Valve: DOTA 2 coming "soon" to Steam

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 18 July, 2011

Gamescom reveal launch tie-in?

Valve's latest update for digital distribution service Steam notes that "soon, DOTA 2 will be delivered using it".

How soon? Gamescom, which runs next month, soon?

Is Valve preparing to unveil the game and launch it at the same time?

Earlier this month evidence surfaced that suggested Portal 2 maker Valve will unveil DOTA 2, the sequel to the Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients, at Gamescom.

On the official gamescom website Valve is listed as an exhibitor set to show a product under the "strategy" category of video games, suggesting DOTA 2, a real-time strategy game due out this year, will turn up.

Last year DOTA creator Abdul Ismail (better known as IceFrog) assured the Defence of the Ancients community that Valve's new sequel won't override and replace the original - at least not straight away.

DOTA was the basis for Gas Powered Games' flawed-but-enjoyable Demigod and Riot Games' free and accomplished online game League of Legends.

Even Blizzard trumpeted a free DOTA mod for StarCraft II at BlizzCon 2010, although it is yet to release.

Will DOTA 2 be free-to-play, as Valve's online shooter Team Fortress 2 now is?

Gamescom runs from 17th to 21st August.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 11 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • OxWearingSocks #1 11 months ago

    How about Episode 3 coming "soon" too?How about Episode 3 coming "soon" too?

  • Belmonth #2 11 months ago

    u mean Half-Life 3. And it will be out when new generation of consoles is out also, since it will be on ps4 and xbox720 also. Portal 2 is proof they arent so PC oriented only anymore. They are probably waiting for new tech so they can show their shiny new engine made just for HF3.

  • Eraysor #3 11 months ago

    "Soon" in Valve time means "Before the Sun dies" to everyone else

  • jumpdeveraux #4 11 months ago

    I tried LoL but after the tutorial it feels like a gaping chasm to understanding nuances of team/lane play as the game just seems to drop you straight into a "vs AI".

    If DOTA2 is a bit more new user friendly I'll probably go with that (damn I feel old not wanting to invest the time reading websites, guides etc. anymore)

  • Scopeh #5 11 months ago

    Fuck DOTA 2, give me Half Life 3! NOW!

  • feinicks #6 11 months ago

    @jumpdeveraux: If the game requires you to read guides and websites just so you can understand it, then that is a design fail.

    Websites and online guides should only be user experiences.

  • cw- #7 11 months ago

    LoL doesn't require you to read anything to understand it and play. To be a good high level player, then you really need to be reading guides - something I cba with, but still love the game.

    I was looking forward to DOTA2, then I played HoN, and found out HoN is closer to DOTA than LoL is. And HoN is shiiiiiiiitttttt.

  • 5h1nj1 #8 11 months ago

    You don't have to read anything to play LoL. What are you talking about?
    You just need to play it to learn it well. Same as any other competitive multiplayer game.
    Of course, there are guides. There are guides for every single game out there. No need to read them. It's up to you, if you want to figure the right builds and stuff yourself (you can, all the needed info is provided in game) or passively use builds and other strategies of someone else.
    There is a basic tutorial mission in LoL, then there is Battle Training tutorial which explains a LOT for new players and there are custom games, where you can just train with (and against) A.I. dummies. That, together with a detailed mouse-over description of every button/skill/function, gives you all you need.

  • LazyDan #9 11 months ago

    The concept and artwork for this is so bizarre to me... It all says Blizzard, and has all the hallmarks of Blizzard; yet Valve are doing it? Weird.

  • Concrete #10 11 months ago

    Worth noting that Abdul Ismail is not the creator of DOTA. He was the last person to work on it, but there were several people working on (and releasing versions of) it before him. There is a huge debate over who actually has the rights to it.

  • Seehuusen #11 11 months ago

    Tried League of Legends (FTP) and it's absolute shite compared to the original Dota. LoL Has a lot of elements that ruins it for the "non-paying" players, which is why i hope Dota 2 must be purchased, and then you have the entire package and all heroes.

  • deano2099 #12 11 months ago

    Bless you Eurogamer, for using the guy's actual name. The amount of supposedly professional news sites that seem content to call him IceFrog without realising how ridiculous that is disturbs me.

  • TheLittlestHobo #13 11 months ago

    I'm excited even though I've never played any DOTA or its offshoots, as anything with a Valve logo makes me horny. Curious to see what this game will be like.

    As for HL3, I'll be happy for it to be a next gen launch title. We have waited this long, what's a few more years? HL 2 was a generational jump in technology, so I'm expecting HL3 to be too.
    Edited by TheLittlestHobo at 18/07/11 @ 13:25

  • 5h1nj1 #14 11 months ago

    2Seehuusen: Erm, WHAT? How exactly was the game "ruined" for non paying players? It's just skins and totally dispensable IP buffs, mate. Have you REALLY tried?
    Also, as it is very similar (almost identical in many ways) to DOTA, how exactly is it shite compared to it?
    Were you offended, that you didn't have instant access to all the 80 heroes, or how many are there? :D That would be bad game design. The unlock system is perfectly fine.
    There are many flaws in LoL, just not those you mentioned.

    edit: typo
    Edited by 5h1nj1 at 18/07/11 @ 13:35

  • cw- #15 11 months ago

    @Seehuusen

    LoL Has a lot of elements that ruins it for the "non-paying" players
    How can that be even remotely true? All the game changing items cannot be bought with real money, they can only be bought with IP, which you earn by playing. It has a soft monetization model.

  • Spekingur #16 11 months ago

    LoL still has the problem of login queues. This will be welcomed, if it is good.

  • cw- #17 11 months ago

    The login queues are getting better, and hopefully when the split happens ...will be non existent!