Dota 2: The evolution of the Battle Pass

The Battle Pass was once a much-loved feature linked to The International, but this year, Dota 2 fans are hopeful for its return.

Since 2013, when Dota 2 was officially released, fans of the game have grown to love a feature linked to The International (TI). The Battle Pass system, also termed The Compendium, has been responsible for some of the crazy prize pools that we have seen through the years. With stretch goals and levels rewarding various cosmetics down to the amazing miniature Aegis of Champions, fans loved how the Battle Pass added to the hype of TI.

While also growing the prize pool for each, the Battle Pass allowed those who could not attend the event in person to be involved digitally, more than just watching the streams. Sadly, in 2023, Valve made the decision to move away from a Battle Pass. With that in mind, we take a look back through the years of the system and why players are hoping that in 2025, the Battle Pass makes a return.

The Battle Pass: Dota 2’s greatest feature for The International

The International 2013

TI3 will long be remembered as one of the most epic Dota 2 battles. But more to the point, it was the first year that we saw the Battle Pass appear. Originally deemed the “Interactive Compendium”, it cost a mere $10, with 25% of the sale value being added into the prize pool for the tournament. While we had seen 2 years of beta testing already, Dota 2 officially released 2 months after the Compendium. However, in the short time that new players had to find out about TI3, the prize pool grew immensely.

The International 2014

A year on, and Dota 2 was booming. This was made clear when TI4’s Compendium was released, and the prize pool skyrocketed. With the same $2.50 going into the tournament from each purchase, TI4 breached the $10,000,000 mark with ease. Containing alternate voice line voting, hero remodel voting, couriers, and much more, TI4’s Compendium was the doorway to something special.

The International 2015

Growing even further, TI5 saw an even bigger prize pool, with over $18,000,000. While players could previously purchase points to level up their Compendium, 2015 saw Valve add the option to purchase a level 50 Battle Pass right away. This was also the first year that Valve rewarded those who went above and beyond in their Compendium. Players who reached the point of level 1000 could register via a special page and would receive a 1/5th scale model of the Aegis of Champions.

The International 2016

TI6 changed things up once again, as this was the first year where the Compendium changed its name to the Battle Pass. With rewards offered to players at even more levels, and the miniaturised Aegis of Champions returning, the prize pool reached a crazy $20,000,000. The Battle Pass for TI6 also introduced the Wagering system, which allowed players to “bet” on their games with tokens. This was also the first sight of tipping in Dota 2.

The International 2017

Another year on, and the Battle Pass continued. TI7’s version came with an interesting new feature – the Siltbreaker campaign. This multiplayer mode put 4 players into what was essentially a role-playing game (RPG) environment. Players would need to face off against waves of enemies, levelling up and defeating a final boss at the end. TI7’s Battle Pass also added a new reward for players that reached level 2000 – a special baby Roshan courier, as well as a crafted Collector’s Baby Roshan to match the miniature Aegis.

The International 2018

Once more, we witnessed the prize pool rise, but in TI8, it was only $1,000,000 up from the previous year. Much like the year before, another fun new mode came with the new Battle Pass, The Underhollow. With a small pool of heroes, teams of 3 needed to navigate a maze in search of Roshan’s cheese, Roshefort.

The International 2019

Wrath of the Mo’rokai was the game mode released with the TI9 Battle Pass. However, this time around, we also got the Jungle Expedition as a way to unlock cosmetic sets for heroes. 2019 changed things up even more with custom towers in the Battle Pass, as well as the Invoker Acolyte of the Lost Arts persona. By 2019, the prize pool had breached $34,000,000.

The International 2020/2021

2020 was set to be the year of TI10 and a massive milestone in Dota 2. A Battle Pass was released, with the Aghanim’s Labyrinth mode, as well as Cavern Crawl – similar to the previous iterations, Jungle Expedition. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, 2020 saw no TI, with the event being moved to 2021 without an audience. However, this allowed the prize pool to carry over to create an insane $40,000,000 tournament. The Compendium of 2021 added the feature of purchasing player and caster autograph runes to add onto items.

The International 2022

Although we usually had a few months with the Battle Pass previously, TI2022’s released around 6 weeks before the tournament kicked off. Diretide returned with the Battle Pass, with the addition of Cavern Crawl, too. That said, it seemed as though TI was not gaining as much interest, with the prize pool dropping to $18,000,000.

The International 2023

Everything changed in 2023, as Valve announced that it would not focus as much on the Battle Pass. In their statement, they identified that players were not purchasing the product, and thus not getting any of the benefits. Instead, the developers turned their attention to the game itself, rather than The International and the Battle Pass. Although 2023 still had a Compendium, it was a shell of its former self.

The International 2024

Akin to the year before, 2024’s Compendium had barely any features. With a few of the normal additions, such as HUD skins and Chat Wheel lines, the prize pool dipped to its lowest since TI3, with a little over $2,700,000. Although the Collectible Aegis remained for level 300, it felt as though the Battle Pass would never make a return to its former glory.

The International 2025

As we begin our journey to the 2025 TI, players and Dota 2 fans are beginning to wonder if Valve will return the Battle Pass to us. While there have been a few rumours swirling around the internet, nothing is confirmed. If we are to get a Battle Pass once more, there is hope that it reignites the community's love for Dota 2, and the prize pool lifts once more. Unfortunately, considering Valve’s previous statement, there is a chance that we do not see anything beyond the new Compendium system.

Dota 2’s Battle Pass has been through many different iterations. However, it has always had something to offer players, whether cosmetics or a fun new mode to try. We can only hope that TI2025 will see the return to the peak Battle Pass system.