious. At least, The International means having your name on the Aegis, so in terms of history, Riyadh hasn't earned its place yet," you said.
JAM: "Yes, The International is still more prestigious. At least, The International means having your name on the Aegis, so in terms of history, Riyadh hasn't earned its place yet."
Interviewer: "What do you expect from Riyadh Masters 2024?"
JAM: "I expect intense competition, especially on the new patch. There might be unpredictable outcomes."
Interviewer: "Why do you think that?"
JAM: "It has become much more challenging: the patch changed the meta, some heroes are making a comeback, and many teams are struggling to gauge these characters' strength. Plus, teams need to remember old strategies: how to play against specific heroes, and how to counter them. The outcome analysis is foggy — this really exists."
The Riyadh Masters 2024 will be held from July 4 to 21 in Saudi Arabia. Teams will compete for $5 million. The event will be commented on by the FUSSIRE studio, which has rights until 2026. Teams representing Eastern Europe at the tournament will include Virtus.pro, Team Spirit, and BetBoom Team.
Previously, Vladimir "Maelstorm" Kuzminov also compared Riyadh Masters 2024 and The International 2024. He believes that even with equal prize pools, Valve's world championship looks more prestigious.