Gamers8 just dropped a bunch of details regarding its upcoming Riyadh Masters featuring several esports tournaments including Dota 2. The LAN tournament will feature big-name teams and is set to happen from July 20 – 24. The teams will be competing for a gigantic prize pool of $4 million USD. The Riyadh Masters might come off as a surprise to many, but it is actually a continuation of the previous Gamers Without Borders qualifiers.
*Gamers8 is yet to reveal complete details for this tournament.
But first and foremost, what is Gamers8?
Gamers8 is a huge gaming festival set to happen in the capital city Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event hosts five different esports titles, Dota 2, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, and PUBG Mobile. According to the website, Gamers8 will also have more than 1000 activities and attractions at the venue.
Despite all the good stuff, Gamers8 is infamous for being funded by the Saudi Arabian government and royalty. Due to the nation’s issues with human rights, a lot of parties have decided not to associate with the organizer as well as its events.
Moist Esports declines invitation to Gamers without Borders in solidarity with the LGBTQ community
Moist Esports has declined the invitation for the upcoming Gamers8 Rocket League tournament held by Saudi Arabia in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
Gamers8 Riyadh Master Dota 2 Teams
Ten teams will fight for a big slice of the $4 million prize. Gamers8 is slowly revealing the invited teams as we approach the tournament in one more week. Here are the invited teams so far:
PSG.LGD
PSG.LGD is the first team announced to join the LAN event. This would be PSG.LGD’s first LAN presence since TI10 – which means their travel restrictions are no longer a problem. The Chinese giant is arguably the most consistent team in Dota 2 history and we can definitely expect some dominance on the table.
Team Secret
One of the household names in Dota 2 joins the Riyadh Masters! Team Secret had its all-time best performance at The International in 2021, placing 3rd. This season Secret seemed a little shaky, however, they’re gradually finding their feet. Under captain Puppey’s leadership, Secret is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Team Spirit
The TI10 champions are coming to Riyadh! They had one of the most miraculous, yet convincing run at TI10 – as they finished it off with a strong Lower Bracket momentum. The Eastern European region had a hiccup in the early year but fans wouldn’t have to worry about Spirit missing out on a season. Because as they have shown before, the team is quick to adapt.
OG
The most successful Dota 2 org hops on the train. We are going to see the young and extremely powerful players on OG make waves in Riyadh Masters. The community had high doubts when OG’s new roster was announced, but they quickly proved their prowess. With the title of Stockholm Major champion under its belt, we will expect OG to smash it on stage.
Tundra Esports
A new powerhouse joins the lineup. Tundra Esports is a rising force in Dota 2 with incredible consistency over the last 2 years. They barely missed the chance to attend TI10 but they have only grown stronger ever since.
Nigma Galaxy
The stars are coming to the show! A lineup of veteran TI winners is definitely a rare sight and they’re currently on a roll. NGX just finished an undefeated run throughout Division II and they will definitely bring that energy on stage in Riyadh.
TSM
The Stockholm Major runner-ups will be representing North America at the Riyadh Masters. TSM had an amazing growth; from attending TI10 with no sponsors to now being a Major finalist under one of the world’s biggest organizations. TSM is certainly going to bring tough competition on board.
DEBOOSTERS
Deboosters, who qualified through the Saudi Arabia Gamers Without Borders qualifiers, will be hyping up the local crowd at Riyadh Masters. They are going into this tournament as huge underdogs but it’ll be interesting to see what they can bring.
More teams have yet to be announced so stay tuned!
Stick around Esports.gg for more Dota 2 news and updates!
You can also find our Gamers8 Rocket League coverage here.