Dota 2 crisis in NA & China: Pros leave their regions

More and more Chinese and North American Dota 2 professionals are migrating to other regions because they lack internal competition. The trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon either.

Not so long ago, there was a thriving Chinese Dota 2 community. But that is now on the brink of disappearing as the best players in the scene have fled to the SEA servers in search of stiffer competition and shorter wait times.

Problems in China’s and North America’s Dota 2 scene

Considering the many Dota 2 talents that each region has produced over the years, the leaderboards have steadily grown, with some even exceeding 5,000 players while China’s only had 1,400. A huge difference, especially considering how big China is.

The shrinking player population in the Chinese region has been a topic of concern and much debate in the community for the past several years. This is what ultimately pushed some of the top players in the Dota 2 scene to act and take control of their own destinies. Because the level of competition in China dropped so much, many players migrated to SEA hoping for a better future.

Players migrate to Southeast Asia

A higher player count and relatively low ping levels have made the SEA server a desirable destination for aspiring Chinese players, especially as it is also home to some of the top-ranked players in the world.

China is not the only region struggling with this situation, North America is in no way inferior. While China was considered one of the most passionate Dota 2 regions in the world, North America is far more aware of the looming danger. Regional pros often face trouble finding ranked games and previously even created their own leagues, which allowed them to play competitive matches to hone their skills. The players organized themselves, hoping to create a better environment for themselves and find a new way out of the crisis.

Players are looking for better opportunities

Like the Chinese players, the high-level players from North America also started playing ranked games in other regions like Europe. Some even decided to move to a different region for the 2023 DPC season. With some regions growing and thriving while others are dying, this could be an increasingly common occurrence for players looking to keep up with the international competition. In esports, it is often important to be flexible and adapt to circumstances or to look for a new opportunity, rather than sticking to old habits and conditions.

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