Dota 2
179 documents in the library are about Dota 2, from writers such as The Esports Advocate, Esports Charts and Extra Credits, the newest from 2026. Each has a summary and key insights with the page they come from.
Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena video game and the stand-alone sequel to the Defense of the Ancients (DotA) mod. With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has taken on a life of its own.
- Released
- Jul 9, 2013
- Developer
- Valve
- Genres
- Strategy, MOBA
- Platforms
- Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
- Links
- Official site, Wikipedia
Game data from IGDB.com
Key figures
Free-to-play titles including 'Counter-Strike 2', 'Apex Legends', 'PUBG', and 'Dota 2' collectively generated nearly $168 million, accounting for approximately 10% of Steam's total monthly revenue.
Alinea Analytics, 2026 · Steam's Top September 2026 Games
The International 10 (2021) holds the all-time Dota 2 viewership record with 107.2 million hours of total watch time and a peak concurrent audience of 2.74 million.
Esports Charts, 2026 · Top 10 Most-Watched Dota 2 Tournaments of All Time
Dota 2 maintains a significant market presence with 213.09 million hours of viewership recorded on Twitch.
Esports Charts, 2026 · Top Esports Games on Twitch 2025: CS2, LoL, Dota 2, Valorant
Documents about Dota 2
Steam's Top September 2026 Games
Steam experienced its most successful September and third quarter on record in 2026, generating $1.7 billion and $5.5 billion in revenue, respectively.
- Steam generated $1.7 billion in September 2026, marking its best September on record and a 13% increase over the previous year.
- Steam's Q3 2026 revenue reached $5.5 billion, a 12% year-over-year increase, putting the platform on track to exceed $20 billion in total annual revenue for the first time.
- The PvP shooter 'Wardogs' led September premium releases with $86.9 million in revenue, contributing to a total of over $100 million since its early access launch on September 10.
Apex Legends Carries EWC 2026 Opening Week with 74% Peak Viewership Growth
The Esports World Cup 2026 opening week demonstrated significant shifts in competitive gaming engagement, anchored by a total of 20.1 million hours watched.
- Apex Legends achieved a 74% year-over-year increase in peak viewership during the EWC 2026 opening week, making it the title's most-watched tournament of the year.
- The Esports World Cup 2026 opening week recorded 20.1 million total hours watched, marking a 10% year-over-year increase driven largely by Dota 2.
- Valorant viewership declined by 45.6% compared to 2025, a downturn linked to the early elimination of high-profile teams and reduced participation from community casters.
TMGM Enters Esports Through OG Partnership
The Sydney-based financial services firm TMGM has officially entered the esports sector through a new partnership with the European organization OG Esports.
- Australian CFD broker TMGM has entered the esports market by signing a global partnership with European organization OG Esports.
- The deal designates TMGM as the official global CFD partner for OG Esports’ Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 teams.
- The partnership will feature digital activations, branded content, and fan-focused rewards such as cashback incentives and signed merchandise.
Asian Champions League 2026: Performance Report
The 2026 Asian Champions League (ACL), organized by Hero Esports, concluded its second edition with significant viewership metrics, reporting over 380 million total play views and nearly 23 million hours watched.
- The 2026 Asian Champions League (ACL) generated over 380 million total play views and nearly 23 million hours watched across its 24-day duration.
- The tournament, held in Shanghai from May 1 to May 24, 2026, featured competition in Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
- Winners of the three titles—Vici Gaming (Dota 2), LVG (Counter-Strike 2), and GZG (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)—all secured qualification paths to the 2026 Esports World Cup in Paris.
OG Esports Signs Dexsport as Headline Sponsor for CS2 Team
OG Esports has entered into a headline sponsorship agreement with the Web3 betting platform Dexsport, specifically targeting its Counter-Strike 2 division.
- OG Esports has rebranded its Counter-Strike 2 team to OG.Dexsport following a headline sponsorship deal with the Web3 betting platform.
- The agreement designates Dexsport as the official betting sponsor for the CS2 roster for a one-year term, featuring branding across team assets and fan activations.
- Chiliz Group, which acquired a 51% stake in OG Esports in September 2025, is central to the organization's current strategy of aligning commercial partnerships with Web3 and fan-engagement platforms.
Esports: Q1 2026 Live Streaming Trends with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
The first quarter of 2026 highlights a robust and evolving esports landscape, characterized by the massive influence of mobile gaming and the continued dominance of established titles.
- The M7 World Championship for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang set a mobile esports record with 5.9 million peak viewers and 123 million hours watched, accounting for 84% of the game's total Q1 viewership.
- League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Counter-Strike dominated Q1 2026 with 154 million, 146 million, and 140 million hours watched respectively, forming a tight top tier.
- Non-esports events, such as the Kings World Cup Nations (2.2 million peak viewers) and PlayStation's State of Play (2.1 million peak viewers), consistently outperformed most esports tournaments in peak viewership.
Hero Esports to Stage Second Asian Champions League: Shanghai
Hero Esports has announced the return of the Asian Champions League (ACL) to Shanghai, scheduled to take place from May 1–24, 2026.
- Hero Esports will host the second Asian Champions League (ACL) in Shanghai from May 1–24, 2026, featuring a total prize pool of $365,000.
- The tournament serves as a direct qualification pathway to the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) for all three featured titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
- The prize pool is distributed across the three titles, with $150,000 for CS2, $125,000 for MLBB, and $90,000 for Dota 2.
GRID Teams With NAVER to Bring LoL Esports Data to CHZZK Platform
The South Korean technology company NAVER has entered a strategic partnership with the esports data platform GRID to integrate real-time League of Legends match data into the CHZZK livestreaming platform.
- NAVER has partnered with esports data platform GRID to integrate real-time League of Legends match data into its livestreaming platform, CHZZK.
- The integration launches on April 1, 2026, coinciding with the start of the LCK season.
- CHZZK will feature real-time win probability graphs, early-game control information, and match timelines for viewers and co-streamers.
Top Esports Tournaments: March 2026
The global esports landscape in March 2026 demonstrated robust growth and shifting engagement patterns, characterized by a diverse array of professional circuits and emerging creator-led initiatives.
- MPL Indonesia and the League of Legends First Stand both surpassed one million peak viewers in March 2026, marking them as top-tier industry anchors.
- BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 experienced a 20 percent surge in viewership, contributing to a broader trend of regional expansion alongside record-breaking engagement for India's FFMIC 2026 Spring tournament.
- Creator-led programming is increasingly competitive, as evidenced by Jynxzi’s independent Counter-Strike tournament outperforming several major international championships in the English-speaking market.
Top 10 Most-Watched Dota 2 Tournaments of All Time
The International series represents the absolute pinnacle of professional Dota 2, consistently serving as the primary driver for the game’s global viewership records.
- The International 10 (2021) holds the all-time Dota 2 viewership record with 107.2 million hours of total watch time and a peak concurrent audience of 2.74 million.
- The International series serves as the primary driver for Dota 2's global viewership and remains the central focus for the game's competitive audience.
- Dota 2’s competitive ecosystem is defined by a two-tier hierarchy consisting of The International, which features crowdfunded prize pools, and the Major circuit.
DreamHack Birmingham Announces Samsung as Official Partner
DreamHack Birmingham 2026 has secured Samsung as an official partner for its upcoming festival, scheduled for March 27–29 at the Birmingham NEC.
- DreamHack Birmingham 2026 will take place from March 27–29 at the Birmingham NEC, marking the event's return to the UK after a decade-long hiatus.
- Samsung has been named an official partner for the event, featuring a 'Galaxy Café' activation hub that showcases the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and hosts mobile gaming competitions.
- The event features a substantial esports line-up with over $1.7 million in total prize money distributed across various tournaments.
The Loot box Lawsuit, Valve Vs. New York State | Design Club
The New York Attorney General has initiated legal action against Valve, asserting that the loot box mechanics within Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2 function as illegal gambling operations.
- The New York State Attorney General is suing Valve, alleging that the loot box systems in Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2 facilitate illegal gambling, particularly among minors.
- The lawsuit seeks to force Valve to cease these practices and pay significant disgorgement and fines, calculated as the total amount lost by New York residents plus additional penalties.
- Valve maintains a strict $2,000 limit on Steam community market transactions to avoid being legally classified as a bank under federal regulations.