Jun 6, 2020

Dota 2 - Valve

This update adds an option to allow players who preferred using the Sideshop to continue doing so. With the new option enabled, you will be able to use recycling to earn gold instead of the current mechanic. The option can be toggled on and off depending on your recycling preference at any time. Furthermore, gold will be provided once again through Guilds and Gauntlets.

We recognize that some players may have already spent their gold and consumed their gems since our update Thursday. We will be restoring everyone's gold to the value it was before the update. We will also restore any spent gems since then. Any items redeemed through the store will still remain in player's inventories.

Regarding the state of the bench, we know some players would want it reverted while others wouldn’t so we added a new button in the Sideshop to let you choose before taking any actions.

Jun 5, 2020

Collector's Cache Battle Pass Vote

Dota 2 - Ward

The Dota 2 Workshop has seen an amazing amount of high-quality submissions for this year's Collector's Cache. As is custom, we'd like to invite all Battle Pass owners to weigh in on the process and help make the final selection.

From now until Friday, June 12, the final candidates for the Collector’s Cache will be featured for preview in the Dota 2 client, where all players can see a lineup of the item sets for easy comparison. Battle Pass owners can give a thumbs up or down to each set under consideration, and sets with the highest scores will be included as the main items of the Cache.

We'd like to thank all of the workshop artists who have submitted items, and we look forward to unveiling the collection that best represents the community's favor.

Jun 4, 2020

Dota 2 Update - June 5th, 2020

Dota 2 - Valve

In this update we are rolling back two features to be like they were last year: Weekly Wagering & Recycling/Sideshop.

The amount of weekly battle points available from wagering is now the same as last year.

Sithil and Quirt’s reimagined Sideshop has been shut down. Immortals can now be recycled using the same system as last year. For players that have already recycled immortals, the system will automatically back fill your progress on this replaced system and grant you additional immortal treasures as appropriate. Any rewards previously earned through the Sideshop will remain in player inventories, and if you still have gold and wish to continue rolling in the Sideshop, you can use the dota_show_sideshop command.

As part of this update we are also removing ticketing requirements for the Gauntlet.

Jun 1, 2020

Dota 2 Update - June 1st, 2020

Dota 2 - Valve

We've read feedback from the community that leveling feels harder this year. We looked into how things compare so far to last year. For battle pass players of all levels, on average players have earned 1.95% more free levels than last year. If we consider only players who after a week were below level 200, on average they have earned 7.91% more free levels than last year. However, we recognize that players still feel that they wish playing granted more, so we have a few changes included in this update:

- Wagering battle point rewards are now increased by 50%
- Guild contract battle point rewards are now increased by 100%
- Sideshop gold for Recycling is increased by 65%
- Sideshop gold for Guild contracts and upgrades are increased by 100%

All these changes are effective as of this update. For sideshop gold earned through previous recycles, we will be granting the extra gold over the next few hours.

May 26, 2020

Dota 2's International Battle Pass adds player guilds and pause screen mini-games

Dota 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Matt Cox)

The Dota 2 International 10 Battle Pass has landed, and the ground hath buckled beneath its weight. There is a silly number of new cosmetics and features for those who buy it, and a few new features for those who don’t. Everyone now gets to play mini-games during those inevitable mid-game pauses when one player vanishes, and everyone can join newfangled player guilds where you jointly earn cosmetic rewards. Only Pass owners can create guilds, but I bet you know at least one sucker.

(more…)

May 25, 2020

The International 10 Battle Pass

Dota 2 - Ward

The International Battle Pass has arrived, ready to fill your summer with the epic trappings of Dota and unveil an overflowing vault of seasonal features, effects, and extraordinary rewards. Check out the full Battle Pass website to dive into everything in store.

You'll be able to create Guilds and undertake group assignments; face a new daily dose of competitive Dota in the Battle Gauntlet; and eliminate specific enemy heroes for special Bounty Killing bonuses. With prizes awaiting you on the rewards line like a custom terrain; two hero-bending Pudge and Anti-Mage Personas; three new Arcana items for Wraith King, Queen of Pain, and Windranger; and so much more, the most-anticipated season in Dota has now begun.

Please note that Immortal items from The International 10 Battle Pass—including Ultra Rares—cannot be traded or marketed until The International 11 Battle Pass concludes. Until then, each item can be gifted once.

As for The International itself, we will continue to monitor the global situation and will announce new dates when we can be confident in our ability to deliver a safe and uncompromised tournament for the players and fans. As always, 25% of all Battle Pass sales will go directly to the prize pool of this event.

May 15, 2020

Dota 2 tournament organisers are clashing with streamers

Dota 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Matt Cox)

On this fine Friday afternoon, join me as I descend into the morality swamp. Around five days ago, the organisers of Dota 2 tournament WePlay Pushka sent a copyright strike against “Coldfox”, a YouTuber who broadcast the tournament on his personal channel. Coldfox recorded the tournament from in-game, separately to the organiser’s stream, and says he obeyed all of Valve’s rules. Valve have previously said only they are legally allowed to send DMCA takedown notices against such content. After at least 48 hours of the videos being taken down, WePlay rescinded the copyright notice.

On the one hand, this is a story about an individual YouTuber being jerked around by people who either don’t understand how the law works, or knew and went ahead anyway. On the other hand, it’s also reopened a whole can of worms about what streamers should be allowed to do with other people’s tournaments.

(more…)

May 7, 2020

Please watch this man perform videogame soundtracks on his Mongolian string instrument

Left 4 Dead - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Matt Cox)

You know how it is. You think you’re into videogame soundtracks, then you go and hear someone perform ten of them on a Mongolian string instrument. I recently spent 20 minutes listening to a man do just that, and I think you should too.

Genius Jaavka is the man. The morin khuur is his instrument. Songs from Horizon Zero Dawn (coming to PC this summer), Mortal Kombat, Dota 2 and Fortnite are just some of the ones he treats us to. He’s really very good.

(more…)

May 1, 2020

Fortnite and Dota 2 cancel major esports events

Dota 2

While real-world sports have been turning to video games for online tournaments, it seems some esports events have not been so lucky - as both the Fortnite World Cup and Dota 2's The International have been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Fortnite World Cup, which last year pulled in over 2.3m viewers to make it the most-watched competitive gaming event of all time (excluding China), will not take place in 2020. While all other Fortnite physical esports events will take place online, the World Cup could not take place due to the "limitations of cross region online competition".

"We don't know when a return to large, global, in-person events will be practical, but we're hopeful to be able to put on some form of Fortnite World Cup in 2021," said Epic via the Fortnite Competitive Twitter account.