During The International 2023, Yatoro, a professional Dota 2 player, visited Valve’s offices and expressed his dissatisfaction with the experience. He shared his negative opinions during a Twitch stream, stating that the CS2 developers outnumbered the Dota 2 team and that the Dota 2 employees were scarce. Yatoro found the designers to be unfriendly, as they did not approach the professional players, indicating a lack of interest in the game’s competitive scene. He also questioned IceFrog’s involvement in Dota 2’s development, as his status with Valve has been a topic of debate among the community.
Yatoro’s visit to Valve HQ raised concerns about IceFrog’s role in the game’s development. IceFrog, considered the father of Dota 2, has been responsible for iconic patches in the game’s history. However, his decreasing involvement has led to a perceived staleness in Dota 2 patches over the past three years. Fans have been disappointed with the release of minor balance changes instead of major updates, causing anticipation for new patches to turn into disappointment.
Yatoro’s disappointment resonated with the community, as reflected in the TI 2023 prize pool, which experienced a decline due to the underwhelming Compendium 2023 update. Valve’s replacement for the TI12 battle pass failed to meet players’ expectations, resulting in the lowest prize pool in TI history since the early 2010s. The TI 2023 Compendium lacked substantial content, further fueling the dissatisfaction among Dota 2 players.
Source: DOTESPORTS
