SteelSeries signs a sponsorship deal with OG

SteelSeries, the video game peripherals maker, has announced a new partnership with OG, the winners of last year's The International 2018 and the favourite of the upcoming tournament. 

SteelSeries CEO Ehtisham Rabbani said in a press release, “OG is one of the biggest names in esports, and an ever-present dominant force within the Dota 2 community. We’re proud to be working with them and providing the tools that they need to continue winning at the highest level.”

Following a hard road to The International 2018 through the open qualifiers, OG was considered the event's underdog right until the end, their success story becoming an inspiration for many teams and players afterwards. The team won $11.2 million out of an approximate prize pool of $25.5 million. TI9's prize pool currently sits at $31.2 million dollars and is still rising, meaning they could win a lot more if they're able to repeat last year's performance. 

The organisation is also sponsored by Red Bull which has a very strong presence across esports and Socios, the blockchain platform. SteelSeries' peripherals will be put to the test if OG is to defeat opponents like Team Liquid, Team Secret, and Virtus.pro. TI9 will be held from August 15-25 in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.