Back to the Washington State Cougars Newsfeed

Video game enthusiasts flock to Seattle for biggest e-sports event

About 12,000 enthusiasts are crowding into Key Arena this week to watch teams of professional gamers square off in the International Dota 2 tournament.

About 12,000 enthusiasts are crowding into Key Arena this week to watch teams of professional gamers square off in the International Dota 2 tournament. At stake in Saturday’s final round is a $6.5 million prize, part of an $18 million prize pool, the largest purse in e-sports history.

E-sports, as competitive video gaming is known, is big business, and Seattle is a focus of the industry. Tournaments like this one will dish out a combined $71 million in prize money this year, industry tracker Newzoo estimates.