Funding for the prize pool comes from sales of Battle Passes, which give in-game rewards fro players who level the passes up. Battle passes start at $9.99, and 25% of sales go “directly to The International 2018 prize pool,” according to the official website. The International is the culmination of the 2017-2018 competitive season for the MOBA game, called the Dota Pro Circuit. The International 2018 will take place in Shanghai.