Gaming peripheral company SteelSeries will sponsor BLAST’s entrance into competitive Dota 2, the esports tournament organizer announced yesterday. BLAST Bounty Hunt is a non-traditional Dota 2 tournament, set to begin on June 9th, 2020. The partnership will see SteelSeries branding used across multiple aspects of the event.
Danish esports tournament organizer BLAST is taking its first steps into competitive Dota 2 with Bounty Hunt. The event will see six of Europe’s best Dota teams competing for a dynamic $145,000 prize pool. The teams begin the tournament with a $15,000 bounty ($20,000 for top seeds OG and Team Secret) over their heads, with each game awarding the victor 40% of their opponent’s bounty. Bounty Hunt will take place online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional bounties will be available throughout the tournament, though details regarding further rewards are yet to be revealed. Fans will have the opportunity to vote on the additional bounties, with one reward being named after a lucky voter. BLAST Bounty Hunt will run from June 9-13th, with OG Esports, Team Secret, Team Nigma, Team Liquid, Alliance, and Ninjas in Pyjamas set to compete.
Prior to Bounty Hunt, BLAST had only hosted competitive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive events. The organizer is currently putting on BLAST Premier, an international CS:GO circuit with over $4 million in collective prize money on offer. Now joined by gaming accessory producer SteelSeries, Bounty Hunt marks BLAST’s expansion into another popular esport title. The partnership will see SteelSeries provide headsets for the event’s on-air talent, as well as present each bounty throughout the tournament.
BLAST Bounty Hunt will also have an interactive fan prediction game, which offers $5,000 from the tournament’s prize pool to those who make accurate predictions about the event’s matches. The SteelSeries partnership will bring additional opportunities for viewers, as multiple giveaways of SteelSeries gear will be conducted across BLAST’s social channels.
“The partnership provides a perfect fit for both brands with BLAST and SteelSeries sharing a keen eye for innovation and great passion for the world of esports,” said BLAST Commercial Director Leo Matlock. “We’re thrilled to have SteelSeries on board for BLAST Bounty Hunt, and bringing some exciting fan engagement ideas with their Dota 2 heritage, as we look to expand into the popular game and deliver the first class tournament that viewers have come to expect from us.”
“BLAST have proven time and again that they’ve got what it takes to launch top tier tournaments and events, and we’re excited to be part of their first foray into Dota 2,” said SteelSeries European Head of Esports Tim Ashton. “This scene is a proud part of our heritage, and we can’t wait to see how the Dota 2 community engage with this exciting new addition.”
SteelSeries has sponsored a number of other esports events and organizations, including a BLAST Pro Series CS:GO stop in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company also has long-standing partnerships with FaZe Clan and OG Esports.
BLAST Bounty Hunt is set to begin online on June 9th, 2020.
Source: BLAST
