In a move that demonstrates the global reach of competitive Dota 2, Team Nigma have announced Rising Stars, a tournament showcasing talent from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The news broke late evening on May 21st on Nigma’s Facebook and Twitter page.
Team Nigma have unveiled the largest tournament the MENA region has ever seen. (Photo courtesy Team Nigma)
The event, held in partnership with telecommunications company Etisalat UAE, and lifestyle app swyp, looks to turn the spotlight onto teams which might not otherwise get any exposure.
The event is described as the largest tournament ever held for the MENA region, and with a $10,000 prize pool, it’s certain to attract a lot of attention. What’s more, the winning team will face Nigma in a friendly match, giving the participants a chance to showcase their skills on a global platform.
Despite numerous members of the professional Dota 2 scene hailing from, or having links to countries in the MENA region, the area has seen little competitive growth internally. Team Nigma’s Maroun “GH” Merhej is Lebanese, while team captain Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi has ties in Egypt. But even with these big names, the proximity to the European competitive scene, and lack of nurturing has meant MENA has seen few pro teams emerge.
However, with this event – which offers $5,000 to the winner, and a split of $3,000 and $2,000 to second and third – a greater audience will be exposed to this often overlooked region. The tournament is set to run from June 7th until June 15th, and has open registration. Although, don’t let that make you think all the teams will be amateurs – as previously mentioned, there are plenty of pro players from the MENA region hungry for competition.
Details about the tournament structure or number of participants is yet to be release. For more information and the latest updates, check the tournaments listing on Toornament.
