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When you hear the term eSports, which titles spring to mind? League of Legends and Counter-Strike are the usual suspects because they have been around forever and are at the top of players’ wish lists. In 2020, for example, LoL recorded 115 million monthly active players. Dota 2 also makes it onto the list, which is weird because it’s relatively young.

Indeed, it’s four years younger. Still, it holds the title of [URL="https://www.theverge.com/2015/5/13/8597121/dota-2-professional-gaming-tournaments-the-internationalhttps://www.theverge.com/2015/5/13/8597121/dota-2-professional-gaming-tournaments-the-international"][U]the world’s richest eSport and is Valve’s[/U][/URL] biggest game. There’s no doubt Dota 2 is a huge success story, but how has it transformed from a small title to a major player?
[B][B]The International [/B][/B]

The International is the name of the eSports tournament that Valve launched in 2011 as a promotional event for the release of the game. By inviting a tonne of people to the launch, the developer instantly grabbed the attention of the sector. However, what made people more curious was the £1 million prize fund.

A developer-sponsored event never boasted that amount of money before The International, setting the tone for the success of Dota 2. For instance, Navi was the winning team and became an overnight sensation. They started a trend that continues to this day, something that [URL="https://extra.bet365.com/news/en/"][U]the Dota 2 – The International betting highlights[/U][/URL] through the number of entrants. PSG.LGD is the 7/2 favourite, and Navi isn’t even in the top 18 teams.

The PR event worked beyond Valve’s wildest dreams, to the point where they don’t have to stump up the cash any longer. Since 2013, crowdfunding has ensured the fund is greater than year-on-year, highlighting the demand for the game and the annual competition.
[B][B]Switch to Netflix [/B][/B]

Appealing to gamers is a sure-fire way of engaging your target base. But if you want to distribute a game around the world, you need to ensure even the most casual of fans have heard of the product. Dota 2 did this by deciding to switch from the gaming screen to the big screen when they released a number of series and documentaries on Netflix.

For instance, Dota: Dragon’s Blood was an anime-inspired exclusive that introduced people to the characters in more intimate detail. Then came [URL="https://www.thegamer.com/valves-dota-2-documentary-free-to-play-is-coming-to-netflix/"][U]Valve’s Free to Play documentary that provided[/U][/URL] an insight into the lives of professional gamers attempting to make a career from Dota 2. Within its first weekend of being available on the streaming platform, the doc had recorded 5.5 million views.

Whereas other eSports decided to remain within the bounds of their specialist subject, Dota 2 managed to break free from the shackles. As a result, it not only interested regular gamers, but Netflix users who typically wouldn’t have watched an eSports documentary before.
[B][B]Team Effort [/B][/B]

Not everyone is happy with Dota 2, though. Valve is notorious for releasing versions of the game that don’t match the high standards of its users. That’s by design because the developer uses a strategy of user-oriented fixes to help them strengthen the weak areas. After all, the number of players involved in the process means there are several data streams for them to analyse.

Players are not entirely happy with the tactic, yet it’s proved to be effective. Firstly, gamers get the opportunity to offer constructive criticism that’s reflected in the new patches. Secondly, the number of new players is rising, not decreasing.

Given Valve’s desire to push the boundaries of the industry, you shouldn’t expect this to be the last you hear of Dota 2. They are only getting started.