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Dota 2's 2025 Saga: Patch Changes and The International's Epic Comebacks

Dota 2 doesn’t stay the same for long, with each patch introducing new mechanics, reshaping strategies, and altering the pace of competitive play.

The introduction of Innates and Facets after The International 2024 (TI 2024) already shifted how players build and draft, but minor changes since 7.36 have added more complexity than expected: more variables in drafting, lane control, and late-game stability.

As TI 2025 approaches, the contrast with last year’s tournament will likely become more visible. Even familiar heroes may look unfamiliar under new rules.

Dota 2 after TI 2024

Team Liquid’s 3-0 win over Gaimin Gladiators in Copenhagen capped a season of European resurgence and delivered over 1.52 million viewers, which is the highest peak in two years.

The numbers hid a deeper problem. The prize pool sat at $3.3 million—a sharp drop from previous years. Many players and fans pointed to Valve’s stagnant funding model as a reason why top orgs started prioritizing Riyadh and BetBoom events instead.

Riyadh Masters and the Esports World Cup now shape the professional calendar more than The International. These events offer higher payouts and more structured appearances, pulling top rosters out of the TI-only cycle.

KICK streams, SEA co-casters, and fan-led replays now compete with Valve’s own feeds. DreamLeague’s numbers proved the shift: fans now follow tournaments built for flexibility, not prestige.

What changed after the last TI?

The current patch cycle introduced several mechanics: primarily innate abilities and facets.

Innates now give every hero a persistent ability. These range from early power spikes to passive map control, depending on the character. Facets offer two or more playstyle variants, locked in before the match starts. For example, Dawnbreaker offers a global map vision during daylight. Faceless Void slows projectiles near him. Kunkka and Legion Commander start with max-scaling abilities at level one.

Facets offer two or more playstyle variants, locked in before the match starts. For instance, Wraith King now picks between extra skeleton summons or attack-triggered curses. These changes are permanent during each game.

Some minor changes can also impact the match in a huge way. Roshan’s scaling was adjusted: his slam duration and buff strength increase deeper into matches. These tweaks make him more valuable later in the game, often deciding which side has a chance to recover.

Patch 7.38 layered on additional disruptions. Cosmetic reworks and a revised matchmaking queue may seem unrelated to esports, but these systems impact hero familiarity and comfort picks.

By TI 2025, the game could look and feel different in small but important ways, especially in drafts where surprise and timing matter.

2025 season reversal highlights

Team Liquid kept their momentum after TI. In FISSURE Universe: Episode 5, they swept PARIVISION in the grand finals, winning 3-0 with a late-game comeback powered by Lone Druid’s Spirit Bear.

Elsewhere, BetBoom Dacha’s Dubai and Belgrade events posted over 350,000 peak viewers each. Their consistency proved that these LANs now define the meta between patches.

In Riyadh, Team Falcons exposed the risks of slower drafts. Their Phoenix setup overwhelmed LGD’s attempts to hold space with a Void Facet that simply didn’t scale well under pressure.

Hamburg calling for TI 2025

TI 2025 will return the event to Germany for the first time since its debut in Cologne in 2011. Valve has already hinted at retro-themed drops and content tie-ins, using the setting to frame a nostalgic but competitive tone.

The new format condenses early rounds into a Swiss group stage from September 4 to 7, and only the best-performing teams will advance to the double-elimination playoffs held on-site between September 11 and 14. Fewer matches mean less room for recovery and more opportunity for upset brackets to form early.

Four Western teams received direct invites. Team Liquid and Gaimin remain strong favorites, while Spirit and Falcons round out the core. China’s hopes now rest on Tidebound, an untested squad under this level of pressure.

Patch timing will matter. A last-minute update could introduce balance shifts around universal stat stacking or Roshan behavior—variables that teams can’t ignore.

Viewer habits have changed. Many fans who bet on video games tune in with betting platforms to engage with their favorite teams on another level.

To conclude

Volatility is a part of Dota 2, just like team skills. And that volatility has become part of the appeal for teams, for fans, and for anyone with something on the line. It turns every pick into a bet, every patch into a gamble, and every Roshan fight into a swing that could flip the outcome.

No script is safe. No favorite is untouchable. And with new mechanics still settling, what happens next is wide open.