Is the game really dying?
Ever since Dota 2 was released way back in 2013, we’ve seen a lot of updates that change the way we play the game. This year, the ever-popular MOBA has reached its all-time low in terms of player count since 2014.
We have to give it to Valve though. Personally, I appreciate their efforts to keep their players around by having constant updates about the game, such as the talents, neutral items, and new characters. But we all know that not everyone agrees with the changes. It is understandable because as humans it is within our nature to get attached to things that we are used to, but we’ll learn to accept it anyway and I believe players need something new to look forward to.
But I also think that they need to step up even more. They need to listen to the community. They also need more events because personally, those kinds of things will make players like me run back to the game.
And I also think that the game is not very newbie friendly compared to games like LOL or even Mobile Legends which is why new players are very hesitant to stay.
First Game-Changing Update
The first major update happened way back in 2016, in Patch 7.00. It is the first time that Valve introduced an original hero that isn’t a port from Dota in the name of Monkey King. Talents are also introduced and the map had a major overhaul. It was even dubbed “Dota 3” at the time due to the magnitude of the update and how it affected the game. Maps also had a major overhaul that made it challenging for players to adjust.
As a casual gamer myself, it took me days and weeks to decipher the meta, and yet can’t get the best results. The reception was mixed as some were excited to try the new features of the game while some were concerned that people might leave because of the changes. Even the pros have some mixed reactions to it.
Neutral Items
The 2nd game-changing update would come after TNC Predator won its first-ever Major at MDL Chengdu in China last December 2019. The update was dubbed the Outlanders update where neutral items and the new heroes Void Spirit and Snapfire were introduced. It got mixed reactions but nevertheless, players learned to accept and adapt. The introduction of these random drop items has been a game-changer, especially in the Pro scene. Late games are seen differently now that these neutral drops can severely change the tides of the game.
The neutral items are still in a working process because they have a lot of work to do in adjusting those. Check this article for some of its major changes.
Dota 2’s All-Time Low
People are in high anticipation for Valve to make some action regarding this all-time low issue, and what do they do?
Today, the first season of Dota Underlords kicks off.
I haven’t played any single Auto Chess game before, even the Dota Underlords which is playable on steam. The only reason why I’m trying this one is that it’s on mobile. And I see this personally as one of the reasons why the player count is decreasing.
The emergence of Mobile Legends, Arena of Valor, and soon, League of Legends Wildrift, lets us know that people are actually switching platforms. I don’t blame them though. It is much easier to play on your handheld devices and it also requires less playing time, making it more friendly for casual gamers. I’ve been playing Dota since 2006 and I haven’t really played Dota 2 recently because of work and other stuff. The only access that I have to any game right now is to my smartphone.
But Dota 2 is not dying. Compared to other games, the classic MOBA is doing well. This video made by elwono is a great way of explaining that.
He pointed out that if the player count is really decreasing, then why is the prize pool for TI still increasing every year? It is because of the fact that as the player count decreases, the number of watchers increases, and I agree with that. I love Dota 2 so much but can’t play the game religiously at present because of work. But I still got time to watch games. Or some people are keener now on watching rather than playing the game.
As a pioneer player of Dota way back in 2006, it hurts to see these numbers decline, but we won’t bid goodbye to Dota 2 yet, in my opinion. We will still see matches being played for a long time and hopefully, Valve will give us new reasons to stay.
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