DOTA 2

Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), which was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne. Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams of five players, with each team occupying and defending their own separate base on the map. Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character, known as a "hero", who all have unique abilities and differing styles of play. During a match, players collect experience points and items for their heroes to successfully defeat the opposing team's heroes in player versus player combat. A team wins by being the first to destroy the other team's "Ancient", a large structure located within their base.


Development of Dota 2 began in 2009 when IceFrog, lead designer of the original Defense of the Ancients mod, was hired by Valve to create a modernized remake for them in the Source game engine. It was officially released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux-based personal computers via the digital distribution platform Steam in July 2013, following a Windows-only open beta phase that began two years prior. As the game is fully free-to-play with no heroes needing to be bought or otherwise unlocked, revenue is instead made from microtransactions such as loot boxes, and a battle pass subscription system called Dota Plus, which all only offer non-gameplay altering virtual goods in return, such as hero cosmetics and voice-line packs. The game has also been updated with various other features since release, such as a port to the Source 2 engine and virtual reality support.


Dota 2 has a large esports scene, with teams from across the world playing in various professional leagues and tournaments. Valve manages an event format known as the Dota Pro Circuit, which are a series of tournaments held every year that award qualification points for getting a direct invitation to The International, the premier tournament of the game with a prize pool usually totaling over US$20 million. Media coverage of most Dota 2 tournaments is done by a selection of on-site staff who provide commentary and analysis for the ongoing matches, similar to traditional sporting events. In addition to playing matches to a live audience in arenas and stadiums, broadcasts of them are also streamed live over the internet, and sometimes simulcast on television networks, with peak viewership numbers in the millions.



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