The new patch brings plenty of tweaks to the popular game

Dec 18, 2014 10:17 GMT  ·  By

Valve has just unleashed the Dota 2 Shifting Snows update onto its Steam service, bringing forth a wide array of cosmetic and gameplay changes to the popular multiplayer title, from a winter-themed map to the 6.83 version of the actual mechanics and heroes.

Dota 2 is one of the most popular free-to-play experiences out there, delighting millions of players every month with its intense online action. Developer Valve has ensured that fans are treated to new things every once in a while and has rolled out quite a few updates over the years.

Dota 2 gets the Shifting Snows update

The latest patch has just gone live across the Steam digital distribution service, in the form of the Shifting Snows update, which brings forth plenty of different changes, according to the official website.

First and foremost, there's the 6.83 gameplay update that makes a series of very important changes to the game, from new rules governing runes to a slight nerf affecting illusions and many other items. The 100+ heroes in Dota 2 are also affected by the balancing changes, as all sorts of different buffs and nerfs have been made to most of them by Valve, following the debut of the 6.82 patch a few months ago.

Of course, plenty of items are also tweaked in the update, with slightly lower prices for some things, such as the Courier, but also increased stats for other versatile objects, like the Magic Wand that can now store 17 charges, instead of just 15.

A winter-themed map is also present

Of course, players will mostly notice the new winter-themed map that's included in the update, which features, as you can imagine, snow, not to mention a variety of impressive weather effects. There are also plenty of so-called Easter Eggs, in the form of a Santa Claus hat for Roshan or a Christmas tree complete with presents that resides near the entrance to his cave.

Players can also enjoy a series of bug fixes that should eliminate errors and even some crashes that happened in different situations.

Those who like to Alt+Click to communicate in game should also enjoy a wide array of new things that they can Alt+Click now, from their passive and unlearned abilities to their health and mana bars, items, and many other elements.

The new Dota 2 Shifting Snows update is now available for download on the Steam service. It clocks in at around 269MB.

Dota 2 Shifting Snows Update (6 Images)

Winter is coming to Dota 2
New changes are liveThe winter-themed map
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