Dota 2 Update Adds Features to Help New Players

Don't know where to start with Dota 2? Valve has your back

By Sam Stewart

Valve has pushed out a new Dota 2 update to assist fledgling players as they start their journey into the infamously difficult MOBA.

The first and most major change has to do with hero selection. Dota 2 currently features 113 playable heroes, each with their own unique playstyle and skill set. To simplify the overwhelming process of figuring out who to try, new players will be limited to a curated group of twenty heroes for their first twenty-five games. According to Valve's announcement, these twenty heroes have proven successful in helping new players learn the game.

The second change reworks the matchmaking system, which will now match new players with experienced players that have high Behavior Scores. Behavior Score is a semi-visible number (ranging from 1-10000) that ranks how friendly you are in your games. Players with few reports and positive commendations have higher scores, making them perfect partners for incoming players.

Finally, Valve has decided to bring back the Newcomer Stream, a special broadcast of The International that will cater to new viewers with simple commentary and special overlays. Valve hopes that these changes will remove any barriers a curious player may face when starting out in Dota. You can read the full announcement on the Dota 2 blog.

Top Dota 2 players from all over the world are currently gathering in Seattle to compete in the biggest esports event in the world: The International. Featuring a current prize pool of $23,000,000 USD the event will likely turn a lot of attention to Valve's popular MOBA, leading more people than ever before to try out the game, hence the new update.

Stay tuned to IGN for more from The International in the coming weeks.

Sam Stewart is a freelance writer for IGN who wants to see Evil Geniuses win The International. You can cheer for them alongside him on Twitter. 

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