Valve overpromised and under-delivered in terms of events and cosmetics in 2024, but the developer has added a silver lining to each minor update. In Patch 7.35d, Valve introduced an experimental feature allowing Dota 2 fans to dodge toxic players, but only if they pay up.
Being able to avoid matches with disruptive players has been one of the biggest dreams of many Dota 2 players for as long as the Valve-built MOBA has existed. Today, that dream seems to be one huge step closer to being a reality, with Valve revealed its intentions to give players “more control” over finding matches that suit their preferences.
As a Dota Labs feature, Dota Plus will now show you details about the match when the accept screen pops, including an estimated skill range of the players and their behavior scores. If you don’t like any of the finer details like the match’s server region, skill range, or behavior scores, you’ll be able to decline the matches without consequences.
While this looks like a feature that’s too good to be true, Valve’s walking on thin ice since such a system could also break matchmaking. With players receiving this kind of power, the matchmaking times can change drastically. For this reason, the developer will first inspect this change in Dota Labs before rolling it out as a regular feature.
In recent months, Dota 2 behavior scores have become a fairly hot topic of debate in the wider community since getting back lost points is extremely difficult. Some streamers were even accused of boosting their behavior scores, and only time will tell how this matchmaking change will affect Dota 2 fans with low behavior points.
This Dot Esports writer has already had a look at the Labs feature, and it does feel like quite a decent tool for any players who’d like to wait as long as possible to find best-quality matches. Players who prefer not waiting at all between games will likely be disappointed though.
