Gamers compete for big bucks at Benaroya "Dota 2" tournament

They're the best in the world at what they do.

Today some of the top international players of a video game called "Dota 2” went head-to-head at Seattle's Benaroya Hall.

Video game enthusiasts from a dozen countries, close to 1,800 of them, are here for a 16-team tournament.  Players compete in booths on stage while the audience watches their moves and strategy on the big screen.  They're vying for a $2.8 million first prize.

"They definitely can hear the crowds. The crowd is very lively,” says Eric Johnson, a representative of Valve Corporation, the software gaming company that makes “Dota 2”.  “They can tell when they did something good and when they did something bad, because they can kind of hear the roar of the crowd.  Other than that, when they go into that booth, they're kind of in their element.  They tend to be very focused."



The teams are made up of groups of five players.  One player says many of the contestants practice the game from eight to twelve hours a day.

The company says there are close to 20 million “Dota 2” players around the world.  The tournament continues through Sunday at Benaroya Hall.