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These video game players just won $5 million

These video game players just won $5 million

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Valve hands out the grandest prize in video game history to the winners of The International 4

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Following an epic best-of-five clash between two of China's biggest teams, Valve today crowned a new champion of Dota 2, its free-to-play multiplayer game that has morphed into a sporting spectacle capable of filling NBA-sized arenas. Team Newbee triumphed over their compatriots Vici Gaming in four games and earn a grand prize of $5,028,308, to be split between the five players and their support team of coaches and managers. Vici Gaming may be disappointed with their play today, however they too go home with a sizeable stack of cash: the second-place team has earned nearly $1.5 million, sharing in a total prize pool in excess of $10 million.

The International 4 has been by far the most lucrative, and now arguably the most prominent, event in the history of competitive gaming. The winners of the Aegis of Champions, Team Newbee, were set up in a hurry back in February, aiming to be ready specifically for this tournament while compiling a group of talented players from other big Chinese teams. The team's inception was hailed as the founding of China's Dream Team, and while it took a couple of roster changes to settle on the final squad, the ultimate goal of conquering The International has been achieved. Asked how they felt now that they're millionaires, each of the five players responded by saying it was "very awesome."