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Dota 2 update focuses on accessibility for new players

Valve has completely overhauled certain core game systems, while adding a slew of features to help new players

Dota 2 Champion Slark rising up from the ocean

With the launch of Dota: Dragon’s Blood on Netflix tomorrow, Valve is clearly gearing up for an influx of new, curious Dota 2 players. To aid the onboarding process, the developer has today launched a huge overhaul of core game systems, alongside a slew of new additions to help players feel at home in the popular MOBA game.

Dota’s in-game shop has been in dire need of some quality of life improvements for a while now, especially for newer players who have historically had to rely on third-party guidance to navigate it. The shop will now feature a streamlined iteration for new recruits “that limits the complexity of choices presented, and helps avoid information overload.”

Heroes have also historically required third-party guidance to make heads or tails of. After all, there are currently 120 of them, with a new one on the way in update 7.29. Hero briefs have been added to help with this. Furthermore, with guided build paths for each hero now also a thing, players will be able to quickly learn everything they need to about a hero without needing to look elsewhere. More information on the game’s mechanics can also be found in the new in-built Glossary.

Armed with all of this new knowledge, it’s time to actually get into a game. Dota 2’s New Player Mode will only match solo players with other new solo players, ensuring that they avoid being put at a disadvantage against parties or more veteran players. Additionally, improvements to the game’s bot AI have enabled Valve to implement a “max queue time” for the mode, automatically starting the game after a set amount of time while fleshing out any spare lobby spots with bots.

To prevent players from developing choice paralysis when deciding on which element of the game to learn next, an objective system has been put in place. From here, players can take on challenges, which scale with its four-tier progression system. To help keep players motivated to climb the tiers, each one will unlock a slew of goodies, ensuring players are “kitted out and looking good for the lanes in no time.”

Indeed, with what looks to be a strong overhaul of core onboard systems, Valve may have just created one of the best environments for fledgling players out there right now.