The original lives: DotA is still receiving updates 20 years later

DotA first emerged as a Warcraft III mode in 2003. Only 10 years after its first release, Dota 2 continued the saga (and then some), but it didn’t mean the end for the original. Through the last decade, DotA continued to receive updates, and it’s still receiving some love from a developer named Dracolich.

While the community for the original DotA is noticeably smaller, there’s still a small bunch honoring the game’s origins which now has access to Talents, Teleportation Scroll slots, and even the new heroes like Hoodwink and Dawnbreaker.

The original DotA is nowhere near being outdated with the mentioned changes, and interested fans can check out the game through rankedgaming.com (RGC.) As most fans appreciated the devs’ efforts to keep the original relevant, there were also players questioning the point of having an up-to-date copy of the current Dota 2.

Though it may look gimmicky, a decent portion of the Dota 2 user base has deep ties with the game. The old guard grew up playing Dota in internet cafes or LAN parties, and having a playable version of the original Dota allows everyone to dip their toes into nostalgia whenever they want.

In addition to serving as a reminiscence of the past, DotA 1 is also a decent alternative for players who may have internet problems or don’t have a computer that satisfies the minimum requirements of Dota 2.

Regardless of players’ reasons to play the original, the fact DotA 1 is still kicking is a remarkable achievement for the Dota culture. What started as a tiny mode in Warcraft III became more than a game over the last two decades, something that holds a dear place in players’ hearts, enough for them to continue developing the game’s past out of passion.