24 TI14 tickets donated by Crimson Witnesses, with treasure at stake

In Dota 2, few things are rarer than a Crimson Witness treasure, but an equally rare phenomenon is the community that shares its name.

What started as a few fans sitting together in Vancouver has since grown into a 3,000-strong Discord community that does more than just cheer. For The International 2025, Crimson Witnesses members raffled off 24 unused tickets to fellow fans, a gesture of generosity that also carried the promise of prized treasure drops.

The Crimson Witnesses community was founded in 2018 during The International 8 in Vancouver, Canada. The brainchild of Dota 2 fan Jazzy Josh, the goal was to foster a community for TI attendees travelling alone or in small groups.

At TI8, Discord members would sit together in the arena, grab food between games and organize food and drinks after the day's Dota 2 action. Even the odd bar crawl. Humble beginnings.

Members of the Crimson Witnesses Discord group had an easy way to connect and build friendships. They were afforded an alternative to wandering the streets, or returning to an empty hotel room post-matches. Community in the purest sense of the word.

Over the course of the next seven years, the Discord community grew in scale and in reach.

Each International wasn’t just a tournament, but a milestone in the group’s growth. Crimson Witnesses meet-ups were organized for TI10 in Romania, TI11 in Singapore, TI12 in USA and TI13 in Denmark. There was an even a TI12 watch party in collaboration with NADCL with TI5 winners Saahil "Universe" Arora and Peter "ppd" Dager in attendance.

As the group matured, their gatherings evolved into something more impactful: initiatives that gave back to the wider Dota 2 community. For the upcoming The International 14 (2025) the Crimson Witnesses started a brand new initiative that is likely to become a new annual tradition, free TI ticket donations.

For International 2025, there was a surge in the number of Crimson Witnesses members who had bought tickets that could no longer attend. Tickets for certain event days were still on sale, making it unlikely a potential buyer would risk a second-hand purchase over a direct one. Yet, this booming Discord community had a solution.

What if ticket holders gave away their tickets for free?

Well that's exactly what happened.

On Sept. 5, a staggering 24 tickets donated were raffled away to Discord community members, with one condition: the donor would receive any Crimson Witness treasure drops from that ticket.

One of those donors was Dylan, otherwise know as Malibu, who donated six tickets purely to give back to a community that been a huge supporter of his career as a Dota 2 caster.

"Two years ago, I had the chance to attend my first LAN, - The International 12 in Seattle. As a lifelong Dota fan, this doubled my fire for the game and community.

Through my volunteer experience with the Crimson Witnesses and NADCL in our Side Shop and Turbo Mode at TI LAN event, I was able to jump start my path in casting the game we all know and love," said Dylan to esports.gg.

"For the support I've received over the past two years, I felt compelled to return the favor, and the reception has been nothing less than stellar. Our community continues to grow, passionate fans get the chance to experience and contribute to an unforgettable atmosphere at the arena.

I'm simply fortunate to get to contribute in a positive (albeit minor) way to the ecosystem of the e-sport of which we simply cannot get enough."

For those unaware, the Crimson Witness Discord group is named after an extremely rare and limited edition Dota 2 treasure.

These treasures are only available during TI events, and to be eligible to receive a chance to win one, you must witness a first blood at the TI playoffs in-person. Yes, an audience exclusive drop.

Inside the Crimson Witness treasure is limited-edition TI versions of existing Immortal items, the rarest type of Dota 2 cosmetic. The treasure itself can be sold in the marketplace for around $100 to $120 USD.

However, the longer you hold onto the treasure the higher its potential selling value. If opened, extremely rare drops from the Crimson Witness, such as Spectre's Transversant Soul of the Crimson Witness in the past, have been sold for in excess of $1,000 USD.

So, an act of goodwill to a fellow Dota 2 fan and Crimson Witnesses member, has the potential to also bring good fortune to the ticket donator. A win-win for all those involved.

Fast-forward to 2025 and the Crimson Witnesses Discord has grown to 3,000 members strong. Strength in numbers has allowed the Crimson Witnesses community to collectively bargain for opportunities and deals.

For The International 2025 in Germany, the Crimson Witnesses is hosting a Community Dinner. They're also coordinating arena food deliveries via group order to avoid premium prices for the dreaded "arena food". An idea they tested at an ESL One Berlin meet-up.

The thriving Discord community and events are managed by NinjahTigah, Jazzy Josh, Nev3r, Sebbby, Kyrias, MeepMerp and Solavi.

Whether you’re heading to TI2025 in Germany or simply dreaming of one day being there, joining the Discord community means never cheering alone again. The Discord isn’t just a chat server - it’s a global hub where fans organize meet-ups, swap stories, share memes, and of course their love for Dota 2.

The Server Archive is another unique feature of the Discord. A curated hub where members can revisit past meet-ups, community projects, and shared memories, keeping the spirit of every International alive.

With 3,000 members and growing, Crimson Witnesses has become the heartbeat of the Dota 2 live-event community. From raffling off free tickets to hosting global snack exchanges, the group proves that fandom can be about generosity as much as passion.

Join the Crimson Witnesses Discord to be part of a worldwide Dota 2 family. The community also has a website, a Twitter/X account and an Instagram.