It`s common to hear talks about Dota 2`s slow decline. While it`s an exaggeration to say the game is dying, the decreasing average online player count is a long-standing trend. Some suggest radical gameplay changes or adding a sixth player per team to fix this. Others hope for the return of popular personalities. We propose Valve should look at Blizzard`s strategy and tap into nostalgia by releasing a “classic Dota” mode.
Patch 7.00 was a turning point for Dota 2, a massive update that fundamentally changed the game. Before 7.00, patches mainly tweaked characters and the economy. Patch 7.00 expanded the core gameplay with talents, backpacks, shrines, a redesigned interface, and more. The old interface looked like this:
And the old hero selection process with scrolling icons…
It`s not that Dota before 7.00 was better, but it was different. Many miss that older version. Nostalgia plays a big role: people enjoy returning to things that resonate with youthful memories, when times seemed simpler and Dota nights with friends were more fun.
Blizzard`s successful exploitation of original WoW in its various forms is a good example. The graph below shows how active subscriptions increased after releasing two versions of classic World of Warcraft (WoW Classic and WoW Classic: Season of Discovery).
The differences between WoW versions are more drastic than between Dota 2 patches. But the appeal is in reliving familiar experiences, like easily stunning with Wraith King or placing mines with Techies in the old interface.
It`s not just nostalgia. Older Dota 2 was simpler. Adding new mechanics and map objectives diversifies gameplay and is welcomed by some, but it also raises the entry barrier. Now, players must track runes, lotuses, wisdom runes, Tormentors, control Watchers, and optimize builds for matchups.
Ten-year-old Dota 2, even in pro matches, was mostly about fighting. There weren`t many stacks, creep pulling, or complex strategies. Matchmaking was simpler, focused on farming and skill execution, not intricate “Dota intellect.”
Dota 2`s peak popularity was around 2016, before patch 7.00, when it was already a phenomenon.
After 7.00, Dota 2`s popularity started declining. Even golden eras like The International 2018 and 2019, with great Battle Passes and pro scenes, couldn`t compete with 2015-2016. Dota 2 was more accessible to casual players with limited time who didn`t want to learn constant updates.
Returning to simpler Dota would attract casual players who enjoyed playing heroes like Spirit Breaker without overthinking complex aspects, talents, or item builds.
A Turbo mode for classic Dota 2 could be a good addition. Turbo already accounts for almost a third of Dota 2 matches.
Turbo is great for those wanting to play Dota without intense commitment. It`s also a place for experimentation, like playing carry Jakiro with unusual builds. A classic Dota 2 mode with Turbo would likely be popular and enjoyable.
An independent ecosystem could be built around Dota 2 Classic. Old-style compendiums, less item-heavy but more engaging than recent ones, could return.
Old item sets, now cheap, could be offered. Classic Dota 2 could also avoid modern cosmetics that drastically change heroes or add inappropriate themes, instead using older, more authentic items.
A separate MMR system without modern ranks could be created for Dota 2 Classic. MMR felt more valuable around 2015, and the leaderboard race was more exciting.
Creating a classic Dota 2 version could generate медийный хайп and revitalize interest in the game.
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A separate Dota 2 Classic client recreating the old experience could be a great way to boost Valve`s MOBA community.
This could be framed as a continuation of an in-game event, like Crownfall, where Faceless Void rewinds time and opens the “old Dota 2 world.”
Implementing this is challenging, and given Dota 2 developers` slowness and resource constraints, it seems unlikely. But who knows…
Finley Holt