As eSports keeps growing even more rapidly, and the audience consists of millions of fans worldwide who follow the fortunes of their favorite players and teams, so does the number of gamers who want to watch Dota 2 live streams of tournaments and events. In this article, we will take a look at how players can find streams of Dota 2 matches, and which websites provide spectators with the top service overall. Continue reading to find out how to watch Dota 2 live.
How to Watch Dota 2 Live
If you are not familiar with Dota 2, the action can look quite confusing at first look, particularly if you are new to the concept of eSports. Nevertheless, the game’s overall structure is simple enough and is not tough to follow once you are familiar with the basics.
Moreover, at its most basic level, the game is a competitive action role-playing game. In it, 2 teams of 5 players struggle to destroy the opposing team’s base that is called an “Ancient”.
The game uses the lore from World of Warcraft, and every match takes place on one map. These matches have no time limit, however, anything that lasts more than 45 minutes is usually considered as an epic match. The majority of pro matches last between 35 and 40 minutes. Every player on the team controls a certain character, also referred to as a hero, which is chosen from a list of a total of 111. There is no other player in the match that can use the same character. The players receive experience and gold for doing things like killing AI-controlled characters on the map, or players from the opposing team.
Draft to Glory
Players have to “draft” their champions before a game starts, and this process can become a highly competitive game in a game. Teams take turns to ban specific characters from being drafted. This means that during the drafting, every team is trying to scheme and plot to make sure that the opponents’ game line-up is as weak as possible. The draft can play a fundamental part in shaping the outcome of a game and losing teams often blame their draft for their loss.
Champions unlock abilities as they level up as the game progresses, which happens as a result of acquiring experience and gold.
Reddit is still a good source of extra information regarding watching Dota 2. There is a huge and committed eSports fanbase that uses the website to communicate about the most recent happenings in the world of Dota 2 as well as other eSports disciplines. Moreover, any newcomers to the scene should check it out. You will be able to discuss players and teams, as well as find a lot of extra help regarding gaming technology, and even how to access the top streams for watching the game events.
Twitch Reigns Supreme
There are many streaming services that fans can use to watch Dota 2 events live. A lot of these sites also have an archive of previous matches, that can also be enjoyable to watch, particularly if spectators want to find out more about new players or teams with which they are not familiar.
Possibly the most popular eSports streaming service is Twitch, an organization that has partnerships with many eSports teams, across various disciplines. The site is owned by Twitch Interactive, which is a subsidiary of Amazon.com. This should give you an indication of the type of commercial heft that the website possesses. Users at Twitch can access a vast amount of content, and it offers a massive range of Dota 2 streams, both live and archived.
The Best Streaming Services
This streaming service has been designed as a platform for eSports viewing that gives it an advantage over a lot of its rivals. In spite of this, it has branched out in recent years into offering music videos as well as other content. Except for streams of Dota 2 matches, players can also watch talk shows, punditry as well as other eSports content, which gives Twitch an all-around depth that only a few of its rivals can match.
The internet’s most popular streaming service is YouTube, and it is possible for viewers to watch streams of some Dota 2 matches there. Dota 2 has a channel on the website, where eSports fans can tune into interviews and other content along with tournaments and events. Simple to use and accessible, YouTube’s popularity means that it is most likely the site in which a lot of eSports experienced their initial live stream of an event.
If Everything Else Fails
If a player has downloaded the game, then there is also the option to watch Dota 2 live streams in the client. This opens up an entire heap of brand new possibilities which add to the experience оf the spectator. It could be quite the immersive experience, bringing the viewer brand new perspectives on the action, as well as replicating the feeling of watching the game live.
Another option for eSports fans who wish to watch Dota 2 streams of tournaments as well as other events is to use the official Dota 2 site. Users who visit the website will find that there is an entire section devoted to streams. Fans are given a choice of games when they click on this section of the home page of the site. It is then quite simple to navigate to the match they want to watch. The advantage of using the official Dota 2 website is that it is completely up to date with all of the latest Dota 2 events. Moreover, it has plenty of officially supporting content, which makes it a welcoming experience for the general eSports fan.
Except for these options, many other streaming services exist that are designed to cater to fans in Asian countries, particularly China. One of them is Huya.com. It has a professional looking, slick interface, as well as high-quality streams.
Users who are not Chinese might find it tricky to use since almost all text is written in Chinese. A similar site to it is Douyu.com, and it is also focused on the Asian fan base and is another site written in Chinese.
One website which European viewers might prefer is SonicBox. This site seems to feature mainly gamers’ personal channels, and it varies in terms of quality. Nevertheless, you can find streams of Dota 2 games.
Another option is Hitbox that merged with Azubu in 2017. This website features streams of a lot of eSports events, including Dota 2 games, and it has a useful schedule of offerings organized according to the tournament. This makes it straightforward and accessible to use for the newcomer.
Overview of Dota 2 Events
The calendar of Dota 2 is becoming busier each year as the numbers of fans playing and following the game continue to increase. Some tournaments now carry massive prize pots, and most of the best eSports organizations run Dota 2 teams, that are often staffed by iconic players. On this site, we like to keep our fans updated with as much information as possible about Dota 2.
The Major series of premier tournaments keep offering some of the most lucrative prize pools in all of the eSports. The Kiev Major took place in April, and the first prize was $1 million, and OG managed to win it. The most popular teams in Dota 2 struggle to qualify for the Majors.
Road to the International
Yet another tournament that attracts a lot of attention in the world of Dota 2 is The International that has kept taking place on an annual basis since 2011 in Seattle. Wings Gaming took 1st place in 2016, taking home a total of $9,139,002.
The StarLadder i-League Invitation S2 also took place in 2017, building on the last edition of the tournament. It took place in Shanghai in May, 8 teams battled for a prize pot of $100,000. $45,000 of which went to the winner. The 1st edition of the tournament took place in 2016, in Kiev, and Vici Gaming Reborn won, and Natus Vincere took 2nd place.
This is another series of events that take place throughout the year. The Season 3 version in 2017 was won by Team Liquid, who managed to take home £135,000 and defeat Team VGJ in the finals.
Other events that are set to take place throughout 2017 include the EPICENTER 2017, the Dota Summit, the ESL One Hamburg and the Zotac Cup Masters.
All these events are streamed live, which guarantees fans a ringside side for the action. Fortunately, the information on our site can help all Dota 2 fans find a way to watch their favorite teams in action.