Dota 2 review

Dota 2 ranks third on value: Valve's MOBA is free on Steam and players pick from over a hundred heroes, with regular updates that change heroes, features and gameplay. Steam calls it the most-played game on Steam, and it runs natively on Windows, macOS and SteamOS + Linux, which helps adults on a Mac. Two teams fight over lanes and objectives, so every match is a test of drafting, map awareness and communication. Steam Workshop support and SteamVR features add community content, and Valve Anti-Cheat is listed. The only paid content on the Steam page is the $9.99 official soundtrack, plus optional in-app cosmetics. The catch is difficulty: Dota 2 asks for many hours before it clicks, and recent Steam reviews sit at Mixed even though the all-time score is Very Positive. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not measure matchmaking quality.

Who it is for

Adults who want the deepest competitive strategy game and plan to put in hundreds of hours.

Price

Free to play on Steam; optional cosmetics and a $9.99 soundtrack.

Play Dota 2 Free To Play
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Over a hundred heroes to choose from
• Regular updates to gameplay, features and heroes
• Steam Workshop support for community content
• Co-op modes alongside competitive play
• Valve Anti-Cheat

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Native Windows, macOS and SteamOS + Linux support
• Strength: Steam sells only optional in-app items and a soundtrack
• Strength: Huge strategic depth
• Weakness: Hardest game on this list for newcomers
• Weakness: Recent Steam reviews are Mixed
• Weakness: Matches can run long

Key facts

• Price: Free with in-app purchases
• Heroes: Over a hundred
• Developer: Valve
• Released: July 9, 2013
• Steam reviews: Very Positive, 87% of 843,725

Where it ranks

Dota 2 is No. 3 in our Best Free Games for Adults verdict and No. 9 in Best Free Online Games.