Dota 2
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OpenAI's 'Dota 2' bot won 7,215 games against humans in three days
From the evening of April 18th through the 21st, anybody with an internet connection had the chance to play against OpenAI's Dota 2 bot -- the same one that defeated the world champion team in two back-to-back games earlier this month. The results were unsurprising to say the least: it obliterated the competition, winning 7,215 competitive games and boasting a 99.4 percent victory rate overall. It only lost 42 competitive games over the weekend, and though 10 were won by one (presumably fantastic) team, only three other teams won three games in a row.
AI defeated a top-tier 'Dota 2' esports team
So much for the best Dota 2 players having the skill to fend off cutting-edge AI. OpenAI Five has beaten five players from OG, the veteran team that won Valve's 2018 International, in a best-of-three exhibition match. The Verge noted that the deep learning system thrived by relying on aggressive and unconventional methods, including instant revivals for heroes in the early stages, and picking valuable heroes. While OG put up a fight (the first round lasted over 30 minutes), it couldn't hold out.
Valve freezes updates on 'Artifact' to face 'deep-rooted' issues
Last year Valve launched a Dota 2 card game spin-off that took aim Hearthstone and Gwent, but according to the team, Artifact hasn't lived up to anyone's expectations. In a blog post, Valve announced it's dropping the old plan of developing a stream of gradual updates driven by conversations with the community. Instead it will "re-examine the decisions we've made along the way regarding game design, the economy, the social experience of playing, and more." Artifact represents the largest discrepancy between our expectations for how one of our games would be received and the actual outcome. But we don't think that players misunderstand our game, or that they're playing it wrong. Artifact now represents an opportunity for us to improve our craft and use that knowledge to build better games. At least one of those decisions could be the game's business model. As we noted when its release date appeared, those competing card games are free, while Artifact opted for a $20 starting price and made additional booster packs of cards available for an extra fee on top of that. That made it similar to traditional Magic: The Gathering, a game designed by Artifact's project lead, but, as RockPaperShotgun notes, could come off as stingy compared to both the big guns and even smaller alternatives like Shadowverse or Eternal. Valve made some big upgrades about a month after launch, but judging by the tone of the post -- or Steam Charts stats that count an average of just 353 simultaneous players over the last 30 days or reviews that are only 15 percent positive over the last 30 days or its fewer than ten viewers on Twitch -- it didn't help hold player's attention. Since then the team has been largely silent. Now it's entering a period of "process of experimentation and development" that's expected to take "significant" time, it's still unclear exactly what the future holds for Artifact, but at least Valve is acknowledging where things stand at the moment.
AIs are better gamers than us, but that’s OK
We're only just beginning to scratch the surface of what artificial intelligence is capable of, from medical advancements to movie recommendations. Despite AI being a potential goldmine of help to humanity, even the greatest minds are partial to the odd spout of fear-mongering. The robots are coming to take our jobs, overthrow humanity, enslave us and the like. Skynet is but a dystopian dream at this point in time, but in some ways, AI is already winning. It's beating us at some of our favorite games, from Go to StarCraft II. Machine has begun to best man, but that's a good thing.
'Dota 2' app rewards you for predicting pro match winners
Valve doesn't just want you to watch Dota 2 eSports matches -- it wants you to have a small stake in them. It just released a Dota Pro Circuit app for Android and iOS that lets you win Shards (the in-game currency for Dota Plus members) by predicting the winners of Circuit matches. It's sports betting, just without spending real money beyond your existing subscription.
Spectate in style with VR spectator mode for 'Dota 2'
If you're typically someone who prefers to watch matches of games like Dota 2 unfold from the sidelines, you might consider viewing them in an entirely different way. As part of The International 2016 Compendium update, Valve has finally released the Dota VR Hub, which will allow you and your friends to view live matches and replays in VR.
Valve has fired its 'Dota 2' Shanghai Major tournament host
Gabe Newell, head honcho at Valve, has abruptly (and very publicly) fired 'Dota 2' Shanghai Major tournament host James "2GD" Harding. Newell made the announcement via Reddit on Friday, stating "We've had issues with James at previous events. Some Valve people lobbied to bring him back for Shanghai, feeling that he deserved another chance. That was a mistake. James is an ass, and we won't be working with him again." Newell also confirmed that he'd fired the production company responsible for the tournament's broadcast.
Pro gaming doesn't need balls to be considered a 'sport'
The hockey game on the flat-screen behind the bar had served as a pleasant background visual as I ate dinner. But with my plate cleared, the action on-screen drew my full attention. I took a sip of beer as players converged on the puck, white jerseys sliding into red and sticks slapping intently over a small, swift black dot. More furious movement and some of the athletes fell back as others rushed forward chasing their objective: Control the puck. I took another sip. Two men, one from each team, flew toward the black dot as it slid across the bottom wall of the rink and the rest of the players settled into position behind them, constantly moving, pushing for dominance of their immediate areas. Each person on the ice clearly had a specific role. And then halfway through my second beer, it clicked. "It's like they're playing League of Legends in real-life," I thought, frozen in mid-sip. "Holy shit. I think I understand hockey now."
Dota 2 championships return to Seattle on August 3
In a brief blog update, the developers behind Valve's hit multiplayer online battle arena Dota 2 reveal that the game's annual championship tournament, better known as The International, will be held in Seattle from August 3-8. Tickets are not yet on sale, but information on when and where fans can buy theirs will be made available through the blog shortly. If you're a Dota 2 player hoping that your team might be among the 16 competing in The International, you'll be waiting until May 1 to receive either an official invitation or heartbreak. [Image: Valve]
Chance Thomas announces official end to his LOTRO score
While the Lord of the Rings Online score will go on, Chance Thomas' contributions to it will not be a part of the future of the game. The composer announced that despite personal and fan efforts to bring him back, Turbine has declined to use him for future releases, citing tight resources. "Looks like we've come to the end of an era," Thomas wrote on a Facebook post. "I need to thank you for your remarkable support over the years. I'm not sure a composer could have a better playground than Middle-earth, or a more gracious community to share it with." Thomas composed the music for the base game as well as the Mines of Moria and Riders of Rohan expansions. He recently contributed to the score of Dota 2.
Valve teases new Dota 2 content with mysterious comic
Something is coming to Valve's popular multiplayer online battle arena Dota 2, though beyond an ominous, intriguing comic and some cryptic words, it's not clear what that something might be. "A mysterious figure, a ruthless assassin, and an infinite number of possibilities. The Foreseer's Contract is coming soon," reads an update to the Dota 2 blog which then links players to the Dota 2 oracle, where they'll find a short comic book. The comic is intentionally vague, but it tells the story of an assassin enlisted to murder, well ... everyone. Once she receives this mission she mugs for an unseen camera, then the comic ends, leaving players to wonder exactly how this plot point ties into the rest of the game. Valve claims that more information will be available this week, though it doesn't specify when. That nebulous uncertainty means it's your turn to speculate on what the Foreseer's Contract might be and what it means for the future of Dota 2. Leave your thoughts in the comments below. [Image: Valve]
League of Legends tops MMO revenue list, Hearthstone No. 10
MMO games, including MOBAs, compose 21 percent of the worldwide digital game market and are on track to generate $11 billion in revenue this year alone, SuperData Research reports. By 2017, that number is expected to rise to $13 billion. In 2014, the No. 1 MMO in terms of revenue is League of Legends, which has so far generated $946 million, beating out subscription games such as World of Warcraft, which is No. 4 on the list with $728 million. World of Tanks comes in at No. 5 and represents the largest revenue gap on the graph at $369 million. Dota 2 is No. 9 with $136 million, and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is No. 10 with $114 million. See the full graph below.
The Stream Team: Dota 2's 6.82 madness
The last few months in Dota 2 have come with a sense of stagnation. The professional and high-tier play meta, on display most prominently in this year's $11 million International championship, was in a rut. Something had to change before players grew bored or frustrated with facing the same three or four team strategies. Last week, Valve delivered an earthquake of a content patch, providing a ridiculously huge update that changed items, heroes, abilities, game modes, core mechanics, and even the map itself. For the next few months, pros and casuals alike must sift through the wreckage and try to re-optimize how they play. Tune in tonight as Massively's Mike Foster takes one of Dota's newly-reworked heroes for a spin and tries to make sense of the post-6.82 carnage. The action begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Game: Dota 2 Host: Mike Foster Date: Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Dota 2 Rekindling Soul update changes heroes, maps
Time to defend those ancients with some newly-altered demon lords. Dota 2 received a major update to both its heroes and maps this week. Valve announced the Rekindling Soul update with major overhauls for one of its freakier heroes right in time for Halloween. Chief among these updates is the redesigned Shadow Fiend and his Demon Eater arcana set. Demon Eater gear beefs up the fiery hero with a set of cosmetic and play changes ranging from a new hero icon, to animations and attack effects. Many other changes in this update introduce both big and small tweaks, from new Runes to altered couriers. A new fight recap feature lets you examine stats on screen at the end of a match, which should be appealing to anyone practicing to improve their game. Also significant are the myriad changes made to maps. The update singles out how neutral creep Roshan no longer appears in the same spot on his map as before, altering how players strategize around him. Complete details on Dota 2 v.6.82 are listed on Dota2.com. [Images: Valve]
Raptr shows MMOs and MOBAs dominating the top 20 in August
Raptr's tracking of play choices among the service's gamers in August paints a picture of a wide love for MMOs and MOBAs. World of Warcraft holds a respectable #2 spot, followed by Final Fantasy XIV (#10), Warframe (#11), Guild Wars 2 (#12), Star Wars: The Old Republic (#14), and Firefall (#20). However, former Raptr #6 holder, WildStar, has dropped out of Raptr's top 20 entirely. "With a late July release, Firefall made a 40-spot jump into the top 20 for August. Not too surprisingly, Firefall is converting more players from fellow F2P shooter Warframe than any other game, with Dota 2 coming in second," Raptr posted. Other online titles fleshed out the list, such as League of Legends (#1), Dota 2 (#3), SMITE (#5), and World of Tanks (#13). Card battler Hearthstone is still hanging onto the top 10 at #8.
Hear snippets of Chance Thomas' Dota 2 score
Composer Chance Thomas has revealed his latest project: creating a Compendium score for Dota 2. In a new behind-the-scenes video, you can see Thomas conducting a choir and orchestra as they perform snippets of various tracks for the popular MOBA. Thomas previously worked on MMOs such as Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online. You can watch the Dota 2 soundtrack video after the jump!
Heroes of the Storm is late to the MOBA party, but Blizzard isn't worried
Blizzard's upcoming MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, has a lengthy development history. Officially, development on the game began in 2010. The full story however, goes back to 2002, with the release of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and a mod called "Defense of the Ancients" (DOTA). If that acronym sounds familiar, it's probably because it's also the name of Valve's popular game, Dota 2. If you're confused on the capitalization, the former is an acronym while the latter doesn't stand for anything. As for why Valve would use the name of a mod created for a competing company's game and why Blizzard would let go of the name that kickstarted a genre worth hundreds of millions of dollars well ... there's a story there, too.
The Daily Grind: Are MMO mods and emulators on their way out?
We don't talk about emulators on Massively often because we're forbidden to encourage illegal activities or link or name specific emulators save those rare few publicly sanctioned by studios (so please don't). In fact, we've written before that emulators are a frustrating topic for many of our writers since gamers pour boatloads of creativity and technical skill into both legal and illegal emulators for games dead and alive, creativity that we can't write about even when we'd like to. I can't be the only one who's wondered whether legit modders and underworld emulator coders are abandoning their craft in favor of more legal ventures, however. There might be more sunsetted MMOs, moddable UIs, and calls for "classic" game versions than ever, but the rise of low-risk crowdfunding, easy Steam greenlighting, and modular multiplayer titles that encourage customization makes me suspect that people who once modded shady MMO emulators or built interfaces for the masses are being lured away to work on something more legitimate or profitable or resume-worthy. What do you think? Are emulators and modding going out of fashion? (Please don't link to anything illegal!) Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Co-Opinion: How sporty are eSports?
This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience. This edition focuses on the merits of eSports and how they fit with traditional sports. .portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Jess Conditt: Let's lay out the foundation here: I'm a fan of eSports and sports in the same way. I play games from both categories, but I'm far from a professional in any sense (though I shoot a mean three-pointer). When I see sports fans lashing out at eSports players, or saying that these games don't require any sports-like skill, I'm equally surprised and confused. Those who argue that eSports aren't "real" sports are not simply stripping professional players of a title; they're de-legitimizing the time and talent it takes to compete on that level. The word "sport" itself may not matter that much, but the intent of those withholding it does. Many of the arguments feel like bullying, or at the very least, caustic comments from those wary of change. Obviously, eSports require different skills than those needed to play physical sports, but they take skill nonetheless: strategy, quick thinking, fast reflexes, communication, perseverance, creativity, teamwork. I understand that these are not necessarily physical attributes, but I don't think that negates their value. I wonder if "athleticism" is the issue here, rather than whether eSports are, in fact, sports.
The Dota 2 International pulls in 2 million concurrent views
The Dota 2 world tournament, The International, drew a digital crowd of more than 20 million people, Valve has revealed. Of the 20 million, 2 million watched The International 2014 at the same time, meaning the peak number of concurrent users was more than triple the population of the city where the tournament was held, Seattle. While impressive, the true numbers for viewership is actually higher, as the 20 million and 2 million figures do not include views from MTG Europe, CCTV China TV or ESPN, the latter of which hosted Dota 2 events on both ESPN2 and ESPN3. So, a record-shattering prize pool, a broadcast partnership with ESPN and now more than 2 million concurrent viewers out of 20 million total. Not too shabby, Valve. Not too shabby. [Image: Valve]
