(Los Angeles, CA) February 24, 2015 – ESL, the world’s largest esports company, today announced $1 million dollars in prize money is being allocated for its ESL One Dota 2 tournament series with minimum prize pools of $250,000 for each event. With this base increase, ESL will have quadrupled its 2014 investments into ESL One Dota 2. This investment begins in June and will take place within the 12 months to follow, setting a new standard for independent events.

“We’re starting with ESL One Frankfurt 2015 in June this year, where the prize money has been raised from $150,000 to $250,000 – and this is just the beginning,” said Ulrich Schulze, Managing Director of Pro Gaming at ESL. “ESL One is here to set a new standard for professional Dota 2 events at this level. We’re dedicated to pushing the boundaries, and giving players from around the world more chances to make their careers as professional gamers is a key aspect of that.”

The event series, which debuted last year in Frankfurt at Commerzbank-Arena and at Madison Square Garden in New York with Dota 2, will continue to take place at iconic stadiums and arenas from around the world this year.

To ensure a global presence, the events will continue to be broadcast live on Twitch, ESL’s broadcasting partner and the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers.