In a move that will surprise two, maybe three people globally, DOTA 2 is going to be free to play. This info comes direct from Gabe Newell, who also added that this would be “with a twist”.
This “twist” seems mostly concerned with players who contribute to the community in some way.
“The issue that we’re struggling with quite a bit is something I’ve kind of talked about before, which is how do you properly value people’s contributions to a community?
“We’re trying to figure out ways so that people who are more valuable to everybody else [are] recognised and accommodated. We all know people where if they’re playing we want to play, and there are other people where if they’re playing we would [rather] be on the other side of the planet.
“It’s just a question of coming up with mechanisms that recognise and reward people who are doing things that are valuable to other groups of people.”
DOTA 2 has ways in which more experienced players can help out those who are learning, and various rating systems where players can get positive feedback from their peers. This is the kind of system which could be used to single out individuals worthy of special treatment.
This echoes statements he made last year, in which he said that well-liked Team Fortress 2 players should get the game for free, while “jerks should have to pay full price, and pay an extra $100 for voice”.
Anyone who’s played any form of MOBA game can attest they generally have one of the most foul communities out there, so Gabe could be onto something here.
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I have to agree, MOBA games really have some of the most foul mouthed elitist communities out there at the moment, its like all the counterstrike kiddies went through puberty and moved on to DOTA/HON/LOL.
The barrier of entry for new players in MOBA’s really is one of the harshest I have ever seen.