Since it was first released as a Warcraft III mod in 2003, DotA has been taking over the lives of gamers worldwide. Popularising the MOBA genre, DotA sees two teams of five taking control of individual hero units, as they attempt to destroy the enemy base. Dota 2 is Valve's phenomenally popular sequel to the original mod, and it's been consistently the most played game on Steam for over a year. Mechanically, it's identical to the mod in almost every way, featuring the same addictive, deep gameplay that can ensnare players for thousands of hours. Most notably, Dota 2 completely sets the standard for what a free-to-play game should be like. Unlike some of its competitors, every hero is available for free for all players, and the microtransactions are purely cosmetic. It also has a huge competitive scene, with this year's 'International 4' tournament having a prize pool in excess of $10 million.
