A Victory and a Beginning: Cuba’s First DotA Tournament Concludes

Kabir Vega Castellanos

HAVANA TIMES — After three long months, Cuba’s first DotA League has finally come to an end. On Saturday December 23rd, the finale of this great spontaneous event that brings together players and fans of this videogame was celebrated in the rooms at Havana’s Central I.T. Palace, located in Central Havana.

To most people’s surprise, neither of the two most famous teams won the tournament, the “Pirates Gaming” team was the winner, who put on a spectacular battle against the “Big Monkeys” in the finale. It wasn’t until the fifth round though that they came out winning, after a great deal of suspense.

The audience had really poor expectations about the prize that had been promised to first place winners, as the organizers hadn’t openly disclosed what that would be throughout the tournament. However, to everyone’s surprise, the winners were given:

– An attractive glass trophy

– A T-shirt for every team member with the title “Emerging Champion”.

– Posters of one of DotA’s most popular heroes

– And 25 CUC of phone top-up for every team member.

This is no small reward for Cuban people given our reality. As one of the first events of its kind, it sets a precedent, a subtle but transcendental precedent for more ambitious projects in the future.

Cuba’s alternative movement is buzzing right now. Young people and not so young people are coming together to create spaces where they can defend art, entertainment and different forms of culture that institutions don’t satisfy.

Even the most critical spectators don’t want to do anything more than sit down and develop these projects. Havana Times wishes them every success and will continue to echo their voices and the voices of others who arise out of this civic movement.