The International 6 dates announced, tickets on sale April 7

Valve has released information on The International 6 dates and ticket sales. The most anticipated tournament of the year for Dota 2 players and enthusiasts will return to the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, this August.

The International 6 main event is set to run for six days, from Monday, August 8th, through Saturday, August 13th. Tickets will go on sale on April 7th.

UPDATE (August 13th):

TI6 final standings, updates and highlights – HERE

The dates for the sixth staging of The International event have been announced through a release published on Valve’s dota2.com blog, allowing the thousands of spectators expected to attend to begin making their travel plans in earnest.

The International 6 dates

The International 6 dates for the main event have been set. The main event will take place at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, between August 8th-13th. Further format and scheduling details have not been announced as of yet. However, if The International 5 format and schedule are any indication, fans can expect to see the Wild Card series and group stages unfold from July 31st to August 4th, with The International 6 dates for the main event already set between August 8th-13th.

According to the release, The International 6 Qualifiers will be held after the completion of The Manila Major, with the Open Qualifiers kicking off on June 21st and the Regional Qualifiers following on June 25th.

Since the Manila Major is scheduled for June 7th – 12th, it is safe to assume that The International 6 direct invites will not be released until June 13th, at the earliest.

The International 6 tickets

Noticeable changes were made to the ticketing system and pricing. A Dota 2 fan who would want to attend all six days of The International 6 would have to purchase two tickets instead of one and pay a total of $175, compared to last year’s $99 for access to the entire main event.

The International 6 will offer two ticket options. The Midweek ticket – available for $75 – will grant attendance to the first four days of the event, between August 8th – 11th, and includes access to the opening ceremony and the All-Star match. The Finals ticket – available for $100 – will grant access to the last two days of the main event, August 12th and 13th.

The International 6 tickets will go on sale on Ticketmaster.com, on April 7th, at 10:00 AM and then again at 10:00 PM Seattle time. Both ticket options can be purchased in a single order.

The International 6 tickets are expected to be in high demand, the same as last year, when The International 5 tickets were sold out in a matter of minutes.

For a smooth purchasing experience, Dota 2 fans are encouraged to check out the Ticketing FAQ, log into their Ticketmaster account before The International 6 tickets go on sale and use a time zone converter.

New perks for ticket holders

Valve has planned special bonuses for The International 6 attendees.

We will be dropping unique in-game items to audience members inside of the arena. At First Blood in each individual game, 500 exclusive Attendee Treasures will drop, each containing visually-unique versions of this year’s Secret Shop Immortals.

In order to be eligible for the Attendee Treasure drops, spectators must have their badges linked to their Steam accounts and be in the arena when First Blood occurs. Valve will provide a free outdoor viewing area on the KeyArena grounds, where fans with only the Midweek ticket will be able to watch the final two days of The International 6 competition.

The International

The International is the annual Dota 2 tournament hosted by Valve Corporation. The International made its debut in August 2011, with a total prize pool of $1.6 million.

Last year’s event, The International 5, took place between August 3rd-8th at the KeyArena – a multi-purpose arena in Seattle, Washington, with a maximum capacity of over 17,000. The Dota 2 community contributed with a staggering $16,829,613 to the $1.6 million base prize pool, making the total prize fund of almost $18,429,613 million the largest in eSports history. The International titleholder is North-American team Evil Geniuses.