When the world is naught but ash billowing through the cosmos, one fact will stand immortal. Valve is very good at selling internet wizard books.
Thanks to the Compendium—the Dota 2 Electronic Annual—the prize pool for this year's The International stands at a staggering $11,513,349. Only it's not. That's the total right now as I write this. When you go to look, it'll be higher. See, it's already at $11,531,095.
Last year's International ended at a 'mere' $10,930,698. This year, Dota 2 players have bested that amount in only half the time.
There's still plenty of time to raise more, too. Right now, Valve has stretch goals stretching out to the $15 million mark. Now that the $11 million stretch goal has been smashed, Compendium owners will receive a desert terrain item that enables a new-look map.
Some quick money maths: Valve's initial stake in the prize pool was $1.6 million. That means, as of my last check, the community has pitched in $9.93 million of the prize pool total. Except only 25% of the Compendium money goes to the prize pool, meaning the total amount spent on internet wizard books this year is $39,724,380. And growing.
