SteelSeries and PGL Announce Cosplay Contest for The International 2025 with a $20,000 Prize Pool

SteelSeries, in collaboration with tournament organizer PGL, has announced an official cosplay contest set to take place during The International 2025, the premier Dota 2 tournament of the year.

The prize pool for the contest is $20,000. The event is open to everyone, although the organizers reserve the right to reject participants whose costumes do not meet the required standards.

According to the official rules, the following are prohibited:

• Nudity or revealing elements
• Pyrotechnics
• Lasers, dangerous weapons, or any kind of liquids inside the costume

Costumes must also meet specific size requirements and be mobile enough for the participant to move and perform without external assistance.

An offline preselection round will take place on September 11 near Hamburg, Germany, close to the venue of The International 2025. A panel of judges will select ten finalists, with four winners chosen across different categories.