Action · July 9, 2013

Dota 2 (2013)

Dota 2 (2013) scores 82% positive on Steam from 2.5M reviews, 90 Metacritic, developed by Valve.

extension2 DLCgroup100M+ ownerstrending_up623.9k peak concurrentrecommend14.4k recommendations

Dota 2 (2013) is a Action title from Valve available on Windows, macOS, Linux. The title carries a 82% Steam positive rating across 2.5M reviews, a 90/100 Metacritic score, and 623.9k peak concurrent players — making it a measurable reference point when comparing to peers in the Action category.

The most-played game on Steam. Every day, millions of players worldwide enter battle as one of over a hundred Dota heroes. And no matter if it’s their 10th hour of play or 1,000th, there’s always something new to discover. With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has truly taken on a life of its own. One Battlefield. Infinite Possibilities. When it comes to diversity of heroes, abilities, and powerful items, Dota boasts an endless array—no two games are the same. Any hero can fill multiple roles, and there’s an abundance of items to help meet the needs of each game. Dota doesn’t provide limitations on how to play, it empowers you to express your own style. All heroes are free. Competitive balance is Dota’s crown jewel, and to ensure everyone is playing on an even field, the core content of the game—like the vast pool of heroes—is available to all players. Fans can collect cosmetics for heroes and fun add-ons for the world they inhabit, but everything you need to play is already included before you join your first match. Bring your friends and party up. Dota is deep, and constantly evolving, but it’s never too late to join. Learn the ropes playing co-op vs. bots. Sharpen your skills in the hero demo mode. Jump into the behavior- and skill-based matchmaking system that ensures you’ll be matched with the right players each game.

Release & Availability

Release date Jul 9, 2013
Developer Valve
Base price Free-to-play
DLC / Add-ons 2 released
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux
Estimated owners 100M+
External links Official site · Metacritic page

Release timeline

Dota 2 launched on Jul 9, 2013.

Studio and publishing

The title was developed by Valve.

Platform support

Playable natively on Windows, macOS, Linux.

Packages & editions

  • Buy Dota 2

Content notes

Dota 2 includes fantasy violence, use of alcohol, and mild partial nudity.

Reception & Reviews

Steam community score

Steam users rate Dota 2 82% positive across 2.5M reviews — categorised as Mostly Positive.

2.0M positive · 449.8k negative

Critic consensus (Metacritic)

Critics aggregated on Metacritic awarded a 90/100 score.

Read the critics →

User score

Metacritic user score stands at 6.5/10.

Curator & community recommendations

Steam curators and players have issued 14.4k recommendations for this title.

Peak concurrent players

Peak concurrent Steam players reached 623.9k — a measurement of how active the playerbase got at launch or during a surge.

Press quotes

“A modern multiplayer masterpiece.” 9.5/10 – Destructoid “Once you start to learn its secrets, there’s a wild and exciting variety of play here that’s unmatched, even by its peers.” 9.4/10 – IGN “Dota 2 is possibly the only competitive free-to-play game that is totally uncompromised by its business model.” 90/100 – PC Gamer

Gameplay Profile

Genres

  • Action
  • Strategy
  • Free To Play

Community tag consensus

  • Free to Play · 60.0k
  • MOBA · 20.2k
  • Multiplayer · 15.4k
  • Strategy · 14.3k
  • e-sports · 11.8k
  • Team-Based · 11.0k
  • Competitive · 8.3k
  • Action · 7.9k
  • Online Co-Op · 7.5k
  • PvP · 6.1k
  • Difficult · 5.4k
  • Co-op · 4.3k

Playtime profile

Community average playtime is 901 hours, with a median of 19 hours — a extensive (100+ hours) commitment. Two-week average sits at 24 hours per active player.

Languages supported

Interface / subtitles: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese.

Full audio: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Dota 2 released?

Dota 2 was released on Jul 9, 2013 by Valve.

Is Dota 2 worth playing?

Based on 2.5M Steam reviews, Dota 2 holds a 82% positive rating (Mostly Positive) — suggesting the game resonates with most players who try it.

What platforms does Dota 2 support?

Dota 2 runs natively on Windows, macOS, Linux.

How much does Dota 2 cost?

Dota 2 is free-to-play on Steam.

What Metacritic score did Dota 2 receive?

Critics rated Dota 2 90/100 on Metacritic.