Dota 2, one of the greatest eSports references, turns 20

It first appeared as a custom map for Warcraft III, although it would not be until 2013 that its official release as a full game varies.

The world of video games has not stopped growing in the last two decades. In reality, its growth goes back much further, but its use by not only the new generations but also by a much broader audience and of all ages, has given it strong support in this new millennium. One of the key points has been the emergence of eSports, the competitive modality of these entertainments, mainstays of digital leisure. And pulling the eSports car we find some key titles, such as League of Legends, CS: GO or Dota 2, to name a few.

The birth of a myth

In the almost 500 million annual viewers that make up the audience of these electronic sports, precisely the last one we have mentioned plays a great role, Valve Corporation’s MOBA Dota 2, which is anniversary. Although the official launch of the game dates from the summer of 2013, its first appearance was as one of the custom maps of the great classic. warcraft iii. And this event occurred on December 27, 2022, thus 20 years have passed since this anniversary. With the appearance of this map, few could have imagined then the magnitude that this phenomenon was going to have, both at the level of monitoring in eSports, and the love for the game on the part of “gamers”.

Although the audience of its last star tournament, “The International”, dropped considerably compared to previous years (also the economic prize, which in 2021 had been 20 million dollars to be distributed), the truth is that at the user level, last November, it was reached an average of 514,000 players playing at the same time, which exceeds the levels of other previous years. Therefore, it is considered that the game maintains your good health despite the passage of time.

And it is that this MOBA has represented a fierce competition to the option of Riot Games, the League of Legends, which many consider the king of eSports. Dota 2 has managed to create game modes and rewards that They do not allow fans to get tired of evolving with this title. For example, the medals, through the MMR value, is a way for the player to grow and see his activity in Dota 2 rewarded with “Ranked” games; although there is also the possibility of participating in non-competitive games, to improve the ability without affecting the aforementioned MMR. Of course, climb the overall leaderboard it is very motivating for the fans of this MOBA.

A strong rivalry

In fact, his rivalry with League of Legends It has been the subject of long and numerous debates. Both are the banners of this genre (online battle arena multiplayer) and the truth is that LOL is acquiring a fame that goes beyond computer commands, thanks to highly successful audiovisual products, such as the animated series “Arcane”. On the other hand, LOL also represents a more affordable option for new players, with shorter and easier games. But Dota 2 is a game that shines more on a technical level, with much more realistic graphics that will delight the most demanding gamers. In any case, the popularity of League of Legends (which is on the rise) makes it prevail when it comes to eSports audiences. Both in hours consumed and in audience peaks, “LOL Worlds” clearly beat “The International” last year.

However, Dota 2 cannot be detracted from, no matter how you look at it. Not only does it face one of the most important games of a generation on its own ground, such as LOL; but it has also known how to conquer the hearts of the most passionate players with a trajectory that now adds up to 20 years. This MOBA is considered one of the spearheads of one of the most important phenomena of recent decades in terms of digital entertainment: eSports. And you can be sure that the ecosystem of these Esports would by no means be the same without Dota 2 and its competitions, which led to the emergence, expansion and consolidation of this phenomenon.