Dota 2 Dota 2 is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. The game is the stand-alone sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), which was a community-created mod for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne. Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams that consist of five players, who each occupy their own base on the map. Each player controls a powerful character, known as a "hero", that feature unique abilities and different styles of play. During a match, a player and their team collects experience points, currency, and items for their heroes in order to better fight heroes of the opposing team, attempting to push through their defenses. A team wins by being the first to destroy a large structure located in the opposing team's base, called the "Ancient".