win.gg
Win.gg Dota 2 A new courier based on IceFrog is part of new Dota Plus update

A new courier based on IceFrog is part of new Dota Plus update

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 02/03/2021

Dota Plus subscribers have some new content to enjoy with the arrival of the new 2021 spring update, and it comes with a small surprise.

For the most part, the latest Dota 2 update is standard fare with a new treasure for Dota Plus subscribers, some updates to the rewards for members of top guilds, and small changes to the progression system. What makes this one stick out, however, is the top prize attached to the new 2021 spring treasure.

The very rare courier is seemingly based on IceFrog. While the courier is named Mango the Newt, the character shares a number of similarities to the avatar long used by the creator of Dota 2. The character is a blue amphibian with a staff that has a mango dangling off of it, likely a reference to IceFrog’s pioneering of mango-related memes in years past. Though some might get caught up on the fact that the character is meant to be a newt, the similarities are clear and it’s hard to deny it when the artwork for the update features IceFrog’s avatar at the center.

Outside Mango the Newt, the spring treasure was actually roasted by most fans. Many called out the fact that most of the skins that were a part of the treasure are actually Steam Workshop submissions that are between five and seven years old. Though some of these do still look good, a few appear rather dated. One benefit to these older submissions is that most won’t be adding extra visual noise to the game with the excessive particle effects that have defined recent skin releases in Dota 2.

While you’re here, why not discover everything that’s known about IceFrog?

Who invented DotA 1?

The original creator of Defense of the Ancients is Kyle “Eul” Sommer. Though IceFrog is widely known as the guiding hand behind Dota 2, he wasn’t close to the original creator of DotA. Following the release of WarCraft 3: The Frozen Throne, a number of developers took the helm of DotA. Among the most notable names to take charge was Steve “Guinsoo” Feak, who later went on to work with Riot Games on rival MOBA League of Legends.

IceFrog took over control of DotA in 2005 before he was approached by Valve to help develop a sequel that would later became Dota 2.

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile
Read Also
ESIC hand down ruling in EWC Dota match-fixing case: Lifetime ban for coach as DarkMago gets a nickel Dota 2
ESIC hand down ruling in EWC Dota match-fixing case: Lifetime ban for coach as DarkMago gets a nickel Michael Hassall South American Dota 2 player Gonzalo "DarkMago" Herrera will be banned for five years from competitive Dota 2, with his coach Juan "Vintage" Angulo banned permanently, following the results of an The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) investigation. ESIC handed down the findings and rulings from its investigation into match-fixing allegations leveled at members of South American Dota 2 team PlayTime during the Esports World Cup on Sep. 10, in a ...
Polystrike Turns a Dota 2 Mod Into a Standalone Tactical Shooter News
Polystrike Turns a Dota 2 Mod Into a Standalone Tactical Shooter Hannan Mundia After the community-made mod found success within the community, developer and publisher Robin Entertainment has decided to turn Polystrike into a proper standalone game. Community-made mods of games finding success within the respective game’s community is nothing new. However, only a handful of those mods are able to go on and become a standalone game. One of the more recent examples is The Forgotten City, which started as a mod ...
Team Spirit wins TI15 to lift a record third Aegis of Champions Dota 2
Team Spirit wins TI15 to lift a record third Aegis of Champions Michael Hassall Team Spirit has defeated TEAM VISION in the grand finals of TI15, The International 2025. In a full five-game series on Aug. 23, Spirit pulled out all the stops and narrowly defeated an incredible VISION team in a back-and-forth series in Shanghai, China. With Spirit’s victory, Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk and Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov become the first ever three-time TI champions, and Team Spirit becomes the first ever organization to lift ...
The International 2026 (TI15) Finals Preview and Predictions Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Finals Preview and Predictions Michael Hassall The International 2026, TI15, has reached its final day, and just three teams remain in the fight for the Aegis of Champions. With the lower bracket final and Grand Final still to come, everything comes down to one final day of Dota 2 action. The lower bracket finalists will first battle for the right to reach the main event’s final series, while the winner will advance to face the upper-bracket ...
TI15’s opening ceremony weaves a tapestry of emotion for Valve’s storied title Dota 2
TI15’s opening ceremony weaves a tapestry of emotion for Valve’s storied title Michael Hassall The main stage of The International 2026, TI15, kicked off today with the traditional opening ceremony heralding the start of the biggest celebration of Dota 2 on the calendar. On Aug. 20 fans in Shanghai, China, and at home, were treated to a rousing 11-minute series of performances and video packages, introducing TI15’s main stage show. Here’s how the magic unfolded: The ceremony began with a graphic which quite literally ...
The International 2026 (TI15) Playoffs preview and predictions Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Playoffs preview and predictions Michael Hassall The Group Stage of The International 2026, TI15, is in the books and we’ve whittled down 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams to just eight finalists. One of these talented lineups will be the ones lifting the Aegis of Champions come Sunday, Aug. 23, but until then, there’s plenty of playoff shenanigans that could go on. Below we’ve put together a preview of the upcoming Playoff Games, along ...
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 News
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 Ben Boland The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...