14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer Valve is getting ready to unveil Defense of the Ancients 2 at the Gamescom event in Germany and a lot of the potential success for the arena battle game will be linked to how the tight knitted community that has formed around the game will reach to it.
And Erik Johnson, the man who is leading the development effort on Defense of the Ancients 2, has told gamespy that, “We don’t think the DOTA community is a toxic one at all.”
He added, “A huge number of users spend a huge amount of their time just writing guides to teach new (and experienced) players strategies for heroes, items, and high-level strategy for the game. In any community of this size, you’re going to run into some people that rub you the wrong way but I think that is true for, well, your average grocery store.”
Valve has said since the project was initially announced that it will aim to make it easier to play DOTA 2 for newcomers, with extensive training elements included in the game and with options that allow fans that have vast troves of experience to share them with those who are just getting to know the game.
Johnson added that most of the millions of players who play DOTA and other multiplayer online battle arena games can be characterized as hardcore and that Valve needs to appeal to them and keep them happy in order to make its new product a success.
The official unveiling of DOTA 2 will happen via a big tournament in Cologne, Germany, which will involve a number of teams and will offer prize money of 1 million dollars.
The recent introduction of a free-to-play category in the Steam digital distribution service has let some to believe that DOTA 2 might be Valve's first game to be playable for free, with a subscription offering more content to those who wish to pay.