Dota 2: The International returns in August

Valve's Dota 2 championships returns for a third go-round in just a few months.

This year's version of The International will take place in Seattle on August 7. As detailed on the competition's website, 16 teams will be invited to compete.

One team has already been selected - Invictus Gaming, the 2012 champion, which returns to defend its title. Three positions will be decided by a pair of qualifiers - the West, on May 13-19, and the East, on May 20-26. It's not clear if these designations refer to the US coast or the hemispheres.

The two winners will earn a seed, and the two runner-ups will compete for the final place. The other 12 positions will be seeded through other means, presumably global rankings.

The International, a now-annual global tournament, previously fronted a grand prize of $1 million. This year's prize pool has not been announced.

Thanks, Shack News.