Dota 2 what is

Publisher: Valve. Franchise: Dota. Share Embed. Read Critic Reviews. Free to Play. Play Game. Bundle info. Add to Cart. Add to Account. Add all DLC to Cart. View Community Hub. About This Game The most-played game on Steam.

With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has truly taken on a life of its own. One Battlefield. Infinite Possibilities. When it comes to diversity of heroes, abilities, and powerful items, Dota boasts an endless array—no two games are the same.

Any hero can fill multiple roles, and there's an abundance of items to help meet the needs of each game. Dota doesn't provide limitations on how to play, it empowers you to express your own style. All heroes are free. Competitive balance is Dota's crown jewel, and to ensure everyone is playing on an even field, the core content of the game—like the vast pool of heroes—is available to all players.

Fans can collect cosmetics for heroes and fun add-ons for the world they inhabit, but everything you need to play is already included before you join your first match.

Bring your friends and party up. Dota is deep, and constantly evolving, but it's never too late to join. Learn the ropes playing co-op vs. Sharpen your skills in the hero demo mode. Jump into the behavior- and skill-based matchmaking system that ensures you'll be matched with the right players each game. System Requirements Windows. A game of Dota 2 can go on for anywhere between 20 minutes to over an hour.

Winning the game requires a combination of skill, luck and teamwork. Without proper teamwork, winning a Dota game is extremely difficult. It is most enjoyed by playing with friends. Icefrog, the original developer of the game, has been working on it since the s.

Although the game was originally supposed to come out in , Valve made it available to the public in Gamescom After a couple of years of Beta testing, Valve launched it on the Steam store on July 9, Since then, Valve has constantly been creating and introducing new heroes to the game. Dota 2 has been called one of the greatest videogames of all time. There is a huge learning curve to the game, and first-timers have a hard time understanding what or how to go about playing it. Additionally, invites to The International are sent by Valve directly to players rather than teams, a fact which has contributed to the diminished role of prominent esports organizations in the Dota 2 space.

Finally, the importance of The International gives Valve incredible power over any and all stakeholders in the game, a fact which has burned tournament organizers and teams on several occasions over the years.

In , in a bid to avoid The International becoming the only focal point of the competitive scene during the year, Valve launched the Dota Major Championships. Over the last five years the developer has tinkered with the format to arrive at what we know today as the Dota Pro Circuit DPC.

The DPC Circuit, includes five large-scale events known as Majors, and five smaller-scale events known as Minors. Both types of events are hosted by third-party tournament organizers, who submit proposals to Valve for the given dates. Once accepted, Valve provides tournament organizers with half of the prize pool. At all ten of the DPC events, participating teams can earn DPC Points, which are tallied up at the end of the competitive season to determine which 12 teams will receive a direct invite to TI.

Teams who fall just short of qualifying for the Major, can then fight in a second qualifier to reach the Minor. Despite a smaller prize pool, the Minors are still important, as the winning team of each Minor is invited to the following Major, filling the 16th and final slot.

However, DPC events are still the most prestigious and lucrative for professional Dota 2 teams. Lawrence is an esports dinosaur that started back in and has been a full-time freelancer ever since. He currently streams on Twitch as MalyPlays,.

Thank you for subscribing to the Hotspawn Newsletter. Keep an eye on your inbox for updates! Sign up for the Hotspawn newsletter to receive the latest esports and tech news, exclusive offers, giveaways, and more! Lawrence "Malystryx" Phillips. How do you play Dota 2? Who are the best Dota 2 teams? Who are the best players?