Valve unexpectedly changed the rules for The International 2024 and introduced a new ban

Valve unexpectedly changed the rules for The International 2024, banning all sponsor advertising at the World Championship, including player nicknames, base banners, and other elements.

The developers announced the new ban in a blog post on Steam.

"Over the years, we've added many features to Dota 2 to honor teams and players, but unfortunately, these opportunities have increasingly been used for advertising rather than showcasing the identity of the participants. This year, to eliminate distractions and allow full focus on the game and the players, we will not display in-game ads or sponsored elements at The International, including nicknames, team banners, and base logos"

Given this rule update, players will need to modify their nicknames, and replace their base banners. So far, clubs have not responded to the new ban, but this decision by Valve could impact the funding of many Dota 2 teams.

Previously, Alexander "Nix" Levin pointed out the main issue with The International 2024, and it's not the prize pool.