Dota 2 s the second game in the Dota series, which was also hugely successful back in the day. At the time when Counter-Strike and Quake 3 Arena dominated the industry, Dota came from nowhere and created one of the biggest franchises in gaming ever.
In fact, it became so popular, a huge community grew around the game, and it’s that same group of people who created Dota 2. Today, the game is still one of the most popular MOBA games, and it became one of the most popular eSports games as well. Let’s take a look at how everything started.
It’s the First MOBA Ever
DOTA stands for Defense of the Ancients, and it’s the first MOBA game that became popular all over the globe. It started as an expansion for Warcraft 3, and it quickly became the go-to mode for all Warcraft fans. The gameplay was so unique and exciting, so it grew into a massive community very quickly. However, the game was far from perfect, but it showed that there’s a huge demand for hero-based RPG strategy games.
Since it was first released in 2002, DotA left a huge footprint on the gaming industry. The real advancements started happening after 2004 with the DotA Allstars development that finally pushed the game online. The community quickly started growing, and players helped create new heroes, items, and maps. By 2009, the game had over 1.5mil registered players.
Its Universe is Built on Warcraft 3
Warcraft is still one of the most recognizable virtual universes, and DotA is a part of the same universe. Most available heroes are based on Warcraft characters, and many of the original players forgot about the first Warcraft games after DotA was released. Since the game is based on the same heroes and abilities, Warcraft 3 players could easily switch to DotA and continue playing, even though the game is entirely different.
Unlike Warcraft 3, which is an RTS, DotA is a MOBA, where players get to use only one hero per player while all other enemies are NPCs. Players have to level up and buy items from scratch during every match, but that’s exactly what makes it so fun. Today, Dota 2 has lifted things to a whole new level, but it’s still closely tied to the Warcraft universe.
It was Made by Players
DotA 2 is a result of feedback generated by millions of players over the course of 5 years. As the original game began dying in 2009 and League of Legends took the MOBA throne in 2011, die-hard DotA fans wanted a modern version of their favorite game. Valve, the company behind DotA, decided to hire a few passionate players and work closely with them on the new project called DotA 2.
The game entered the beta phase in 2011, and it was first introduced to the rest of the world with a giant 1.6 million dollar tournament that took place during Gamescom in 2011. This decision practically launched DotA 2 all the way to the top of the gaming industry, and DotA 2 allowed even more players to join the beta and share their ideas on how to make the game better. It was finally released in 2013, and it was a huge success immediately.
Best Item System
Warcraft 3 already had an exciting item system that only got better in DotA games. The first game was based on a random item drop system that led to imbalanced gameplay, and many players abused the system to dominate the map. The developers fixed the issue with a shop-based item system where players have to gather gold and buy specific items to get power-ups.
DotA 2 items are divided into several categories based on their rarity, and players can combine multiple items to unlock special abilities and mighty attacks that can change the entire course of the game. Today, players get random loot boxes with skins and items they can sell in online markets for real money. In fact, millions of players sell DotA 2 items every day.
High Competitiveness
DotA 2 is without a doubt one of the most competitive video games that became a real eSport. It’s a team game where up to 5 players have to work together to beat the enemy team. As the game became more and more popular, millions of players joined the DotA 2 league, fighting for valuable prizes. The entire league is designed to promote skill-based play, and as gamers become better, they enter tougher leagues until they finally reach the Diamond League, where each win earns them money.
There’s Always Something new to Learn
DotA keeps evolving over time, and with so many new heroes, items, and attacks, players face new challenges every day. It takes about three to six months to learn the game well enough to play in the lowest league, but things get even more challenging later on. Many professional DotA 2 players spent years working on their skills, and the smallest mistake often costs them an entire tournament. The game is highly competitive and tough to master.
Most players stick to one or a few heroes, and even if they have years of experience with those characters, they always learn something new that can help them get an edge over other players.
Highest-Paying Pro Gamer Ever
Many DotA fans became professional players when DotA 2 became available. Even though the eSports industry is growing at a steady pace, when talking about tournament prizes, the highest-paid gamer of all is a professional DotA 2 player.
Johan “N0tail” Sundstein won close to $7 million in prize money while playing for the most popular DotA 2 teams, including Team Secret, TI, and OG. His huge success is the result of thousands of hours spent in the game. While he might not be the richest gamer of all time, he is by far the most successful player of professional tournaments of any video game.
Conclusion
DotA 2 is still a hugely popular game with millions of active players daily. It’s a very tough MOBA game that requires a lot of practice and dedication if you want to become successful. As you play, you will learn all kinds of new skills and unlock skins and items you can sell and make some extra cash.
So, if you want to become the next DotA 2 champion, start practicing today and work your way up to the Diamond League. Who knows, maybe you have what it takes to become a DotA 2 Allstar!
