The International 2017 Battle Pass For 'Dota 2' Is Now Available

The International, the marquee championship event for Valve’s Dota 2 multiplayer online battle arena game, starts this year on August 12. As usual, Valve keeps its fans excited for the upcoming event with the annual Battle Pass, which includes a vast array of rewards and new features.

The main theme for the pass this year involves aquatics, and it centers around a four-player campaign called “Siltbreaker.” It will come in two acts--the first part arrives later this month and the second act comes in July--and it will transport you to a new map called Dark Reef. In this area lies an unseen evil, and the Conclave of the Brine asks you and your teammates to take out the threat. As you make your way through the area, you’ll fight many enemies and some tough bosses as well. Each time you play the campaign, you’ll earn experience points. Gain enough of these points and you can spin the Wheel of Rewards for a chance to win the rare Desert Baby Roshan skin.

In addition to the campaign, the Battle Pass will also have some new features for the base game. This includes new quests for your team that can last for one game or span multiple matches. You can also help your teammates increase their Battle Level by using Battle Point Tributes to add onto the wagers set by other players, but you’ll need to win the match to reap the rewards. You can also continue to climb the Battle Level before you play a match by correctly answering trivia questions about multiple aspects of the game.

As usual, reaching specific Battle Levels will give you rewards, such as treasure packs that include cosmetic items and effects for specific characters, chat wheel sounds, and even an adorable hermit crab as your courier. You can purchase the Battle Pass at level one for $10 or head immediately to level 75 for $37. If you prefer to increase your Battle Level with real money, you can buy 5-, 11-, or 24-level increments for $2.50, $5, and $10, respectively. As always, 25% of any Battle Pass purchase will go towards the prize pool of The International. At the time of this writing, the pool stands at over $4.2 million and rising.