First Dota world finals in Shanghai kicks off

The finals of the 2019 International Dota 2 Championships, one of the world's most popular esports tournaments, started in Shanghai on Tuesday and will end on Sunday.

A total of 16 teams from China, Russia, Europe, North America and the rest of the world will compete for the championship in the city's Mercedes-Benz Arena.

This is the first time China is hosting the annual event which has usually been held in the United States since 2011. The opening ceremony featured a Chinese fan dance with a live orchestra performing a musical piece with Chinese elements.

According to the organizers, the prize pool for this year's tournament is a record $33 million. The winning team will receive 45.5 percent of the pool.

Gabe Newell, the co-founder of the game's developer and publisher Valve Corporation, said: "On behalf of the Dota community I'd like to say thank you to the citizens and the government of Shanghai for your hospitality and kindness. We are absolutely delighted to hold the series here in China."

The opening game of the tournament was between Chinese team PSG.LGD and Russian team Virtus.Pro. The Chinese team won the match 2-0.

"I have played Dota for six years. The game has strengthened the bond among my friends and me," said He Ze, a college junior student in Jiangsu province who attended the event with his friends.

"The previous matches were held overseas, so we had no choice but to watch them online. We are so excited that it has come to China this year."