The International 12: Myreze’s Next Evolution in eSports Production

From October 27th to 29th 2023, the eyes of the gaming world turned to Seattle for the 12th edition of Dota 2’s The International—the largest eSports tournament on the planet. For MYREZE , it marked our third collaboration with Valve corporation , building on an Sports Emmy Award (for The International 10 in 2021) and two Sports Emmy nominations in 2022. This time, our mission was to push immersive coverage even further with next-level XR set extensions, real-time AR graphics, and an epic cinematic opening ceremony to kick it all off.

Raising the Bar with XR Set Extensions

Arriving on-site just days before the tournament kicked off, we had a lot of responsibility to consider. This production wasn’t just about placing AR characters on stage—it was about wrapping the entire venue in virtual magic. Myreze’s innovative contributions to the tournament started with the virtual backdrop that wrapped itself around the entire interior of the arena. Here, the cathedral-themed graphics that have been developed for the better part of a year, were showcased to tens of millions of viewers around the globe.

There’s no green screen - instead, we collaborated with Pixotope to map the arena’s interior into a 3D scan, where invisible virtual markers were embedded throughout the space to allow for real-time light changes, window effects, and subtle details—like rays of sunlight—that interacted naturally with the live audience, all rendered in real time.

A Dramatic Opening Ceremony

Myreze wanted to take full advantage of this backdrop during the opening ceremony, so Myreze created an animated cinematic to mark the start of the event, where the game’s heroes broke through the venue's virtual stained glass windows before landing onto the stage, all in sync with the live camera feeds.

Team Logos and Interactive AR

From there, each of the 20 competing teams were revealed behind their newly designed AR team logos floating before them. Each team logo shattered like glass on stage, all rendered on the fly.

As each round commenced, it wasn't just the players that were physically present on stage, but their virtual character models too, brought to life as animated AR characters. Here, jibs and cameramen enjoyed a totally new layer of immersion on stage.

With at least 5 tracked cameras, our team made it possible to shoot incredibly intimate close ups of these heroes, showcasing the incredible detail of our graphics from any angle, from shadows to light reflections from the surrounding environment. And yes, all in real time.

We also created custom-made sound design and foley SFX to accompany each of the 124 game characters as they were present on stage.

A Shared Vision for the Future of eSports

Working with Valve on The International 12 has once again reaffirmed Myreze’s passion for pushing boundaries in eSports production. The tournament showcased how much is possible when creative design meets cutting-edge technology, blending physical venues with virtual worlds to immerse fans in the action like never before.

We’d like to extend our deepest gratitude to Valve Corporation for trusting us to help shape the visual narrative of The International for the third time. From an unforgettable opening ceremony to jaw-dropping AR hero moments, TI12 proved why Dota 2 remains at the forefront of competitive gaming—and why Myreze remains dedicated to revolutionising eSports entertainment along the way.

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