The StarLadder ImbaTV Minor was revealed to be the next Dota 2 Minor tournament part of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit for 2020. The Minor is set to take place in Kiev, Ukraine, a place with some Dota 2 legacy.
A return to Kiev
This will be the third Dota 2 Minor tournament for the season. Coincidentally, this is also the third edition of StarLadder in Kiev. The previous ones happened in March and June last year, respectively. In the first season of the event, Vici Gaming claimed the champions title, while in the second, it was Ninjas in Pyjamas. Whether any of them will return to take the title anew, remains to be seen.
The event
The first two seasons of StarLadder ImbaTV took place in Kiev’s Cybersport arena and it’s almost guaranteed that this will be the case again. The tournament will feature a total of eight teams, all coming from regional qualifiers.
Dota Pro Circuit is back to Kyiv! We are to hold a third minor of the season - #StarLadder ImbaTV Dota 2 Minor! It will take place in Kyiv Cybersport Arena from March 5 to 8.8 teams will fight for 300 thousand dollars, 660 DPC points, and a slot at the major.#Dota2 #KyivMinor pic.twitter.com/tHzJTQqwRi
— StarLadder Dota 2 (@StarLadderDota2) January 23, 2020
Only one Dota 2 team will make it per region, except for Europe and China, which get 2 each. The prize pool remains the same, standing at $300,000 along with 660 DPC points. Last but not least, the winners of the event will also secure a spot for the Dota 2 ESL Los Angeles Major, which is set to start just a week after the conclusion of the StarLadder Minor.
Structure
The format for the StarLadder ImbaTV Minor features a GSL Group Stage and Double Elimination playoffs. All series will be in the best-of-three format except the Grand Finals, which will be a best-of-five. The qualifiers for the event will be held on February 14-15, while the tournament itself will take place between March 5 and March 8.
With the reveal of the StarLadder ImbaTV Dota 2 Minor in Kiev, only two more events remain unclear and they’re both Minors. One should take place before the EPICENTER Major and one – before the ONE Esports Singapore Major. Information for both of them should surface in the following months, so stay tuned for an update!
