The Bali Major in Retrospect: A Paradise Or Hell?

The Bali Major has concluded with Gaimin Gladiators triumphing over every team. Although the matches were top-notch, the production quality of The Bali Major was questionable, and there were also many controversies at The Bali Major.

The tournament’s official slogan was “ Dota 2 in Paradise”, but sadly, that’s not what fans are going it remember it by. From in-game bug abuses to technical difficulties that haunted players and spectators alike, the tournament was “hell” for most fans. On the grand finals day, many fans took to Reddit to express dissatisfaction with how the organisers handled the tournament. There were also multiple reports of the organisers reserving more than fifty seats for the sponsors.

Lowest Recorded Viewership

Despite being in the SEA region, all the SEA teams got eliminated after the end of the group stages. Having no SEA teams at the playoffs could’ve heavily affected the viewership for the tournament, as The Bali Major has the lowest viewership record in all LANs. According to Esports Charts, the Major only had 475 421 viewers during its peak. During its 125 hours and 15 minutes of airtime, it only has an average of 175 740 viewers. Compared to the Berlin Major, which had 507 620 viewers during its peak, the Bali Major lost more than 30 000 viewers. Having no home team to root for could be one of the reasons. However, Dota 2 has been losing viewership during the 2022-2023 DPC Season, and even though The Berlin Major saw a few increases in viewerships, the organisers still need to keep it up.

Off-talents could also play a part in the decrease in viewership. Much like The International 2022, only a few known Dota 2 personalities are at The Bali Major. The organisers attempted to find a relatable connection for the fans with new talents instead of going with what already works for fans.

The Dramas 

Although the Major has solid top-notch games, there were also controversial games. For instance, Azure Ray was penalised for abusing an in-game bug, using it to gain an in-game advantage. The BetBoom Team drama caught everyone off guard too. Their actions led to their elimination and one of their players getting banned from the tournament. With all the controversies and disappointment throughout this year, fans are watching for The International 2023. This year The International is going to be hosted at his home in Seattle.

Featured Image Source: Twitter/ @ioesportsgg