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Who is Mushi? The Malaysian Dota 2 legend joins TNC as coach Dota 2 Who is Mushi? The Malaysian Dota 2 legend joins TNC as coach By William Davis TI10 date, location unknown after Stockholm government issues Dota 2 TI10 date, location unknown after Stockholm government issues By Steven Rondina The 3 best Dota 2 heroes to play with in Ability Draft Dota 2 The 3 best Dota 2 heroes to play with in Ability Draft By William Davis
T1 cements itself as a TI10 favorite by winning ESL One Summer Dota 2
T1 cements itself as a TI10 favorite by winning ESL One Summer Steven Rondina It was hard to be sure about T1’s strong performance in the WePlay AniMajor, but it’s abundantly clear just how strong the team is now. The Southeast Asian squad took first place in ESL One Summer 2021. On the final day of the event, T1 defeated Alliance 2-0 to earn a spot in the event’s grand finals. From there, T1 rematched Virtus.pro, out-lasting the CIS region’s top team to take …
The International 2021 qualifier dates, teams, how to watch Dota 2
The International 2021 qualifier dates, teams, how to watch William Davis 78 teams across Dota 2’s major regions will get one last chance to attend The International 10. The regional qualifiers will decide the final competitors for the largest esports prize pool in history. Only one team from each major Dota 2 region will earn a spot at the $40 million event. The number of squads competing differs between regions. The start times for each region are staggered to prevent direct …
Hidden files hint at a new Dota 2 Battle Pass for spring 2021 Dota 2
Hidden files hint at a new Dota 2 Battle Pass for spring 2021 Steven Rondina The International 2021 is not getting a battle pass, but that may not mean that Dota 2 players will be going without some form of battle pass this year. A Dota 2 update dropped on Wednesday that added a predictions mini-game for the upcoming TI10 qualifiers. Packaged inside that update were hidden files that reference a Spring 2021 Battle Pass which were spotted by a Reddit user. This suggests that …
TI10 qualifier predictions open, here are the best picks Dota 2
TI10 qualifier predictions open, here are the best picks Steven Rondina The International 2021 qualifiers are fast approaching and Valve is offering players the chance to get free shards. Players can now predict the winners to the six regional qualifiers. The reward for each region is 1,000 Dota 2 shards, which can be exchanged for skins, tools, and other prizes.  Here is how to do it and the best picks for each region. Important TI10 news: SumaiL returns to OG for …
ppd out of Alliance despite team qualifying to TI10 Dota 2 ppd out of Alliance despite team qualifying to TI10 By Steven Rondina aui_2000 joins Arkosh Gaming, replaces retiring G.O.A.T. Dota 2 aui_2000 joins Arkosh Gaming, replaces retiring G.O.A.T. By Steven Rondina SumaiL returns to OG for The International 2021 qualifiers Dota 2 SumaiL returns to OG for The International 2021 qualifiers By Steven Rondina
Carry Axe is the newest Dota 2 nightmare in pub matches News
Carry Axe is the newest Dota 2 nightmare in pub matches William Davis Off lane Axe rushing Manta Style was the build of the month before a massive nerf made it untenable. That doesn’t mean the strategy doesn’t work for carries, though. PSG.LGD’s championship run in the WePlay AniMajor was a total display of dominance. Their 3-0 grand finals win over Evil Geniuses included some innovative picks, but flex Axe was the scariest of them all. Wang “Ame” Chunyu’s carry Axe build helped …
The complete list of teams competing at The International 2021 Dota 2
The complete list of teams competing at The International 2021 Steven Rondina The field of competitors for The International 2021 is mostly set, with the WePlay AniMajor confirming the 12 direct invitees to the event. Regional qualifiers are still set to take place, which will decide the final six competitors at the event.  With six months of Dota 2 now in the books, it’s worth taking a look over who the 12 invitees are, and how they got there.  The International Eighteen. …
OG announces ana retirement from Dota 2, but is it permanent? Dota 2
OG announces ana retirement from Dota 2, but is it permanent? Steven Rondina Anathan “ana” Pham is stepping away from Dota 2 and this time, it might be permanent. OG has announced that ana is looking to move away from professional Dota 2 with a statement from the two-time champion. “I have been on the fence about this for a while now but am ready to move on to a new chapter in my life. Long story short, Dota has been the biggest …
PSG.LGD becomes TI10 favorite by stomping EG in AniMajor finals Dota 2
PSG.LGD becomes TI10 favorite by stomping EG in AniMajor finals Steven Rondina Update: Here’s the full list of teams to receive an invitation to The International 10 Evil Geniuses’ third-place curse is long dead at this point but the second-place curse is proving to be just as strong. The North American squad has lost its third major in a row. Chinese favorites PSG.LGD absolutely dominated the grand finals of the WePlay AniMajor, taking a 3-0 victory over Evil Geniuses.  PSG LGD are …
TI10 qualifiers brackets and matches have been announced Steven Rondina Dota 2 With all the direct invites to The International 2021 now sorted, that means the competitive field for qualifiers is now set.  The TI10 region qualifiers brackets have officially been revealed and are now available to view. All remaining teams from both the upper and lower divisions are being allowed to compete, which has resulted in some big competitive fields in certain regions. The qualifiers will use a double-elimination tournament format, …
The AniMajor is the best-looking Dota 2 event of all time William Davis Dota 2 The idea of an anime-themed Dota 2 tournament raised eyebrows, but the WePlay AniMajor has panned out to be the most aesthetically pleasing event in Dota 2 history. Organizer WePlay channeled the anime aesthetic into the stage, music, personality costumes, and more. The current playoffs take place in a staged fantasy forest complete with a projected river and augmented reality draft picks. Giant stone statues of Juggernaut and Monkey King …
Which famous characters share their voices with Dota 2 heroes? Steven Rondina Dota 2 What do Dota 2, Naruto, Pulp Fiction, Star Trek, WWE, and Sons of Anarchy all have in common? The answer is their actors and actresses. Anyone that has played a lot of video games or watched a lot of anime has undoubtedly noticed two unrelated characters sharing a voice actor or actress. But while most video games and anime draw from the same well of talent, Dota 2 and other …
Alliance crushed in AniMajor following cheating accusations Steven Rondina Dota 2 Alliance had something to prove at the WePlay AniMajor. Unfortunately, the event did not go their way. The embattled European squad was dealt a swift elimination from the AniMajor on Thursday morning. The team was unceremoniously eliminated from the event after back-to-back losses in the playoffs. It’s a devastating blow for the squad and one that is undoubtedly satisfying for those who accused the team of cheating last month. Did …
Miracle- overcomes illness at AniMajor as Nigma beat Virtus.pro Steven Rondina Dota 2 Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi was stricken with a sudden illness at the WePlay AniMajor, but that didn’t slow down Team Nigma’s momentum in the event. In its playoffs debut, Team Nigma scored an impressive 2-0 victory against Virtus.pro. The victory puts Nigma in position for a top-six finish at the event and continues what has been a resurgence for the team after what had been a mediocre 2021. The first game …
3 teams invited to The International 2021 after AniMajor wins Steven Rondina Dota 2 UPDATE: The full list of direct invitees to The International 2021 has been confirmed, check our full coverage. The WePlay AniMajor will ultimately finalize the 12 invitees to The International 2021, but fans won’t have to wait until the tournament’s end to know some of the new entrants to the tournament. With the first round of the AniMajor playoffs’ upper bracket now done, 3 more teams have mathematically secured a …
T1.Karl’s Water Rune trick will help you dominate the mid lane William Davis Dota 2 Water Runes are supposed to make Dota 2’s mid lane more fair at early levels, but Karl “Karl” Matthew Baldovino’s trick can secure both Water Runes on any hero. Southeast Asian champions T1 started off their WePlay AniMajor playoffs run with a huge upset over Team Aster. T1’s coordinated team fights hinged on mid laner Karl, who racked up 6 kills and 17 assists across both stomps.  In game two …
SumaiL out of Team Liquid after quick elimination at AniMajor Steven Rondina Dota 2 Syed “SumaiL” Hassan’s Team Liquid candle burned brightly, but not for very long. Team Liquid coach William “Blitz” Lee has announced that SumaiL’s run as a stand-in for the team is officially over. Offlaner Samuel “Boxi” Svahn is set to return to the team’s starting lineup for the qualifiers to The International 10. This puts SumaiL back on the free agent list at a time where teams are scrambling to …
Dota 2 AniMajor playoffs matchups, betting odds, and analysis William Davis Dota 2 18 of the world’s best Dota 2 have been fighting for a spot in The International 2021, and there are only 12 left for the WePlay AniMajor playoffs.  The competitors were decided over a lengthy Dota Pro Circuit season, then pared down by the wild card and group stages. Only legendary teams and feisty challengers remain. The playoffs will begin on June 9 at 4 a.m. CT with Team Aster …
Arteezy cliffed 3 times by PSG.LGD in AniMajor group stage William Davis Dota 2 In a crucial group stage match at the WePlay AniMajor, Chinese icons PSG.LGD cliffed Evil Geniuses star Artour “Arteezy” Babaev three times. PSG.LGD’s entire squad specifically targeted Arteezy throughout the series. Medusa is a hard-hitting but immobile hero, something PSG.LGD mid laner Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang took advantage of. By positioning perfectly on Magnus and Skewering at a specific distance, he was able to trap EG’s strongest hero on a …
Satanic is the strongest item in Dota 2 right now, here’s why William Davis Dota 2 Between its powerful passive and tide-turning active, Satanic has become one of the most impactful items in Dota 2.  Satanic is a 5,050-gold item built from Morbid Mask, Claymore, and Reaver. It grants 25 strength, 55 damage, and 25% physical lifesteal. Those are strong stats, but Satanic’s true value comes from its active ability Unholy Rage. When triggered, the item dispels its owner and grants 200% lifesteal for six seconds. …
Team Secret and Invictus Gaming eliminated from AniMajor Steven Rondina Dota 2 The wildcard stage of the WePlay AniMajor is now over, and that means that four teams are headed home from Kiev. Team Secret, Invictus Gaming, Execration, and AS Monaco Gambit are all out. Team Nigma and Vici Gaming are the only wildcard teams to advance forward to the group stage. In the cases of Execration and AS Monaco Gambit, this turn of events isn’t particularly surprising.  Execration’s successful qualification for …

Few games have proven to have the resilient popularity enjoyed by Dota 2. The multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA for short, has been among the biggest and most successful projects released by gaming giant Valve, and it continues to enjoy great popularity to this day.

That popularity has endured despite a great number of changes that have been made to both the game itself and to the communities surrounding it. The competitive title’s history reaches all the way back to another game created and published by another developer, but with Valve now leading the way, Dota 2 seems primed to last well into the future.

From Blizzard to Valve, Dota 2 continues to evolve

While know today as one of Valve’s key game properties, Dota 2 has its origins in a real-time strategy game developed and published by famed video game company Blizzard. One of the franchises that keyed Blizzard’s success and reputational growth in the games industry is WarCraft, which today is best-known for the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft.

But prior to the success of World of Warcraft, the high-fantasy franchise was experienced through a series of RTS games. The third main title in that series, WarCraft 3, provided players not only with a great experience right out of the box, but also with the opportunity to heavily modify the game and its functions, and to play modified versions of the experience as custom games online with other players.

The most popular of these custom game modes was arguably Defense of the Ancients, or DotA for short. This custom game mode saw two teams of players face off against each other with strong individual champion characters, as opposed to building out complex home bases and developing broad armies of diverse units.

It was an entirely different way to play the game, and it proved so popular that would eventually give birth to an entirely new genre of video games: the MOBA genre.

The continuation of the original DotA became Dota 2, a project developed under the guidance of famed developer and publisher Valve. Flush with success from online marketplace Steam and its own franchises including Half-Life and Portal, Valve was more than willing to invest in this new and innovative game type.

The International sets Dota 2 apart

While there have been many other competitive games created and released since, including other popular MOBAs such as Riot Games’ League of Legends, Dota 2 has stood apart for remaining true to its roots and for massive competitive events like The International. First held in 2011 for the purpose of bringing together disparate competitive teams from all around the world with more than $1 million on the line, the esports tournament quickly grew into the biggest such event of each calendar year.

One of the main drivers behind that immense growth was the upwards trajectory of the tournament’s prize pool. Partially funded by Dota 2 players and esports fans, the prize pool for The International began increasing in 2013 and eventually ballooned to a massive total of over $40 million by the time 2021 rolled around. For the groups of players and coaches who climbed this mountain and won its top prize, it was a truly life-changing event.

For varied reasons, Valve eventually soured on running the event itself and on the idea of having so much money filtered into one specific event. Prize winnings were dropped significantly in 2022, and even further for the 2023 and 2024 events. But despite the prizes on hand no longer being quite so astronomical, The International still boasts a prize in the low millions, and it remains the biggest event on the Dota 2 competitive calendar and arguably on the greater esports calendar across all games.