Fall Call to Arms hints at Diretide, seasonal battle passes

Valve has issued a call to arms for Dota 2 cosmetic creators, but not for The International 10 Battle Pass.

No, this call to arms is tied to a yet-to-be-named event this fall. This has fans going wild speculating what Valve could be preparing for. The announcement was made in a post on Dota 2’s Steam Community page.

“As we move into the later days of summer, it’s time now to also start thinking about the approaching fall season and new possibilities for treasure to come…We’re now officially accepting submissions themed around autumn, Halloween, or perhaps some other innovations of your own, and we’re interested in putting a larger quantity of items to use than in the past,” Valve said in the announcement.

Dota 2 Fall 2020 Battle Pass, Diretide return, or something else?

Valve issuing a call to arms is significant as it typically precedes a large in-game event. The most recent one came ahead of the launch of The International 10 Battle Pass, with artists vying for a spot in the TI10 Collector’s Cache. 

Outside The International, Valve has put out similar calls in the past for events such as New Bloom and Frostivus. The fact that Valve is specifically calling for autumn and Halloween-themed items carries a number of different potential implications that Dota 2 fans can get excited about.

The possibilities are many, but the biggest would be a return of seasonal battle passes. From 2015 to 2017, Valve launched battle passes built around its official majors, including the Shanghai Major and the Boston Major. These featured many of the same benefits as The International Battle Pass, as well as new and impressive skins. With the Dota Pro Circuit scheduled to undergo some major changes this fall, the table is set for these seasonal passes to make a return.

Another possibility would be the return of Diretide. The Halloween event was a popular when it last appeared in 2012, but Valve sought to phase it out immediately after. This resulted in some backlash in 2013 when the event didn’t arrive as scheduled, with “Volvo giff Diretide” becoming a lasting meme that eventually caught the attention of auto manufacturer Volvo.

The event hasn’t been held in seven years, which would make its return equal parts surprising and welcome.

Expect definite information to be delivered towards the end of the TI10 Battle Pass’s life span.