远在2012年，那时第一次身临TI现场的我还年轻，在当中的某一个瞬间萌生了一个小小的愿望，就是有一天看到一届TI办到中国去。那时候的梦想也只是个小朋友随便在说一说而已，而2019的现在，这个梦想在很多人的努力下不仅成真了，TI2时还年轻的我更是万万没有想到自己还会有如此难忘的一次经历并且能够参与在其中。

TI9开始前的我，已经在上海呆了接近8个月了，目的只有一个那就是直接为TI9第一次在中国举办而献上自己的力量。这也是经过了这么多年后，又一种体验的TI9的形式吧。这次来自各界的关注、以及国内广大玩家观众的期望，都成为了压力，压力也转化为动力~ 挑战是巨大的，在当中协调各种文化和机构方面的差异也一度感到很疲惫，但最终看到这么大的比赛结合在上海这个超级大都市中还是让人感到了一股魅力、魔力。

在一天又一天的邮件、表格、还有后来天天清早拨进的跨越太平洋电话会议的缝隙中，连我睡眠时做的梦都开始有些发紫了。

2019年，5月份

从酒店安排到直播设备的规划，从神秘商店和各种平面方面的设计，到测试比赛网络等等各种事情， 就不在这里一一阐述筹备期间的各种细节了，但是清楚的是2019年的5月份当时，我已经充分的意识到了这次比赛的规模远远超出想象。去年的DAC2018可能是我在TI9之前参与最深入并且对自己最有挑战的一次赛事，但是做DAC2018也只花了我两个半三个月的时间投入，而到了2019年的5月份，我其实已经有五个多月参与在TI9的筹备中了。到TI9开赛还有三个月，我也在5月份开始了基本上天天只想TI9的节奏。

当然，筹备一次赛事不可少的一个环节就是多次现场考察，我也多次陪着各方伙伴去梅奔，到最后连天空上的马道都上去过，我也算是从每一个角度都见过梅奔这个场馆的人了。

2019， 8月7日

这是我第一天到小组赛所在的酒店，首先要做的事情就是协调接收一批比赛会用到的货。有五辆大货车，抵达酒店的时间已经是晚上天黑后了，这个工程一直到凌晨才做完。今年也是我第一次参与到TI前期的一些工作，也一次又一次地让我意识到为了能呈现出一个完整的赛事体验，背后所需要的细节和付出。我只是帮忙协调的人，真正辛苦的是帮我们推箱子进酒店的工人，各种各样的箱子和设备要想方设法通过酒店的一些宽窄不定的走道。等这批设备全部都到位后，才第一次感觉到这个TI或许真的要开始了，而不再是纸面上和电脑显示器上的邮件里面的规划而已。运气也算站在我们这边，所有运输进来的设备都很顺利的到了。

2019，8月8日

说到运气，PGL的多数团队成员今天都到了，而之所以运气好是因为他们刚好在台风来袭前抵达了上海。团队当中也有很多个熟悉的面孔，算是我的电竞盟友们了吧。 帮他们领了STAFF的T恤，在酒店的宴会厅层带了他们走一圈熟悉环境后，他们便出到宴会层外的平台，被我称作 “PGL 基地” 的地方，度过了剩余的一点点夜晚。这个平台也是之前好几次比赛中，PGL都会经常聚集的地方。今晚调整时差，准备第二天就要来临的TI9工作。我也和他们聊了聊，算是叙叙旧吧。很多面孔都是在TI8到现在都没有再见过的，那天晚上也感觉到TI8不是刚刚才结束的吗？

我们真的就要马上开始做TI9了吗？

2019，8月9日

今天，很多昨天没到的比赛设备都到齐了。其中包括一个重量级别的东西：冠军盾，安置在一个没有什么标记的，但是很安全的样子的箱子里面。我们花费了几分钟来找这个箱子。找到箱子之后，我们打开验证了一下里面的东西确实是我们需要找到的东西，感叹了里面的历史，开了个 “万一这个不见了的话，比赛可怎么办” 的玩笑，就把它收好了。

外面，整个上海都被一个强台风所包围，夜晚的降临似乎也为台风带来了更大的力量。风和雨，也打断了很多TI9辅助人员的到来。今晚在我们的酒店小城堡里面只有一些Valve、PGL、和完美的人在等待着后面TI将带来的繁忙，但是我们先要等待的是这场台风的消去。

2019，8月10日

台风基本上持续了这一整天，风刮得雨水是横向在空中飞的感觉。上海浦东这边因为街区都属于比较新的，所以没有什么积水的问题，但我在手机上看到了上海的其他区域街头上淹水的情况，上海市也同时发出了各种警戒。街头上没有什么车也没有什么人，平时繁华闪烁的天际线在无灯光的照亮下也显得额外的暗。黄浦江似乎有点生气的感觉，潮水不时地涌到岸边的地面上。平时TI小组赛前的平静，在我这次的印象当中，也被这次台风带得有些不那么平静了。几天后和Newbee他们聊天时，我忘了他们说的是不是这次台风但反正也是某次下大雨，CCnC说Jack在基地楼上光着膀子在处理漏水，下楼的一句 “我们需要更多毛巾！”颇为壮观。

的确，这次台风带来的雨量大到连酒店的窗户都有一点无法招架，有一两次我们也说了那一句，“我们需要更多毛巾！”

2019，8月11日

早上的黎明带来的是一片晴天白云，台风过去了。PGL和其他工作人员在到处忙碌着，我也在跟着他们到处跑，为了战队的即将到来做最后的准备。这次的训练房，每个队伍有6台电脑，五名选手一名教练都有提供，而配置更是豪华的 i9-9900k 加上 2080ti，显示器华硕 244赫兹的，椅子是Secretlab专门为TI9特制的紫色限量版。这些所有都在各个训练房中到位后，TI9也一点一点地成型了。

（我度过了人生中的第一次台风，但能不能度过后续的TI9风暴呢？）

2019，8月12日

各个战队今天都开始抵达酒店。之所以说酒店是因为，大多数战队都已经在前几周内提前来到上海，调整时差并且开始集训。当天我遇到了国土，当他看到我时他就过来抓了我一把，大声的说着 “哇，你怎么越来越年轻了！” 是那种给我两个老朋友很久没见后第一声打招呼的感觉，其实我们两个岁数也差不多，在这个圈子里也都算是老人了吧。国土最近气色看起来也很不错，听说他也开始健身了，虽然说他人比以前更更更瘦了，但是脸色和整个人的状态都感觉上升了一个档次。

2019，8月13日

今天早上下楼时就遇到了正在准备做定妆照的RNG战队。他们的教练，曾经的VG和LGD选手Super第一个看到我，我们便打招呼，我也在等其他人就决定陪他们聊一会。聊到晚上睡觉的话题上，Super说 “晚上睡觉都看先手”，这似乎是个很重要的话题。“晚上对方如果先睡着，那就gg了，你被打先手了。” 原来他在说的情况是对方打呼噜的事情，同房就会产生一个每天晚上先后手的情节。“在对方之前先睡着很关键，好吧。” 后来又聊到了往届TI，大家对排名的结论都很相似，只要不是第二名就都可以接受。也在TI前记得哪个采访当中看到过谁说，只要不要第二就行。不知道这样的说法是给自己减压还是多一份动力，但TI9结束后回顾这一幕，有一点铺垫的感觉?

酒店的各个角落我也遇到了好多熟悉的面孔：液体、秘密、老干爹的人等等。大家都很忙碌地在进行定妆照以及其中素材的拍摄，我也执行着我一贯的规矩尽量不在比赛期间和选手过多的聊天，所以都是打个招呼就路过的。

今晚是每年TI都会有的欢迎晚宴，今年可能也是人气最高的一次吧，因为晚宴就在酒店里面。事情都总要有个开始也要有个结尾，如果赛后派对时结尾那欢迎晚宴就是开始吧，我也很高兴看到大家在高压力的比赛开始前能够有短暂的几个小时可以一起稍微聚一聚。

2019，8月14日

来到了定妆照拍摄的第二天。今年他们让选手们拍了更多的趣味照片。经过这么多年，看到几乎所有选手都终于放得开展现自己也让我感到挺欣慰的。脑海中还是会浮现出TI4那时候，我得站在选手身边亲自示范怎么摆pose的画面。如今，这已经成为几乎每支队伍每一位选手都能够在较少的指导下自主完成的事情了。

2019，8月15日

小组赛第一天。比赛延了一个小时开，但总的来说还是进行的蛮顺利的。游戏开始后，马上就跟历届TI的现场一模一样：各种不同的声音、团战音效、英雄技能声效等在酒店三楼观看厅那里揉成一团。观看厅里摆设了可同时看四路比赛的电视，方便解说和战队人员能在一个区域中观察一切动态。同时，三楼也是主要的转播制作区域，因此解说也会在场间穿梭于观看厅。今年的中文解说阵仗我认为是所有TI中最星光耀眼也最庞大的一次。从某些角度上来看，重量甚至压过了参赛选手，毕竟阵容中包括了六位以上的TI冠军选手，还有其他名气很响，声望很高的人物。这个现象与西方DOTA对比非常强烈。西方的圈子里，TI全数参与的Puppey和Kuroky及前任冠军选手们都还是以现役选手身份参加这次TI，与大家一起角逐冠军盾。我固然不在这篇文章中深入讨论中国DOTA的现况，但还是觉得单一从这一点就看得出来，世界其他地方的DOTA还在前进，但国内的就是看着前日的冠军渐渐淡出或选择其他出路，无论是在长寿度或竞争性都有一点点被国外领先了的感觉了。

夜晚时刻，在今日的比赛结束后，背景传来Sia的《Cheap Thrills》这首歌曲。我不需要钱～～ 只要我能感受到节奏… 中文解说们在讨论着去哪吃饭，在外面平台抽烟的选手和工作人员慢慢的享受着一点夏天的风。

自从上一次有人把冠军盾带回到中国，已经时隔三年了。TI9便在这个背景下，开始。

2019，8月16日

小组赛第二天的成绩看下来，VG 和 LGD 代表着中国战队名列前茅。这或许对他们来说既增加也减少了所背负的压力。毕竟，自从TI8结束以来，让LGD赎回TI8丢掉的盾的呼声就不曾断过，这下还加上了把家门口TI9的盾留在中国的期盼。在这一年中，圈子里的各种宣传、DPC的每一步脚印，似乎都在为了赢得TI9而铺陈。因此，他们截至目前为止的小组赛表现，虽然说不上碾压对手，但是非常稳扎稳打，也足以回应粉丝对他们的期盼，并且可以证明给自己看他们还是有实力再次打回这个主舞台的。很多选手都说过，TI只有打了才知道，但是一个好的开始怎么也是一记很好的强心针。

而KG 跟 RNG 在小组赛的表现有些挣扎，但团队氛围似乎还不错。国土还是面带微笑、沉稳的前进着，不过这也可能因为他是经历过那么多激烈高压的比赛的老手吧。这种只有经验老道的选手才能带来的感觉，在国内战队中已经愈加珍稀了…。老鸡和老十一几乎是不可分开的存在，场间下楼抽烟，不停的讨论着下一场的战略或回顾上一场的经过。有的时候跟他们擦身而过他们还会点头打招呼，其他时候则是专注于讨论到完全管不着外面的世界了。而这时外头的世界还是时有阵雨，也就是标准的上海夏天的天气。

2019，8月17日

作为在筹备期接触过各方面计划的我，也知道这两天在场馆的进度是尤其关键的，大家也对于这个进度有些担忧。在搭建期间去过几次场馆并且亲眼能看到那边的进度一步一步地在进行中，这些担忧也慢慢的被解除掉了。小组赛期间一直都要守候在酒店以便于保证比赛的顺利进行，我在这里还是要向场馆那边的伙伴们致敬：搭建和制作方面的知识是我这次收获最大的一部分。从这次的对战房（新做的)、到舞台设计、到灯光、到各种舞美（很多都是手工和手绘的），这次的所有过程都是真正意义上的国际合作，或许比以往哪一次TI都更加国际化。

一天的比赛结束后，酒店大堂碰到了VG全队在集合准备一起出去吃完饭。大家似乎都到齐了，唯独老队长一个人还没到。我看到Yang做了个鬼脸，说 “他怎么又迟到，总是他！” 不过没过多久，老队长也出现了，他的队友们稍微吐槽了一下，然后大家便带着一股轻松的氛围，一起出发了。

今天的前后几天内，有好几个人在过生日。Ams、Sccc、还有英语解说中的Purge是大家应该都比较熟悉的，另外还有Imbatv和PGL的人也都凑在一起有8月中的生日。因此，应Valve的提议便出现了个较大的生日蛋糕，和它一起配着的是一把较长的刀，用来切蛋糕的。过生日的人各自切过蛋糕后，三个语种的一些解说和工作人员围了一大圈在一起长了生日歌，然后刚刚下解说的Sccc也赶过来，衣着整齐的他露出了一点点惊奇，还说着 “哇，人生中第一次这么多人和我过生日”，我还想着想Sccc这么有人缘的怎么会没有很多人年年要帮他过生日呢？然后 Faith_bian在旁边帮着递蛋糕，解说群里Valve的人推着大家赶紧下楼一起庆祝，围在周边的人拿着手机拍着，甲哥、两冰、还有大家手上都拿着蛋糕吃着，让我感觉这就是一个大家庭吧。

后来想了想，也大概明白了Sccc为什么不会有很多人帮他过生日，因为作为顶级职业选手，生日在8月份的大概率都在奋战TI吧，所以近年内肯定都没办法有什么庆祝了。

2019，8月18日

今年在TI酒店多了一间大家可以用来玩游戏或者开黑的房间，由华硕赞助的笔记本电脑20多台。这个房间很快就成为很多人在空闲时间中的一个避风港。有一天晚上，我也到那边晃了晃，遇到了刚刚下飞机抵达上海的Dendi。看到他，我去打招呼，他也很高兴的说Hi！我就说，你也来啦~ 他就笑一笑，我问他飞过来还行吗（还行），感觉怎么样（有点冷！酒店的空调太足了）。然后他反问我怎么样啊（累，但还不错）。在TI还能经常看到Dendi也是很开心的一件事情，他是多年来一直都保持一样的心态和对待他人的热情。

2019，8月19日

• 

• 

• 

今天又是一年TI的媒体日，各家媒体都挤在一个大房间内，战队们陆陆续续地穿着队服出现一段时间接受采访。今年的媒体日相比于以往，显得拥挤了很多。一方面是空间没有去年大，另一方面是因为在上海，来自国内各界媒体的关注度也很高。今年我没有很多媒体日帮忙做采访的任务，我在这里帮了一会忙之后就前往场馆参加彩排了。

到了场馆，交响乐和舞蹈团队都已经在他们的彩排过程中。台下，舞台导演和我们在和各个战队的领队们解释着明天开幕式的流程，让他们可以把这些信息带回给明天早上要来参加开幕式的选手们。领队们到了场内也显现出了一些好奇，有些人拿着手机拍照收藏这一刻，大家也都开始有点期待了TI9主赛事即将带来的魅力了。

场馆的后台区，在中文解说休息室里面我发现了一位马甲哥与430在一起翻着刚刚买回来的神秘商店宝贝。先是ZSMJ要求430帮他拿着雨伞和手机壳拍个照，很快就决定这些东西其实应该是430拿着效果会更好。“来，你拿着我拍”，就变成430客串了一下马甲哥的商品模特了。

2019，8月20日

今年的TI9门票刚开始卖的时候，我对于自己在八月份现场的参与还不是很确定，也就跟其他人一样线上去碰运气抢了一下，意外的买到了两张票。原计划是邀请亲友来观看比赛，尤其是家人，因为他们一直都对我到底做什么不是很理解（虽然说近年来已渐渐从最开始的反对转变成了接受甚至是支持）。最终这些计划都泡汤了，因为他们结果是在TI前一周就来看过我并且离开了上海，因此我手上就多了张票。最后，就在主赛事开赛前的凌晨时分，在上床睡了两个小时之前，我通过微博把票送给了一位DOTA粉。这位玩家在我凌晨4点发了帖子要求回复中要含照片和一段文字描述应该选择他们的原因后，早上6点被选中。他说他从外地飞到了上海，没有票，原本计划参加VG组织的线下观战，也从来没有去过TI现场。我们约了9点在梅奔门口见，把票给了他，跪求他不要转卖，也请他拍很多现场照片，让我也能透过他的视角体验一次作为观众去TI的感觉吧。

观众视角是我这几届TI都无法体验到的。我当然不会是在抱怨这点，但是作为DOTA迷我也还是会感叹，有的时候会有一点点希望能够抽空到看台上跟一两个朋友好好坐着，讨论要看哪一场比赛，什么时候去逛一下神秘商店，谁的签名去争取一下，在哪个精彩的BO3过后也可以一起刷刷微博和其他媒体，一起轻松的度过一天… 记得上次真正完整地看完一个大场是在TI3的时候，而当时是因为中国队在总决赛前都已经被淘汰了。今年其实一局完整的从BP到gg都没看过，但气氛中都飞舞着，而我也要尽量事后再把片段拼凑成画面。这可能是TI的一种魔力吧，就算没有能够以最完整的形式来体验，TI还是那么吸引大家，所以我也太能理解那些没有票还要前往现场的朋友，因为换我我大概也会做同样的事情。

Anyway, 有点跑题了，这位玩家好像玩得蛮开心的，也让我感觉到虽然这个举动不算什么大事情，但是我能够这样把票送给需要的人也是我能做的一切了吧，对我来说有意义。

红毯环节后紧接着就是开幕式。因为参与了这些的一点幕后规划，我脑海里知道应该发生的是什么，却也没空盯着荧幕确认它的确按照计划走。Gabe一如既往低调的发言，带来的是主舞台上的第一次沸腾。对中国粉丝这或许是TI9开幕中最重要的一个仪式。假如冰蛙是DOTA的神，一个未知又莫及的存在，那么Gabe就像是TI的认证标签，有了他才是货真价实的TI。

“Welcome to the International!”
“欢迎来到国际邀请赛！”

我听粉丝说Gabe的出现才让他们有种 “哇！这真的是TI！在中国的TI！”的体会。我觉得国内粉丝能够在主场的舞台上听到那一句肯定也是很多人期待已久的一幕了吧，反正我是。

It’s more than emotion
I feel I’m never gonna stop

主赛事首日进行的难以置信的顺利，不过要是你在后台你可能不那么感觉，因为大家都极度紧绷。这天的时间拉得很长，要打6场，其中还包括4场淘汰赛意味着有4支战队要结束他们的TI旅程。对于中国队而言，VG和LGD都顺利的拿下了他们的胜者组对阵，是个好的开始。比赛后，LGD显得泰然自若，仿佛肩上毫无压力。或许是因为除了他们还有三支中国队也还在奋斗吧。毕竟如果粉丝的期待、支持、及群众氛围会在无形中成为压力的话，那么在场有多支中国队就能尽量平均分担一些了。

2019，8月21日

主赛事第二天。我在后台看到BurNIng 在吃饭。我跟他说了声哈咯，他回了声哈咯。场馆里今天特别冷，后勤接待团队替大家买了毯子盖，还有人直接穿了羽绒服，虽然场外是上海的八月天。我也有机会遇到了Mara和他的朋友Kazu，就是日本牡蠣杯的那群人。我们交换了联系方式后，我带他们到处看了一圈。他们是受Valve邀请，以观众身份来看比赛。我问他们是否会上直播流，他们只说了声 “可能吧。” 他们很放松的看比赛，交谈中了解到他们也会在东京电玩展（TGS)，而我在TI后也会去，所以我们就约定了在那里碰头。Mara 会参与TGS中由日本电竞联合会举办的DOTA2 比赛。

我在场馆入口短暂的碰到了国土的两个小女儿，她们和带着她们的大人正等待一些协助进入场馆。后来有空和国土聊了一点点，我觉得他的女儿果真跟他以前在手机上给我看的照片一样可爱。那是2017年左右的事了吧，每次见到我他都会给我看她们的近照，然后如果是在美国打比赛的话，结束后会让我带他去买奶粉。他会问我 “你什么时候有小孩啊？” 然后我会跟他说这不在我的计划内。我也见到了Fy家里的小朋友，应该是姥姥带着，来看Fy比赛。这两三年，从真视界中及冠军上台捧盾的时候可以看出，有越来越多选手的家人亲友都来观赛，支持他们。他们也许不完全了解游戏中发生的事情，但是这个现象还是挺令人感动的，也跟以前那种父母反对孩子进入电竞的情况完全不一样了。突然感觉我们大家还是走过来了。

We’re speaking a language
That no one understands

场馆附近区域，几支中国队都组织了正式的线下观赛，展现了他们对于DOTA的投入。RNG包下了场馆边上的一家餐厅，用来发放应援物。VG租了市中心的一家剧院。LGD不用多说，有他们自己在杭州开的电竞馆。

• 

• 

• 

今年场馆外有个面积很大的广场都被TI9包下来了。除了兑票区，神秘商店（ 有很多新货及TI专属商品），还有TI有史以来第一次做的战队商品售卖区。 战队前期通过报名，安排在这个区域售卖战队商品，印象中VG，KG，RNG，LGD，Secret， Alliance，VP，Liquid，以及Newbee 都抓住了这个机会。这似乎是很多战队在很多次比赛中都询问、建议过的。另外，广场上有道很高大的墙，前面树立了所有的队旗，搭配上紫色的灯光以及广场旁的锥形荧幕，我认为这次的外场部分是所有TI中户外元素视觉效果最壮观的一次。

2019，8月22日

活动截至目前为止我都还没机会跟熟人见上几面，更别说坐下来聊聊了。但此刻我看到了三冰，他是专程为了去神秘商店而来了现场。因为刚好有点时间，我就带他走了一条能够避开外面酷暑的室内通道。路上，他问了个保安哥们 “你是上海人吗？” 然后在保安大哥还没反应过来之前他就 “哦，OK，酷，拜！”

回到场馆后，遇到了刚抵达，准备上台解说的Sccc，faith_bian，二冰和跳刀。三冰也在后台等回酒店的班车，跟他们闲聊了几句开了几个玩笑。Sccc几位正要进电梯时，三冰突然说“加油”，“明年见！” Wings 的几位应了一声，而Sccc在电梯门就快闭上的时候冒了一句“你们加油，我继续看！”，大家都笑了。辰哥也要继续加油呀，再次站到大舞台上。

活动进行了将近一半，各种混乱似乎终于平息了。跟往年相比，有很多的不同，却也有很多相似之处。在赛场上是竞争对手的选手们下场后互相间的闲聊胡扯，默契，以及高压环境下悠然的态度……

我找到了些空档到中文解说休息室待了一下。Sccc 看上去有点累，他在靠后的地方找了张桌子趴着头，试着在下一场次前小睡片刻。Faith_bian 专注的在学一套新的分析系统，有点像新版的FW，全套我一点都不了解的什么数据系统。不过这也再次展现了 Faith_bian 总是抱持着学习上进的心态面对着周遭事物。另一位解说带了一件旧的Wings的T恤给 Faith_bian 签名。衣服的一面是2016年Wings选手们的签名，而反面是他们新的签名。Faith_bian 说他以前签名不太好看，说着就签了个新的，而这个明显让他满意的多，他得意的问了一句“这看起来好多了吧？”

我突然想起TI7 Boboka 练签名练了几乎半个小时的片段。

在中文解说微信群里，有人提到在酒店电梯里看到一个粉丝哭得歇斯底里。似乎是EG粉，为了EG今晚在SumaiL的极力挽救下也还是输了比赛而痛哭流涕。粉丝现象是件有趣的事情，虽然绝大多数的中国粉丝支持的还是中国队，但我发现越来越多国内粉丝开始支持外国队伍了。EG，Secret，Liquid都是明显的选择，因为队上有 SumaiL，Puppey，Miracle- 这些支持者与国内选手不相上下的明星。

2019，8月23日

下了分析台，Faith_bian 又在谦虚的说他觉得自己还有很大的进步空间，比如刚刚这个环节里哪里哪里可以做得更好。Faith_bian 还在努力的操作者那个分析系统，为了让TI9的节目效果更丰富，他在团战之间他在触摸屏上划来划去，寻找可用片段，剪辑素材。一向好学，积极向上，这就是我对这位TI6冠军的印象，他绝对是一位不肯原地踏步的选手。

稍后， BurNIng 跟 Sylar 结束了他们的解说场次，准备前往洲际酒店参加刀塔之夜，走之前 Sylar 得先上包厢接女朋友。沿路上当然被粉丝们逮个正着。尤其是 BurNIng，而他便以他一贯的风格为所有粉丝签名，与他们合照。有几位看起来比较胆祛的粉丝，BurNIng 直接看着他们问他们要不要拍照。不是 BurNIng 变得更溜了或更适应当明星的生活了，而是做为这一代年轻人最受欢迎的明星之一的 BurNIng ，其实出乎意料的平易近人。

下楼路上，BurNIng 跟 Sylar 聊起了冠军盾。BurNIng 问 Sylar 有没有摸过盾。“没有啊，14年他们在前一个晚上就放在我们旁边，有些人摸了我没摸…” 毕竟有个迷信说，赢之前不能碰。 BurNIng 笑了一笑说这不算，他们两个都不是TI冠军，Sylar 呛说 “我好歹是近距离见过冠军盾的男人好吧！” TI4似乎是遥远的记忆了，他们都能轻松的开着那时候的玩笑。

我把两位放到了前往洲际的车上，他们上车前跟我挥了个手，车子就关上门驶入夜晚中。有时我有些难以想象，这些人在这个领域中都是超级巨星，因为私底下的他们是那么的平凡。有的时候，粉丝还比这些明星更能谈笑自若，而其他时候他们只是想做一般人都想做的事情，好比吃饭，睡觉，跟朋友鬼混，等等…然而正是这点更增加了他们的魅力。传统体育中有种塑造英雄的习性，无论是粉丝或是媒体都有，而电竞中这个现象固然也存在，却也有些不同。我们的英雄首先是我们最能够产生共鸣的，接着我们会开始关注并支持他们相关的一切。成绩很重要，但是在国内的圈子里，名人的粉丝团与日俱增。

回到场馆休息室，我坐下来喝口水。Dendi 走了进来，开始煮咖啡。片刻沉默后，他转向我说 “嗨，你好吗？” 我们聊了一下下，我问他明年的计划。“我要打！” 他宣布。他握紧拳头，以Dendi特有的风格说 “我要找几个新的队友，然后灭了大家！” 我回复 “很好，我最喜欢的Dendi就是选手Dendi！” 接着他的咖啡煮好了，他捧起来轻轻的吹凉它，对我眨了个眼，然后出去了。

这天晚上以全明星赛及Dendi的偷奶酪技法伴随着全场的欢呼声收尾。

回到选手和解说下榻的酒店，现场甚是热闹。大概一百多个粉丝聚集在了大堂，见到认识的就蜂拥而上。现场秩序有点乱，对有些战队而言有点困扰，不过这就是中国的现实。在国内，电竞是主流爱好，电竞名人基本上就是众所皆知的明星，尤其是TI9期间关注度更是高涨，而这让部分战队解说难以应付。我觉得电竞未来如果延续这个走向，那么战队、选手、解说为了自己好也都要做好心理准备及应对方式 — 持续坚持着完全避免与粉丝互动也不是长远之计，反而能够做好准备去管理这种情况才是应对之道。

This has become a passion
That is changing me

2019，8月24日

一早起来就有朋友发截图给我，说嘿，你在游戏里面了？今年的TI是体验上最不同的一次，或许也不会有再一次这样的体验了，但看到截图就有突然返回了以前的感觉了。今年原来也还要做一些采访呢，我便开始补习一些采访上可能会需要用到的信息。舞台上的结果，在这几天里面也开始变得和去年很相似…

Here I am, there you are
Don’t wanna stop
I know you know it, I can feel it

VG被淘汰的那一幕，在今年的回忆中应该是最心碎的一个瞬间了。也不是因为我有多支持VG，也不是因为我之前作为粉丝也好，观众也好，有多投入到他们这个赛季的故事线中。TI最近几年添加了个败者采访，而今天VG输后，英文流希望来接受采访的VG队员是Fade。因为Fade有一些英语表达能力，我只是跟着英语采访元Sheever一起梅奔3楼包厢层的采访点，以防万一选手不愿意或者无法用英语表达出他想说的意思。一个同时又快又慢的等待后，Fade出现在了我的面前，跟在他后面的便是聚光灯和游记摄像机。他直接走向我，说了声 “Hey Josh”。采访很快就要开始了，我说，要你用英语接受采访，ok不？Fade点了点头，我就退下，说 “没事，有问题的话我就在这”，采访就开始了。

其实说是采访，也不是啦，这种败者采访对于大多数人都很难接受，粉丝、选手、采访员都一样。但是这种内容有时候能够带出来比赛的另外一面，毕竟每届TI有18个队伍参加，能获胜的却只有一支队伍。其他17支队伍都将会是败者，所以他们的故事，TI在近年来也在寻找着不同的方式去讲述，或者呈现。Fade说了一些，采访就结束了，然后他就左右看了看，找到了我就直接… 扑了上来？我有一点措手不及，那一刻的感情很复杂。

我回想到了他TI8输了之后的一次在电梯前安静的 “Josh, 我们输了”，只不过这次更伤心，在更多人的瞩目下，输的更是在自己家门口的TI9… 在等电梯返回后台时，似乎为了活跃一下气氛，或者让自己振作一点，我也不知道是给我们说的还是给自己的话，他用英文和陪同的裁判说着 “我只是想再继续打下去的，但没关系，这就是Dota。这就是生活。” 微微的笑了一点点，而上电梯前我往窗外看了下 –

又下起下雨了，好像每年的TI到了后面几天都会在最奇妙的时刻见到从天空中掉下来的雨水。

‘Cause I’m falling deep
I guess the pressure’s built right up

胜者组决赛中，和2018年的结果一摸一样，OG的让一追二，然后赛后的采访中和Ceb聊着。他透露出的自信，以及对队友的信任可能才是最与众不同的一点吧，我从来没有见到过在Dota里面如此有信心的人，或者队伍。或许不只是自信吧，他们还有一项更厉害的技能，就是已经可以完全忽略外界的声音和影响了。至少我作为一个从外观看的人员来说，每次和他们的沟通中都有这种感觉。所以LGD今年是否主场作战，可能根本对于OG来说，没有任何影响。

然后，液体击败了秘密，之后有了个和奇迹哥的采访。从当初的一个比较内敛不善于表达的孩子转变到现在在采访中可以随意谈吐的顶级选手的过程也算是很多人亲眼见证的吧。很多人都说TI有点象个每年的大家庭聚会，我也慢慢有类似的感觉了，粉丝、选手、工作人员都在一届又一届的过程中相互学习，成长着。

晚上回酒店时在大堂再次遇到了Fade，抱了抱，他还一直说着谢谢谢谢给我肩膀，“我当时只是看到了那么多的粉丝，一下…” TI过后的瓜归瓜，但我不觉得这是一位不想好好打比赛的选手，我也觉得大家应该多多包容支持选手。有些人可能真的很在意，表现出来的方式可能要通过几次来回才能做到最合适，那大家在这里的角色或许，我在想，就应该是帮助选手成长。我们都年轻过…

吃完晚饭上楼时，在电梯中遇到了秘密全队。“占领此电梯，此后这台电梯为秘密专用电梯” 有人开玩笑道。我们也都相互点点头打招呼，然后他们继续调侃自己，“败者专用电梯”。虽然输了比赛，他们至少从外观上来看，心态还不错。

2019，8月25日

VG出局后的另外一个结果和去年也是很相似的，LGD孤军作战。作为DPC上成绩最好的中国战队，大家对VG原本的期望值应该是比较高的。我感觉在他们输了之后，LGD压力就更大了，原本在VG那边的期望和希望也渐渐地都来到了LGD门口。各种媒体上都是铺天盖地的逆转命运，2018的决赛日和2019的决赛日彷佛是一个硬币的两面，两个不同时间线上的同一天。

某一局的bp过后，在舞台上有个短暂的教练采访。357被问到了一个去年就被问过的问题，是个很常规的问题，“你怎么看待这局，打个分？” 我也是个有点迷信的人，那个瞬间我就感觉如果要不同的结局，你要在各个转角处做出和上一次不一样的举动。在我的想象世界中，那一刻的357给出的回答是 “我们肯定会爆锤他们”，紧接着可能在直播上挥挥拳头，表露一下自己野性的一面，从而高歌猛进直到夺冠。蝴蝶效应？

现实中的357的回答也是很常规的一个回答，和去年一摸一样： “五五开呀”。我也只是自己迷信了一下，今年的对手确实比去年强，而虽然LGD也又进步，但比赛是公平的，最后还是输了。

With all this desire
I’ve been carrying around
I’m feeling elated
I don’t wanna come back down

在全场的梦想和期望下，比雷声还响亮的高呼呐喊中，主场作战的LGD又一次战到了最后一天，但是又一次倒下了。场馆里的氛围一度在他们第一局获胜后处于近乎炸裂的状态下，空气中都飘着闪电的感觉，然后就没有什么然后了。是压力还是期望过高？是无法继续承载那么多人的希望和梦想？还是对手太太太强了？反正，输了之后的LGD还是在全场的观众的支持下离场的，fy也是最后一个有一点慢慢地离开，有点不舍，随他而去的是很多观众的热情和呐喊的能量。来年再战。

之前有过采访好像说过，除了第二名其他名词都可以接受，但TI9 LGD的第三名好像把整个场馆都罩在了一个阴影下。老天像是安排好了的，在LGD输了后几分钟内，外面便下去了一场突来的暴雨。败者组决赛和总决赛中有一个一小时的场间时间，我抽空到外场转了转。外面有很多穿着LGD队服的粉丝，有一些明显是在退场，有一些可能也和我一样，还会坚守到最后但是需要到外面缓一缓。

All the tension rising up
So much it hurts

听到了有粉丝在感慨Fy，又一次TI，又一次传奇般的拉比克表现。亚军、亚军、季军。他的TI结束了，很多中国粉丝的TI也随之一起结束了吧。抬头看看四周，有人眼角里似乎飘着一点泪水，还是雨水？我也只能想象这一瞬间的Fy到底是什么感受。

It’s more than emotion
I feel I’m never gonna stop

回到场馆的后台区域，气氛有点冷淡，场馆的空调也使得我感觉意外的寒冷。有工作人员已经在拆除一些不会再用到的设备，为了总决赛结束后的撤场工作开始做准备。做完这次TI全部分析工作的Sccc和Faith_bian在休息室整理这东西准备回去，而在休息室里面的一个问题 “怎么回事呢？” 一直也没有得到什么回复。其实，很多人今年应该都有所预感了吧，LGD不一定能把那个梦想中的结局画到自己的故事中，那这样的话回复可能就很简单：对手太强了。

那天我也短暂地幻想过当时如果是LGD或者VG在最后TI9在上海的舞台上举盾的话，画面会是怎么样的。

对于我来说，应该会在英文分析台那边，因为舞台采访会是主场语言进行的，那国外观众就会需要同声传译。同声传译的工作相当困难，应该比在舞台上寻找一个欢乐到忘掉自我的NOtail难很多。想象归想象，最终的现实是OG成为第一支双冠王，卫冕成功：不可思议，不可想象，但是到了TI9的最后两天，已经不是不可预估的一件事情了。最后在舞台上的冠军采访虽然表达的话语不多，但是画面上我觉得大家都能看明白，也就够了吧。

We’re saying more than words
More than words

2019，8月26日

今年的赛后派对我是在凌晨左右才过去的，所以其实已经是26日了。在这里我终于找到了机会和很多人第一次真正的说上几句话，然后因为时间，很仓促的道别和道谢。Puppey、666、Bulba、很多选手也都在。我找到了Jerax并且祝贺了他，问他感觉怎么样啊？“难以置信”，他的脸上也确实还是一种不可思议的表情。和V社的很多人也见到了面，在合作了多月后我们今天晚上的共同语言就是 “我们终于做完了！”，大家都一下子轻松了很多，各种笑声飘在在Afterparty的四处。里面的一个房间里有人在唱歌，现场有个dj放着音量稍微有些过大的音乐，我也看到了一些中文解说来到了现场。xiao8的小朋友，虽然都已经过了半夜，还很活泼，我也是第一次见到。很可爱呀！8师傅坐在一旁看着孩子，有种很负责稳重的感觉。把他联想到TI2干爹连胜时，或者TI4举盾的时刻，但是再想一想其实做了那么多年队长之后，稳稳妥妥的带孩子的这一幕也很符合8师傅吧。

Afterparty过后，楼下还有一些人在ktv唱歌。三冰，xNova，Fade还有一些他们的朋友。希希也在，后来有一些英文解说随同这Zai以及Misery一起到来，现场一度有人呈现不太棒的Eminem。虽然说当晚的音乐歌唱能力令人堪忧，但是氛围很好，聊的天也很有意义。我和Fade坐在一个角落，稍微有点安静的一边刷手机，一边聊着一些人生大论。时间到了凌晨三点，然后四点。TI备战期间是否应该那么严格，到没收手机的地步？是不是太早开始集训会让人过早出状态？后来在和国外选手的另外一个对话当中我听说在TI9前的训练中，VG和LGD都基本上是全胜的。

KTV打烊了，但我们似乎都没有想要那么早结束夜晚的意思。离开KTV之前，Zai很关心的问了大家，谁买单啊？当然是不能把账单全部丢给某个倒霉鬼吧？有人说，xNova已经买了单了，三冰跟话说 “TI9第三名!!”

慢慢地走回酒店的路上，聊天的内容从要不要找点吃的，转移到TI过后大家的安排上。xNova说他有家人来上海了，现在这边带他们玩一玩。三冰说他回去东京，我说我也刚好要去，我们时间还有吻合，所以我们就说好了东京见。过了一会，Zai上楼睡觉了，但在这同时从酒店的另一边Puppey和Kuroky走了过来。这种小瞬间是我每届TI最珍惜的时刻，尘埃落定，大家还没要离去的那一个夜晚。

下午睡过一会后，我又到了酒店的训练房层去帮忙整理一些东西，就在那时Dendi又从电梯走了出来，拿着两个小盒子放在了这次帮比赛做一些后勤工作的工作人员面前。”Gift, for thanks!” 是他从乌克兰带来的巧克力，想用来表达谢意，然后他就又很快挥了挥手上了电梯。

最后一个下午，我又一次见到了Kuroky、奇迹哥、还有他们的经理Morad。Kuro在和我开玩笑说怎么在之前都不和他聊天，我就很严肃的回答他说我一般都尽量不主动找选手的，不想影响。最后他对这次TI的总结和他一贯的微笑一样低调, “这届的结果比我想象中要好一些”。

2019，8月27日

大家离开酒店和上海的时候，大堂就在前几天还很喧闹活跃的气氛返回到了平淡，但是在平淡中还会透露着记忆中的声音。这次TI是我做过最有挑战，又是最有意义的一件事情。其实它是很多很多件事情，全部放在了一起。应该可以说我的整个2019都献给了TI9，虽然最后还是不完美，但是我只能希望大家的体验都会在会议中发亮。

Far from the surface
I know this will never end

今年，尤其对那些一起合作和学习数月的伙伴，我更加深入的体会到了做一次这样的比赛所需要的努力和坚持。谢谢你们大家。对广大粉丝、观众、选手、所有工作人员，还有绝对不能忘记的完美世界：谢谢。最后，至Valve，谢谢你们努力的去理解并且踏入到中国DOTA世界中，并且给了这么多人一次机会体验在家门口的TI。从2012年开始的那个小梦想，到2019年看到在上海的TI圆满落幕，真的很难形容这种感觉。这次都不容易，过程也很波折，但是到了最后都值了，对吧？

我今年做了一个很长的梦，而我记忆中的2019年终归会闪烁着梦中紫色的光芒。再见，TI9。

跟踪我：

twitter.com/AutumnWindz
weibo.com/AutumnWindz

Back in 2012 when I first stepped foot in the live environment of a TI, there was a small seed planted, a dream of what it’d be like to see an International held in China. 2019 saw that unfold, and in ways that I could have never imagined back then.

I’ve been here for months prior to this TI, working directly on the planning and execution of the event. It’s yet another different way that I’ve had the privilege of experiencing TI. It has been really challenging to say the least – cultural and institutional differences, and then also the fact that this is again the largest TI to date leads expectations to grow accordingly. Interfacing with different interests and entities, working out the logistics of hundreds of different parts, and trying to make sure everyone is taken care of, it’s been exhausting. Still, there’s a magic in combining this mega tournament with the megalopolis that is Shanghai, where even despite the sheer size of the setting, TI9 managed to fully envelop my impressions of 2019 in its purple and violet hues.

I guess I’ll be writing this from a Chinese point of view. Well, I’ve typically leaned in that direction in writing these, simply due to the nature of the scope that I tend to cover during these events, but for TI9 since I’ve been on the ground in Shanghai for months leading up… it becomes even more natural to have that point of view. I mean, even some of my dreams, in between increasingly busy days full of emails, spreadsheets, and early morning cross-Pacific calls, had begun to develop a particular shade of purple.

May 2019

I won’t burden you with all the details of the hundreds of hours of meetings I sat in on discussing everything from hotel arrangements, to production equipment shipment timings, to helping review Secret Shop merchandise, to testing internet for the event, and more, but by May 2019 it’s clear that the scale of this operation is far beyond any other event I’ve helped with. The closest analog, for me, is DAC 2018 where I also had a very wide scope, but even then I was only in Shanghai for something around 2.5 months. By May of 2019, I’ve been in Shanghai for 5 months purely working on TI9 already, and we’re still a little less than three months out from the event.

Of course, there are many site visits to ground zero itself, the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. I’ve now seen this venue from pretty much every angle possible, including up in the catwalks above the venue seating.

August 7 2019

This is the first day I am on-site at the hotel where group stage will be held, and the first things that need handling are truckloads of shipments for tournament gear. Midnight deliveries. We are expecting five large trucks worth of gear to the hotel. This is the first time I’ve been really involved in pre-production work with TI. We work out new and creative ways to get gear and crates, on pallets, into and through narrow hallways at the hotel. By the end of the night, we have our first batch of gear and equipment on site for TI-sponsored chairs, PCs, monitors, and some other production-related equipment. It’s all starting to feel more real than emails on a screen and diagrams on paper. Since this is the first TI in China, and indeed the first in Asia, some of us had doubts regarding whether we would smoothly get our hands on all of the gear due to customs and other logistical roadblocks. But credit to all those working on various parts of the equation, plus probably some amount of good fortune, and everything has gone succesfully thus far.

August 8 2019

Speaking of luck, most of the PGL crew for TI9 arrive today – and they are most fortunate to have arrived this day, as a typhoon is brewing. Many familiar faces amongst them, my esports allies. I show them around the ballroom floor where they will be mainly operating, where their spaces are, we get them their STAFF t-shirts, and off they go to the 3rd floor outdoor platform at the hotel which at this point I’ve nicknamed “PGL Shanghai Headquarters.” It’s the outdoor patio where people smoke and catch some sunshine, but every night it becomes a lighthearted center of refuge with music and beers. Having just landed in Shanghai that evening, the PGL guys spend a few hours unraveling from their long flights and I spend some time catching up with them as well. I haven’t seen most of them since TI8, almost a year ago, but it really feels like yesterday.

Are we truly about to put on TI9?

August 9 2019

Some other equipment and items for the the tournament arrive, including around midnight the Aegis, in a rather nondescript case. We spend some minutes digging around for it in various crates and locate it, and briefly reflect on how we hold so much power over the entire tournament at this moment. Like, if this Aegis gets lost then this event is probably in trouble. I briefly wonder if there’s a backup Aegis somewhere as we lock it back up in its case after confirming that the contents of the case are, in fact, the venerable Aegis of Champions.

Outside, the typhoon is swirling and its energies grow as the night darkens. Wind and rain, and scores of crew and staff are delayed or otherwise have their flights cancelled. So it’s just PGL, a few of Valve, and some Perfect World staff on-site awaiting the onrush of activity that is the opening days of every TI with its arrivals, check-ins, media days, and so on. But first, a typhoon must pass.

August 10 2019

The typhoon continues all day. Rain is coming down in sheets, literally sideways at times, and though the area around our hotel is mostly fine as it’s a newer part of Shanghai, I see videos of other parts of Shanghai flooding. There’s a citywide alert to shut things down, basically, and the streets are all pretty much empty, as in the background, the Huangpu River flows – and overflows – angrily. The usually bright skyline is dark, and what I typically feel is the calm before TI is already enraptured by the overtures of this summer storm. For the event, this means that some crew are delayed in arriving, some of our logistical preparations are impacted, and stress levels are a bit high. Talking to some of Newbee a few days later, there’s an image emerging of a bare-chested (or was it soaked?) Jack using buckets and towels to try and stay the flow of water leaking into their teamhouse during a past storm. I forget if the storm in question was this particular typhoon, but let’s not get carried away with details. “He comes downstairs and yells, we need more towels!!” CCnC describes.

Indeed, the rain during this typhoon is so torrential that even a few windows at the hotel are leaking drips of water into the rooms, and we also need more towels.

August 11 2019

The morning heralds a bright blue sky; it’s calm outside, the typhoon has passed and we’re ready to really get the show going. PGL are rushing around getting the practice rooms set up, I’m running around helping whereever possible, and teams are slated to arrive the next morning. The PCs have i9-9900k and I think the 2080ti in them, the monitors are Asus 244hz gaming monitors, the chairs are these custom purple Secretlab ones straight from the source, and things are looking good.

(I’ve survived my first ever typhoon, but will we get through the upcoming storm that is TI9? Find out on the next episode of…)

August 12 2019

Teams begin arriving. LaNm sees me at the hospitality desk area where I’m chilling on a couch and comes over… “Waow, you’re getting younger!” he exclaims. It’s like the kind of greeting that two old friends share when they see each other again after a while, and aren’t yet quite sure what to say to each other in that moment. LaNm is hitting the gym a bit these days and somehow he’s gotten even skinnier, but looks a bit more vibrant. Various other teams arrive, then check-in, then are off to their practice rooms. It’s all routine at this point, except for the teams with players that have never been to TI before. In general, the atmosphere is pretty laid-back, which somehow feels in contrast to TI8 and other TIs prior.

August 13 2019

Downstairs I run into RNG waiting for their media day, and their coach, Super of former VG and LGD fame, notices me first. We start chatting, him, flyby, Nicolas… at one point Super starts talking about what it’s like to try and fall asleep with certain players. Specifically, the ones that snore. “You have to fall asleep before them, otherwise you’re fucked. Like teamfights, it’s all about initiation. If they fall asleep before you then you just got initiated on,” he concludes. The sleep meta.

The topic of past TIs comes up, and everyone is in agreement that finishing second is so painful at TI that probably finishing anywhere else is preferable in terms of how you remember it. In an interview sometime before TI, I recall someone saying the same, that at TI9 as long as they don’t finish second, they can accept pretty much anything else. I don’t know if that’s a way of taking pressure off oneself, but looking back now, it’s like if our world is a storybook, then that was some foreshadowing.

Around the hotel, I run into various other familiar faces: Liquid, the Secret guys, LGD, and so on. It’s such a busy day that it seems no one has any time or energy to really stop and talk, and as is my general policy I don’t really engage anyone in conversation beyond the basic greetings.

Tonight is the welcome dinner, and perhaps the one with the most players present that I’ve seen. Almost everyone comes down and grabs food at some point, and I just sit to the side and allow conversations to wash around me – I’m too tired to really engage in anything, but I’m happy to see that people are enjoying themselves before things really begin.

August 14 2019

It’s the second day of media days. This year they’ve done a lot more of the ‘funny poses’ thing with players at their respective photo shoots. After so many years, it’s nice to see that almost all players are pretty much on board with loosening up and expressing themselves somewhat. I’m suddenly reminded of moments back to TI4, where I’d literally have to stand next to the players to show them how to pose for media day shots. Nowadays, these are almost self-executing and pretty much every team and player is able to handle themselves with minimal guidance from the rest of us.

August 15 2019

First day of group stage. The matches are delayed by an hour, but overall everything goes smoothly. Once games begin, it’s like every other recent TI – a massive din of noise, teamfights, and hero abilities mashing together into an orchestra of action down on the hotel 3rd floor where there are TVs set up so that talents and teams can track every stream all simultaneously. It all happens on the same floor as the actual production for the group stage, and so casters come in and out of the area in between games as well. This year’s Chinese talent lineup is the flashiest it has ever been, and the largest contingent for any TI as well. In some ways, it holds more weight than the actual players competing – something like six or more TI winners on the Chinese talent lineup, along with various other big names and stalwarts. It’s in stark contrast to the Western scene who field the only remaining all-TI veterans in Puppey and Kuroky, as well as multiple past TI winners still fighting on the battlefield for their next shot at the Aegis. It’s not that I want to debate the merits and health of the Chinese scene as a whole here, but it is some kind of indicator, I think, that while the rest of the world continues, the Chinese scene increasingly sees its past winners burning out or chosing other paths, losing in terms of both longevity and competitiveness.

At night, after the first day’s matches conclude, somewhere in the background, “Cheap Thrills” by Sia is playing. I don’t need no moneeyyyyy, as long as I can feel the beeaaat… Some of the casters are debating where to go for dinner.

It’s been three years since a China TI winner, and it is in that context that TI9 has kicked off.

August 16 2019

It’s day two of group stage. VG and LGD lead the pack for Chinese teams, in a way that maybe simultaneously adds to and subtracts from the formidable amount of pressure that is on them. From the moment TI8 ended, the calls for LGD to redeem themselves, to win back what they should’ve had (with that 17k gold lead in game 4 of TI8 Grand Finals), and to keep the Aegis in China this year have been deafening. In every piece of social media, every promotional activity, every step throughout the DPC that LGD took in the past year, the underlying current has always been in a steady march onwards to that ultimate goal here at TI9. And so their group stage performances, just short of dominant but exceptionally solid, serve to both vindicate the expectations that fans and the community at large have held for them, as well as perhaps show themselves that they do have it within themselves to once again truly challenge on this stage.

As many players always say, it’s TI and you never know until you’re playing, but having a good start can go a long way towards calming nerves.

As for KG and RNG, they’re struggling a bit in results, but their team atmospheres seem decent. LaNm still walks around with a smile, calmly, perhaps only possible after being a veteran of so many high pressure tournaments. A true veteran presence, and the type of presence that is getting increasingly rare on Chinese teams… Old chicken and eLeVeN are practically inseperable, coming down in between series to smoke, talking only strategy for the next series or reviewing what happened in their last series. Sometimes they nod in greeting, other times too engrossed in discussion to notice even the outside world, which still flutters on-and-off with drizzling rain; such are summers in Shanghai.

August 17 2019

Having touched on the planning of most TI9 elements, I was aware there was still an undercurrent of worry for progress at the arena. Those worries, after a few visits over there throughout group stage, gradually went away as progress came along. Being stationed at the hotel throughout group stage to ensure the success of the group stage production and the experience of teams, here I salute the crews working tirelessly to put things together on the Arena side in preparation for the main event. This was one aspect in which I learned the most this event, and the one aspect where there is no chance it could’ve happened without the massive team efforts that took place. The processes and work that went into any one element of the production at the Mercedes-Benz Arena were all massive, from the player booths (newly custom-built), to the stage design (lots of iterations), to the sound and lighting design, to all the hand-detailed and hand-painted elements decorating the stage itself – this was a cross-cultural, international effort more than perhaps any International has ever been.

Downstairs after the day’s matches, all of VG are gathering to go out of the hotel for a dinner. Everyone’s there, except rOtK. Yang is exasperated, “Of course he’s late again, when is he not late?” Shortly afterwards, the big man shows up, the rest of the team gives him some shit for being late, and they head out to dinner.

In the days immediately before, during, and after the 17th, there are multiple TI birthdays.  Popular Chinese caster AMS, Sccc, and Purge’s, along with production leads at ImbaTV as well as PGL. So there’s a giant cake, with a similarly giant knife for cutting it. A sword, really. A note is sent out on the talent chats for both English and Chinese to come down and have cake, everyone sings happy birthday, we all have cake… and the night ends. It’s a simple moment, but one that stands out for me this TI. At this point it really begins to feel like a family; a slightly dysfunctional one that changes a bit every year, one that even after seven years I still sometimes wonder how to fit in with. Faith_bian helps cut some cake and also helps distribute a bit. For Sccc, he’s just coming off his final cast of the night, dressed impeccably with his hair crisp and sharp, but a bit tired. I wave him over, tell him happy birthday, and that there are quite a few birthdays to celebrate so he should join in and have some cake too. “This is the first time this many people have celebrated my birthday with me,” he says. I don’t know how that can be true for such a popular and incandescent person like Sccc, but I hand him a piece of cake and we eat cake for a few minutes before he goes up to bed.

Thinking about it now, I suppose I can understand why Sccc wouldn’t have had tons of opportunity to celebrate his birthday with many people in the past: being a ‘TI birthday’, in recent years he would’ve been in the midst of preparing or competing at TI, which leaves no room or time for actual celebrating.

August 18 2019

There’s a LAN room this year, with gaming laptops provided by Asus. It’s free for anyone to use to just play games, hang out, or otherwise, and through the period of the event it becomes just that – a hangout room. Late one night, I’m walking by so I poke my head in and notice none other than Dendi. So I go and say hi. I say hey, you’re here! Like it’s meant to be. But Dendi at TI does indeed feel right, and he smiles in that warm way that he has. I ask him a few questions, how his flight was (not too bad, he says), and how he’s feeling (a bit cold! The air conditioning in Shanghai summer can get insanely powerful indoors). He asks me how I’m doing, and I’m tired, but things are going well – so far anyway – so it’s all good.

August 19 2019

• 

• 

• 

Press day again. This year, the space is a lot tighter, and there are far more press organizations present. Perhaps it’s the China effect, or perhaps it’s just the fact that TI is growing every year. Probably, it’s a combination of the two factors. I’m not really on deck to help with interviews this year at press day, but I hang around to help make sure things go smoothly for part of the day anyway before I have to head to the Arena for rehearsals in the afternoon.

At the Arena, the orchestra and dance troupe are running through their full rehearsal process for the next day as we are explaining to the team managers gathered what will be needed of their teams for the TI9 opening ceremony. Some people are taking pictures while others are just looking around, but for everyone it’s evident that the spectacle of the TI9 stage is starting to become a reality.

In the Chinese talent green room, ZSMJ and 430 are messing about with their latest Secret Shop hauls. First, 430 is taking a picture of ZSMJ at his request, and then ZSMJ thinks about it a bit and decides “I think you’ll look better with this stuff,” takes the phone, and has 430 pose for him with some of the merchandise.

August 20 2019

Back when ticket sales were first on-going, I wasn’t sure of what my actual involvement at the event itself would look like in August. So I managed to buy two tickets via Damai with my own access code. My original plan was to give these tickets to friends and family – especially family, as they’d never really understood what I do (though in recent years, after a period of being opposed to gaming in general, they have typically been either indifferent or supportive). In the end, those plans fell through as they visited me in Shanghai a week prior to TI9, and I had an extra ticket on my hands. I ended up giving my day 1 ticket away via Weibo – before going to bed for all of two hours before day 1 of the main event, I posted a thing at 4am asking for fans to attach a picture and some text about why I should choose them, then at 6am chose a guy that wrote he’d flown in from across the country to Shanghai just to be able to watch TI in the same city. He didn’t have any tickets; he’d planned on going to the VG official pubstomp, and he’d never been to any TI before. So I met him at the front gate around 9am, gave him the ticket, practically begged him to not resell it, and asked that he take lots of pictures and experience TI9 for me from the perspective of a normal fan.

It’s a perspective I haven’t really been able to have at a TI for years now – and I’m not complaining, but once in a while I do wish I could just sit in the stands with a friend or two, plan out which series to watch, when to go to the Secret Shop, fiend social media a bit, and well… actually watch a full series at a TI. The last time I’ve watched a full series at TI was TI3, when all Chinese teams had been knocked out before the final day. This year, I didn’t even get to watch a single game in a series in full from draft to the throne falling. And yet it all swirls around, leaving me to pick up the pieces after the fact. Perhaps this is part of the magic that is TI, where no matter what your experience of it is, or how complete it may be, it’s still more than worth it. Maybe this is what drives those people without tickets to still come forth, and so I can relate with those people – because if it were me, I’d probably be doing the same.

So anyway, the guy had a blast, sent me pictures along the way, and I think this ended up being one of the most meaningful things I’ve done at a TI. Not nearly the biggest, or even something I had to put a lot of effort into, but it was nice.

The Opening Ceremony happened, after the traditional red carpet segment. Having been involved in some of the planning of these elements, I both knew what would happen and didn’t have the chance to watch them actually happen. Gabe Newell gave his speech, which was done in his usual understated fashion, but to Chinese fans this was perhaps the most important part of the TI9 opening. If Icefrog is the god of Dota, an unknowable and untouchable presence, somehow Gabe Newell has become the face in making any TI feel ‘official’.

“Welcome to the International!”

I heard fans saying that his presence really cemented the fact that, wow, this is a TI! In China! And I think fans here truly appreciated that he made the long trip out, because to be able to hear those words on their home stage is really something else.

It’s more than emotion
I feel I’m never gonna stop

The first day of Main Event went unbelievably smoothly, though if you were backstage you wouldn’t have believed it could’ve been that smooth as stress levels were high. It was a long day, with six series and four teams going home, but a strong start for the Chinese side as both LGD and VG went through in their respective upper bracket matches. Afterwards, LGD looked confident and calm, and you’d almost think that there was no pressure on them here. After all, there are still three other Chinese teams in the tournament for fans to also cheer for. Because expectations, support, and just the general fan sentiment can all become pressure, but if the support is split between various teams then the pressure is also somewhat shared.

August 21 2019

Day 2 of main event. I see BurNIng backstage. He’s eating, I say hello, and he says hello. It is really cold in the venue all day long and hospitality has bought blankets for people to use. I see other people in actual winter jackets while it is August outside in Shanghai. I also meet Mara and his friend Kazu, from the Mara Cup. We exchange contacts, I show them around a bit. They’re here as invites of Valve’s and are basically watching all the games as fans. I ask if they’ll appear on stream and they’re just like, maybe. They are super chill, and I find out they’ll be at Tokyo Game Show which I’m going to after TI as well, so we agree to try and meet up there as well where Mara will be part of a Dota 2 tournament hosted by the Japan Esports Union.

I briefly meet LaNm’s two little daughters at the entrance as they and their accompanying adults needed some help getting into the venue, and later I tell LaNm that now that I’ve finally met them in person, they are every bit as cute as he used to always tell me when he showed me on his phone. This would be back in 2017 or so, when every time he saw me he would show me their newest pictures, and after tournaments in the US, ask me to go with him to buy them baby formula. “When are you gonna have kids?” he asked, and I told him that’s not in my plans. The other day, I also met Fy’s kids who were with their grandparents in support of Fy. With True Sight this year, and looking on stage at the victors this year and last, and even back to 2017, families of players have increasingly showed up at TIs in support of the players. They may not understand what is going on in-game, but it is endearing to see, and such a huge contrast to the stories of parents not supporting what kids are doing. We’ve come a long way from those days.

We’re speaking a language
That no one understands

Around the area, various Chinese teams have shown their investment into the scene as they are each hosting pubstomp events. RNG have rented out an entire restaurant next to the Arena, where they are handing out RNG t-shirts, banners, and posters. VG have rented a theatre in downtown Shanghai, and of course LGD have their self-owned arena in Hangzhou.

• 

• 

• 

Outside of the Arena this year, there is a massive plaza that has been taken over by everything TI9 related. There’s a Will Call area for picking up tickets, of course, and the Secret Shop with all kinds of new and exclusive merchandise. But there’s also a team-specific merchandise tent that’s never been done at past TIs, where teams could sign up for timeslots and sell their own team-specific merchandise. Off the top of my head, VG, KG, RNG, LGD, Secret, Alliance, VP, Liquid, and Newbee all took advantage of it and it felt like something that teams have been asking about at tournaments for some period of time already. Additionally on the Plaza, there was a massive wall structure with all team flags in front of it, and paired with purple thematic lighting as well as a large beam next to the Plaza, I think the outdoors element of this TI was one of the most impressive, visually anyway.

August 22 2019

After not really having any opportunity to catch up with anyone thus far or really even seeing people much, I finally see Iceiceice at the venue as he’s come to check out the Secret Shop. I have a few minutes so I walk him over, showing him the route that best avoids outdoors paths as it is seriously hot these couple days. On the way, he asks a random security guy “Are you from Shanghai?” Before the guy really knows what’s going on, “Oh, okay, cool… bye!”

Back at the venue, Sccc faith_bian iceice and blink are coming in for their casting assignment. Jokes are exchanged while iceiceice is backstage waiting for his ride back to the hotel after having gone to the Secret Shop. As the Sccc group heads into the elevator, iceiceice is like “good luck” and “see you next year!”. The Wings guys return the greeting and as the door closes, Sccc jokes “and I’ll keep watching you guys compete!” and everyone just laughs. On social media now, fans are asking Sccc to think about playing carry, or at least carry on competing, and I think he really should keep fighting on.

Halfway into the event now, and things feel like they’ve finally settled a bit. There are some differences but a lot of things are still similar. The silly jokes, the camraderie shared between players who are otherwise competitors, the general laid-back approach to an event that is extremely high stakes…

I at last find some time to hang around in the Chinese casters room, where they watch the games. Chatter ebbs and flows. Sccc looks tired – he’s put his head down on a table in the back to try and catch a nap before his next panel. Faith_bian is attentively learning a new stats system, a kind of successor to the fingerworks of the past, all wrapped up in some integrated stats that I don’t know the first thing about. But it’s a testament to his attitude towards things that he’s always looking to learn and improve. One of the other casters has brought an old Wings t-shirt for Faith_bian to sign: on one side, there are the signatures of the Wings players from back in 2016, and on the other side, their new signatures. Faith_bian remarks that his old autograph wasn’t that good looking, signs a new one that satisfies him much more and admires his work, “That looks much better, eh?”

I’m reminded of Boboka practicing his autographs for nearly half an hour at TI7.

In the Chinese talents chat group for TI9, someone mentions that they came across a fan crying almost hysterically in the hotel elevator. An EG fan apparently, who is devastated that EG lost tonight despite SumaiL’s best efforts. Fandom is an interesting thing, and despite the overwhelming majority of Chinese fans outwardly supporting Chinese teams, I find increasing numbers who latch onto and support major Western teams. EG, Secret, and Liquid are obvious candidates as SumaiL, Puppey, and Miracle- have fanbases rivalling any popular Chinese pro.

August 23 2019

After a panel, Faith_bian again is modest: he remarks that he’s got a lot of improvement to do and points out things that he thinks he could’ve done better. Faith_bian continues his efforts on the new stats system, and in between teamfights he’s scrolling around on a touchscreen and gathering moments and clips for analysis. Always studious, always eager to learn, those are my impressions of the TI6 champion, and this is one player that is not content with just staying still.

Later on, BurNIng and Sylar finish a cast and need to head to the Intercontinental hotel for their Late Game segment, but not before Sylar goes upstairs to suite level to pick up his girlfriend. On the way, of course, the two of them are waylaid by starstruck fans. BurNIng especially, and true to his self he takes pictures and signs autographs for every one of them. For a few of the fans who look intimidated, he looks directly at them and goes “So, want a picture?” It’s not that BurNIng has gotten smoother or more into the life of being a celebrity, but it’s like he’s deceptively down to earth for someone who is amongst the most popular figures for people in this generation in China.

On the way back downstairs, they start talking about the Aegis. “Have you even touched it before?” asks BurNIng. “No, in 2014 they put it right next to us the night before, and some others touched it but I decided not to…” You can’t, it’s superstition. BurNIng laughs a bit, tells him that doesn’t count and that the both of them are officially non-TI winners, and Sylar scoffs, like “At least I’ve gotten near to an Aegis!” “我好歹是近距离见过冠军盾的男人好吧！” TI4 seems like a distant memory, enough that they can joke about it.

I put them on a van to the Intercontinental hotel where their Late Game segment is held, they wave before climbing in, and off they go into the evening. Sometimes it’s hard for me to place together the fact that these are essentially superstars in their realm because the way they are is just so normal. Sometimes, fans are smoother than they are in holding a conversation, at other times they just want to do the things that everyone else wants to do – eat, sleep, hang out, whatever… and yet that fact only serves to add to their allure. In traditional sports there’s a hero-making tendency for fans and media alike, and in esports it’s kind of the same, but also a bit different. Our heroes are the ones that we can most relate to first and foremost, and then we come to love everything else about them. Results matter, but more and more in the Chinese scene, there are fandoms growing around personalities.

Back at the venue break room, I sit down for a sip of water by myself. Dendi walks in, also by himself, and begins to make some coffee. He turns to me after a moment of silence and says hi, how are you? We chat a bit, and I ask him what’s up for him next year? “I am going to play!” he declares. Making a fist, he says “I’m going to find some new guys, and I’m going to destroy everyone!” in that whimsical Dendi way. “Good,” I respond, “My favorite version of Dendi is player Dendi!” His coffee is ready, he cups it in his hands and blows on it lightly to cool it off, winks, and heads off.

The night ends with the All-star match and raucous cheers of for Dendi and his cheese-stealing antics.

Back at the main hotel where players and casters are staying, and it is a scene. Probably a hundred or so fans have gathered in the lobby and swarm around anyone known. It’s a bit disorganized, the sudden crush of action is a bit troubling to some teams, but such is the situation in China: esports is exceptionally mainstream and those involved in esports are essentially mainstream public figures, and with a TI9 magnifying glass applied to the scene during these few days, some teams and talents are finding it hard to handle. I think this is the future if we truly develop as an esport, and it would behoove teams, players, and talents alike to become more prepared for these things – actively avoiding fan interaction isn’t the way forward, but rather being able to expect and manage such situations is.

This has become a passion
That is changing me

August 24 2019

In the morning, I wake to people sending me screenshots of me making it into the compendium. It’s the most different TI experience I’ve had thus far, but at that moment it begins to again resemble TIs of past, at least for me. On stage and on stream, the results are also strikingly similar to one other TI, that one from 2018, and I find myself adding on-screen interviews to my mental book of things to think about for these last two days of TI.

Here I am, there you are
Don’t wanna stop
I know you know it, I can feel it

VG lose and it is the most heartbreaking thing I have ever personally experienced. My strongest memory from TI is still DK losing at 2014, but DK losing wasn’t a personal experience. Today, I was on deck for an exit interview with VG and it’s Fade who comes. Before acknowledging the camera, or Sheever (who was amazingly understanding), he walks straight to me and says hey Josh. I ask him if he wants to do this in English as the broadcast hopes he would be able to, he nods and he’s barely keeping it together. I tell him, look, I’m here if you need any help with this.

It’s a one answer interview and once it cuts, Fade glances around, then comes straight to me, grabs me and breaks down. I tried my best to give him a brief refuge from the bright lights, the cameras, and the growing crowds gathering around the spot on the suite level where that interview took place. I don’t think he came to me because it was me, but because he was looking for anyone familiar in that sea of faces in this moment. So I’ll be that familiar presence, if nothing else.

I’m reminded of his sad “Josh, we lost” from TI8, but it’s even more poignant. Waiting for the elevator to take him back to his team, he tries to brighten the atmosphere a bit: “I wanted to keep fighting. But… that’s Dota.” As if to cheer himself up a bit, he adds “That’s life.” And a small smile.

Well… that’s Dota, and today, it was painful.
I glance outside the window –
It’s raining again.

It always rains during the last two days of TI.

‘Cause I’m falling deep
I guess the pressure’s built right up

In the upper bracket finals, in a mirror result from 2018, OG beat LGD and an interview with Ceb shows that they are ultimately confident. Perhaps one of the best – and rarest – traits in Dota: true confidence. Or perhaps, an ability to ignore any outside doubts. They are similar, but not quite the same, I think. And then, Liquid defeat Secret and there’s an interview with Miracle, who has become much more well-spoken over the years in comparison to the version of his self back when he’d just made his debut. As time passes, I’ve literally watched players grow from teenagers into adults. I’ve spent more time with some of these people than members of my own family in recent years, and I guess it’s no wonder when a TI starts feeling like a family reunion of sorts. I mean, it’s not that, because I barely have time to talk with anyone or hang out anymore, but at least knowing everyone is in the same place, doing the same things for a period of time, it feels like a reunion.

Later at the hotel I run into Fade again in the lobby. I give him a hug, and he’s saying thanks for giving me a shoulder back at the venue. “I just saw all the fans there, and I…” his smile belied the obviously still fresh sadness of the day’s events. In view of recent events post-TI, I fail to believe that this is someone who doesn’t care, or doesn’t truly want to compete. This is someone who cares, perhaps too much, but that’s not an indictment. That’s just how this game is sometimes, and I think giving people room to grow and make mistakes is one of the best things a community can do for its players.

Going upstairs after finishing dinner, all of Secret invade what was previously an empty elevator. “This is our elevator now,” someone declares. I exchange greetings with the Secret guys. “An elevator for losers,” one of them jokes. But they seem to be in decent spirits despite what must be a somewhat disappointing end to TI.

August 25 2019

Once VG finally lost, there was only one Chinese team remaining. Having been the most successful Chinese DPC team this year, expectations were strong for VG, and them losing shifted another wave of support – and pressure – onto LGD. History seemed to be repeating itself, and on social media there is a narrative of changing fates. Dueling timelines. Reversing history.

In a coach interview after the draft, 357 answered how he felt about the draft the same way as he had been asked last year, and his answer was the same as last year: “50/50”. In my mind, a little voice said that if you want to change a timeline, if you want a different result, you should take a different process. Well, I’m superstitious too. If you do the same thing, you’ll get the same result, generally. So in that corner of my mind, I thought maybe 357 should’ve said “We will crush them”. Maybe do some jumping jacks, punch the air a few times on stream.

With all this desire
I’ve been carrying around
I’m feeling elated
I don’t wanna come back down

Amidst the hopes and dreams, the thundering cheers of “LGD” from thousands of home fans, LGD made it to the final day of TI9, but their stay on the grand stage this day was short and ultimately ill-fated. The venue was lightning, booming, and then… it wasn’t as much anymore. Was it the pressure of expectations, their own desires, the hopes and dreams of so many others that they couldn’t bear anymore? Or were their opponents just too strong? Nonetheless, as LGD leave the stage for the last time at TI9, there are still cheers of “LGD, LGD” – or am I just imagining it? Last year and this year echo together, and reluctantly, the energies of the crowd dissipate with LGD’s hopes.

Despite stating in past interviews that any placement apart from 2nd place would be acceptable at TI9, LGD’s third place finish seems to cast a cloud over the entire venue and the entire event. As if on cue, after LGD lost and Liquid were confirmed as the other Grand Finalists, denying LGD a chance at changing their timelines, the skies opened up. In that hour in between lower bracket finals and the TI9 Grand Finals, I took a few minutes to walk around outside the venue. A final feel of this TI9 atmosphere, and the masses of LGD jerseys out in the crowds – quiet.

All the tension rising up
So much it hurts

I hear fans lamenting Fy. One more TI, one more legendary Rubick performance. Second, second, third. His TI is over, and for many Chinese fans, theirs is as well. I see tears in some fans’ eyes, but I can only imagine what Fy is feeling.

It’s not about nationalistic pride, and it’s not about disrespecting the other teams. A year of expectations, built on hopes, built on dreams of redeeming that disappointing ending – for them – at TI8, dreams of seeing their heroes stand on that stage.

It’s more than emotion
I feel I’m never gonna stop

It’s about what fans can best relate to. These players are the ones that they watch the most, they’re the ones that they can understand, and relate to. Yes, it’s also about what they represent – LGD being the last Chinese team, but is it so wrong to have a hometown affinity in competitive sport? So some people left the Mercedes-Benz Arena, and some never came back. If social media is to be believed, some may never come back to Dota. The Dota playerbase is an aging one, and the beauty and danger of this game is that it truly drives people to the very extremes of emotional investment – either you love it, or you hate everything about it. The investment has been there from the fans and community into this long-awaited China TI; to want to see their own home heroes hoist the Aegis in the end was a dream, and when reality clashes with dreams, often the result is detachment. We are all only but human.

Backstage, it’s quiet, calm. It’s cold. People are beginning to take down non-essential equipment to get ready for the overnight operations of vacating the venue. Even as the Grand Finals are taking place, the event is winding down. Having finished their panel, Sccc and Faith_bian are gathering their belongings, ready to head home. “What happened?” is a question that rings in the room. “What happened?” the question repeats. But the answer is probably a simple one, and it’s one that the community perhaps already expected, even before today: this year, the other teams are too strong.

I do wonder what it would’ve been like if LGD, or VG perhaps, had been the ones standing up there at the end of TI9 in Shanghai.

For me, I would’ve been on the English panel instead, giving a simultaneous interpretation for the English audience of a home-language stage winners’ interview. It would’ve been a lot more difficult for me than finding and briefly interviewing an exuberant NOtail ended up being at the close of TI9. Perhaps that did happen on a different timeline, but in this one despite the short – and somewhat chaotic – final interview sequence, the scene was there for all to see. It didn’t need explaining, or more words than necessary, really. The first ever two-time TI winners, successfully defending their title: unprecedented, nearly unimaginable, but by the last two days, not unexpected.

We’re saying more than words
More than words

August 26 2019

I only get to the Afterparty around midnight, so it’s technically the 26th already. I finally get a chance to say hi, and really, bye, to a bunch of people that I’d been meaning to greet this entire TI. This TI has gone by way too quickly, and too slowly at the same time. Puppey, Ramzes666, Bulba, I catch Jerax and congratulate him on the second win. Unbelievable, and the guy looks like he’s still in a bit of shock. Various people at Valve, some of whom I’ve been working with more closely than at any other TI ever. “We made it!” is the shared sentiment. Drinks, handshakes, and laughs are shared, but like me, everyone has their goodbyes to say and time just isn’t enough.

They’re belting out karaoke in a room at the Afterparty, there’s a dj playing slightly too loud music, some of the Chinese talents are hanging out. I meet xiao8’s kid for the first time. He’s two years old and though it’s midnight, he’s still full of energy, and xiao8 really looks like a dad with his somewhat exasperated yet proud face while watching his son bounce around. A far cry from the xiao8 I watched go undefeated on-stage at TI2, the one that raised the Aegis at TI4, but somehow it all feels like a natural progression in the TI timeline. Stoic and stalwart Dota captain becomes a responsible and steady father to his own child.

After the Afterparty, I go and find some other people who are doing their own karaoke downstairs: iceiceice, xNova, some of their friends, Helen, and then a bunch of English talents show up right around when Zai, Misery and a few others poke their heads in. There’s a questionable rendition of something by Eminem. I can’t say I enjoyed the level of musical ability on display that night, but the company was excellent, and Fade and I lounged in a corner chattering about random things – life overseas, healthy approaches to competing in esport, and just general talk as it gets to 3am, then 4am. In conversation, there are questions about the wisdom in essentially locking players in for pre-TI bootcamps by taking away their phones and forcing long daily practice schedules. Are we burning the players out before they’re even set to compete? Later in a separate conversation, I hear that LGD and VG were nearly immaculate in pre-TI scrims. Did they peak too early?

Not quite ready for the night to end though the karaoke place has closed up, the night lingers on. Before leaving, Zai questions who’s going to pay for the karaoke room? Like, we can’t just leave the bill with someone, right? He’s thoughtful. Someone declares that xNova has got it covered, and iceiceice goes “TI third place!” Indeed, he’s the highest placing and has made the most money out of this TI, and with that settled, we all trickle out.

It’s carefree, and topics range from going to find some food to what are people’s next steps after TI (xNova’s family is in Shanghai so he’ll be spending some time with them, iceiceice and I have made plans to meet up in Tokyo in September). After a while, Zai heads up to bed, but at the same time we see Puppey and Kuroky walking through the lobby, and they join us shortly. These are some of my favorite moments at TI, after all the action has settled, but before everyone’s gone their separate ways.

In the afternoon, after finally getting some sleep, I’m back on the practice room floor at the hotel. As I’m helping clear out some gear, Dendi shows up off the elevator and hands a small gift to each of our hospitality staff at the hospitality table. Some chocolates that he’s brought from Ukraine, and it’s such a thoughtful gesture that no one would’ve known about had I not been there at that same exact moment as well. It’s fifteen seconds at most before he’s waving goodbye at us as he steps back onto the elevator.

I come across Kuroky, Miracle, and Liquid’s manager Morad one last time before they’re also all headed home. Handshakes, goodbyes. Kuro is jokingly accusing me of not talking to him at all during the event, and I’m acting hurt and saying come on man, you know I have a policy of trying not to disturb anyone who is still competing. And you made it to the final day! “This TI went a bit better than I expected,” he says with that light smile of his.

August 27 2019

As everyone leaves the hotel, I am amongst the last, just as I was amongst the first there in the beginning of August. There’s a quietness about the lobby, yet in the shadows there’s still some lingering energy. This has been an extraordinarily difficult, challenging, yet rewarding experience. Looking back, I can basically say that I gave my entire year to TI9, and I hope it has been a fulfilling and enjoyable experience for everyone watching and participating.

Far from the surface
I know this will never end

This year, especially to those teams and partners that I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate deeply with, I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for just how much goes into an event like this. Thank you to everyone for being a part of this experience and these memories. As always, to fans, players, everyone behind the scenes, crews and staff, and definitely Perfect World – thank you. Lastly, to Valve, thank you for the understandings and strides you guys made in bridging this gap in bringing a TI to China. From that little dream I had back in 2012 to standing on an actual TI stage in 2019 in Shanghai, it’s been unreal. This was, undoubtedly, hard-fought and the success of this event hard-earned, but from my single point of view hopefully worth all the literal sweat and tears that went into it. Thank you.

My dreams have been colored purple for months, and perhaps my entire 2019 will be remembered in that light. Farewell, TI9.

You can follow me:

twitter.com/AutumnWindz
weibo.com/AutumnWindz