EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/DQRxrrG.png)
YouTube interview here: www.youtube.com
If you are reading this blog then chances are you have seen and/or read my article on the state of NA Dota on GosuGamers. The convenience of having a blog outside of work with the Esports news website is that I have the ability to be much more blunt and opinionated within my work. Whether it was affiliated with Gosugamers, whom I’ve immensely enjoyed working with thus far, or my personal blog, I’ve had the privilege to interview Michael ‘ixmike88’ Ghannam and Brian ‘BananaSlamJamma’ Canavan this past week. The principal subject of these interviews was the state of NA Dota. I’ve played DotA dating back to the Warcraft III campaign game and as a casual player within the region, it is a passion of mine to see this investigation through to improve the region both professionally and casually. The main content of this post will be similar to my work on GosuGamers, but with a little more zing. We will discuss the troubling matter of the TI6 NA qualifiers, the entitlement factor among some NA players and the lack of sponsorships that all contribute to NA’s infamous reputation.
Valve’s premiere Dota 2 tournament, The International, approaches in the next week. The NA qualifiers for this year’s event was the subject of controversy. Due to roster instability in the region, three fewer teams were directly invited to the NA qualifiers than every other region. Many strong teams deserving of a direct invite were forced to battle it out in the open qualifiers including Evil Geniuses. Based on the current rules associated with Valve and their tournament these measures were necessary. We should reserve ourselves from criticizing Valve for their decision to enforce these rules. However, Valve needs to recognize the fact that a major flaw in their rules was just exposed. Ixmike88 described the current measures as detrimental to the players, viewers and tournament quality. He further called for the roster lock length to be reduced from six months to two or three months. When I addressed BSJ with the same question he called the 100% or nothing roster lock rules a mistake. He began by agreeing with ixmike88 that a reduction in the roster lock deadline is a good first step for fixing the problem but took the issue further and went on to say that entire teams should not be punished for an individual or even two departures from a team that may simply be caused by personal life influences. I presented the idea to him of allowing for an additional “trade deadline” be implemented that would allow for teams to make one or two player swaps if needed without penalty, which he seemed to favor in the interview. I’ve suggest in the article for GosuGamers that when vacancies arise in the main qualifier slots, that additional teams be allowed to advance from the open qualifiers. I’ve since been more in favor of the proposed rule changes discussed with ixmike88 and BSJ, but I feel any of these alterations will be an improvement over the current process. I also believe that these changes can help other issues regarding the tournament like visa complications for those traveling overseas. Speaking directly to Valve now, I don’t blame you for enforcing your rules, but please take a step back and reconsider the repercussions of them. We, the viewers, have our favorite teams but in the end we enjoy watching good old fashion high quality Dota. Ease up a bit on your rules and I believe the quality of your qualifiers will be vastly improved.
As part of my article, there was a question included for the readers asking where most of the blame lies for NA Dota; the teams/players or the lack of sponsorships. As of today, these are the results: 87% of those that voted believe most of the blame lies on the teams/players while 13% think it’s the lack of sponsorships. One thing I wanted to clarify and make abundantly clear from the article is that both of these factors contribute to the problem with NA Dota. I simply believe the lack of sponsorship doesn’t get the kind of attention it deserves relative to the team and players issue. Now let’s move forward with both these issues in detail.
Player entitlement is a global issue in many sports outside of Esports. It exists in the NA region and others for Dota 2 and materializes in some of those typically linked to the old order of players. I attribute the slump in the Chinese region earlier in the year as being an example of this. The technology we have today allows for more players to access livestreams, videos and hero guides that has ultimately increased the standards of play. Those that may not necessarily have top tier mechanical skills have the opportunity to improve drastically if they are willing to exercise the proper work ethic. BSJ wisely pointed to the breakup of Virtus Pro where the sponsors of the team felt the proper professionalism was not being displayed to warrant their sponsorship. I encourage everyone reading this to view the portion of the BSJ interview around the 9:00 minute mark where he talks about player entitlement. It was a masterful and brutally honest rendition of those that think this way. A must for a team to develop a winning formula involves watching replays and “scrimming” consistently among other things. As I said in the article, you are only worth as much as the work you are willing to put in. The skill gap is closing exponentially for the previously mentioned reasons and teamwork is a more prevalent necessity to become an elite team. Those of you who are too quick to pull the trigger on abandoning the team at the first sign of adversity are doing yourselves a disservice. NA players, casually and professionally, need to start holding ourselves accountable and take action to fix it. I am equally as guilty flaming in pubs from time to time. As BSJ mentioned, because of our competitive mindset, when giving constructive criticism to players, it is often misinterpreted as flaming and overall I’d like some to stop being so sensitive when receiving such criticism. I am vehemently hopeful for the future of NA Dota. I’m positive we will emerge from the TI6 qualifier blunder better off and encourage sponsors to pursue building a team in the NA region with the players that do have the proper work ethic. They do exist and have the talent required to be competitive.
The final subject to be covered in this post is the lack of sponsorships in the NA region. Again, this is one contributor of roster volatility that I feel doesn’t get the attention it deserves. There are three heavily sponsored teams in the NA region – compLexity, Digital Chaos and Evil Geniuses. It’s not a coincidence that these three teams are by far the most stable teams in the region. The fact of the matter is, sponsorships offer players the incentive to maintain the cohesion needed to evolve into a better team. Digital Chaos was created in the NA region, and worked to acquire the players they felt would build a winning team. Since then, they have been on the incline in terms of success. The fact that four of the players are from overseas undermines the NA Dota community, but that’s a discussion for another day. The point is that if you make the investment in the region, you can find success. I encourage sponsors to make the investment. Not all NA players suffer from bad character traits, as the stereotype insists and they are worthy of your attention. In my opinion, the NA region is the best kept secret in Dota right now and one day when sponsors realize to take the risk, they will be rewarded. As it stands, players in the NA region more so than others balance their Dota schedule with their work, school or both. Their personal lives can be nonexistent at times. An influx of sponsors can alleviate these responsibilities and allow them to concentrate on their craft.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what I hope to get out of looking into the state of NA Dota. I realize not everyone may agree with my viewpoint or has entirely different arguments than my own. I do wish to know what those views are as they can aid me in helping to improve the region. If you have a view you would like to share with me, I encourage you to message me. If you are a professional player and would like to do the same, I am open to conducting an interview with you as well. Let’s try to focus on developing a movement for the benefit of our region. Feel free to contact me here or on twitter @SophoS_Dota2.
#NA PRIDE
The YouTube link for the video interview can be found here:
www.youtube.com
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