I am not trying to be bias but at least for now Dota 2 falling way behind LOL. I am now 22 years old I played dota when it is just a another warcraft map. It was fun and sometimes frustraiting but it had got some magic that pulled me and my friends towards it. At same time when we see the LOL we just mocked it as just a another dota rip off that die off in few mounts. But now it is diffrent dota became dota 2 but became even worse than LOL that riped off. Now i play lol but sometimes i go back to dota 2 with my friends to feel same magic we feel back in the day but we only drop after 2 or 3 games filled with nothing but anger and salt along with reports. When i opens the dota 2 one of two things show on my screen. 1st is usual menu, 2nd is just another show off of over priced hero skin that valve presents proudly. Then i press play button and met usual people who talk with diffent language that makes them impossible to work together or some people who shows off their numbers and give you command like your mother. Also world that stuck in one place. But when i opens LOL well technically also show one of two things on my screen but this time little bit diffrent. 1st thing will be a nice music combined with cool short animated picture followed by game menu also they always change in every season. 2nd unique screen of new champion with their awesome unique music and interation with other champions shows their story. That give feeling of you must buy this champ and try it. With each new champion LOL's story take another step. Then I go into the game. But this time there is diffrence between blind and ranked game. In blind pick everyone is chill, having fun and talking each other. Almost nobody blames you except 9 old tryhards when you go 1/22/5 in some match they even give you tips and couragement for learning your champ. As foe ranked well that is same as Dota2 but less toxic cause 'Reports' do matter and require you having mastery at champions so you will not met completly noob guy in ranked. I am completly fallen in love with voice, interactions, music and story of Jhin , Kindred and Brawn. As for DOTA 2 they have world and story but just too ordinary just like their mechanics. This is just my own thought so tell me yours also sorry for bad grammar.
the best thing for me in Dota 2 is when you type "lol" in chat the hero laugh. and the esport is more entertaining to me.
Not that I'm defending Dota, But yeah I would agree to your sentiments if thats the only thing people looking for in a game. Irl, people behave like players in Dota. Lol was just more successful to make it more of a game friendly to kids. In that sense, Dota is failing to get new audiences. But when it comes to game play, playing lol is like playing indoor soccer compared to Dota professional soccer imo. There is just no comparison to the complexity of Dota in esport games(other than starcraft, but even that is only one player against another) In summary? Id agree dota is declining in player base, but valve can still capitalizes on Dota due to the insane loyalty of this player base. Game wise? Dota is better imo, lol would dumb down gameplay in order to appeal to the masses. Dota would just make games more complex to improve
yeah, I don't play anymore since last year. but I still follow the esport since the high skilled players are amazing to watch. and don't forget the drama.
Long time Dota 2 player here. A bit of history about myself. I played Dota the WC3 mod in elementary school with my older cousin. Didn't understand shit but still enjoy it nontheless. Entered middle school, focus on study so i didnt play it anymore Fast forward to 2013, at this point I'm in high school, and because my friends play Dota 2 I started playing it too. Played until 2016, entered Uni, dropped it again. At that point onward I only watch Pro matches, TI, Majors, and occasionally reinstall it to play again for a few weeks. Being apart of the Dota scene for 6+ years now, this is my opinion on the game: -The bad part: +Toxicity: There are toxic people in any rank bracket, any region. There's no helping it with such a competitive and unforgiving game such as Dota 2. Or with any MOBA actually. Smurfs, Boosters, Griefers exist. People not speaking english, rather not communicating at all in a team game... +The matchmaking system: One thing Valve still havent learned is how to do the Matchmaking system correctly. They are testing with Ranked roles like LOL but it's still a mess atm. -The good part: +How supportive and outspeaking the community is: Go watch Sheever story if you havent, she is a female talent/interviewer/host of Dota 2. Got struck with cancer but she bounced back with the help of her family and the community. +How diverse and fun the game is: You can play any hero at any lane with any combination. It's not locked into a mold like LOL. You can go 1-1-3, 2-1-2, 1-2-2, 1-1-1-2... Buy differents item every game to counter enemy heroes. Unlike LOL, in Dota 2 heroes can be hard countered by items. Depending on how you play and which role you play the item you get will also be different. +More fun to watch: Unlike the slug fest that is LOL pro games with 0 kill in 20min, Dota 2 pros will fight eachother min 1, some games will be blood bath from start to finish. +Game balance: In the International 2019 (World Championship for anyone who plays LOL out there), there is only 4 Heroes NOT PICKED out of the pool of ~120 heroes. The range of meta the game offers and the balance between heroes is just enormous. +The story: I don't care what other people say, the story on OG winning Ti8 and Ti9 in 2018 and 2019 will make anyone blood boils. Even if you don't play Dota, if you just watch their journey as a Esport fan you will understand the beauty of friendship and teamwork, overcoming the impossible, not giving up in the face of adversity. The team was betrayed by their captain, the star 3rd position player, lost the direct invite just 2 months before TI, the largest tournament in Esport history, but somehow managed to claw their way through and winning it all with a pub star rookie not playing any Lan before, a player that returned from a 6 months hiatus, and their coach. Yes their coach became the player. Link for anyone interested: