Do you think Dota is moving on the right path?

I’ve been digging into Valve’s 2022 pivot where they said they’d focus more on gameplay patches instead of the old battle pass grind and huge TI prize pools. I’ve pulled some data on what they’ve done since then—up to Feb 2025—and I’m curious what you all think.

Back in 2022, Valve hinted they’d shift resources to gameplay updates while rethinking the battle pass system that used to juice up The International’s prize pool. Here’s the rundown of what’s gone down:

Prize Pool Changes

TI11 (2022): $18.9M—down from TI10’s $40M. The battle pass was split, and only Part 1 funded the pool. TI12 (2023): Dropped to $3.1M after they ditched the battle pass for a Compendium. Crowdfunding was gone. TI13 (2024): Stuck around $3M with the same Compendium setup. No more hype-driven millions. Battle Pass Overhaul

2023 Shift: They killed the classic battle pass, swapping it for a TI Compendium (Sept 2023) with event-focused stuff—player cards, team bundles, no endless cosmetic grind. 2024: Same deal for TI13. Cosmetics now drop separately, like Crownfall’s Collector’s Cache (more on that below), spread out over the year instead of tied to TI.

Gameplay Focus

Patch 7.33 (April 2023): Massive map expansion (40% bigger), Universal heroes, new items—huge shake-up.

Crownfall Update (April 2024, tied to Patch 7.36): A beast of a patch—rolled out over four acts through 2024. Brought gameplay depth with new mechanics (like Crownfall map events and economy tweaks), plus a reward system with treasures, arcanas (e.g., Skywrath Mage), and a Collector’s Cache. It’s not just cosmetics—quests and tokens tied into matches reshaped how we play.

Patch 7.36 (May 2024): Added Innate Abilities and Hero Facets for every hero, plus two new heroes: Ringmaster and Kez. Launched alongside Crownfall’s Act II.

Patch 7.37 (Feb 2025): Major map rework, Neutral Item changes, Roshan and Tormentor tweaks—another big one fresh off the press.

Trend: These updates, especially Crownfall, pack serious gameplay punch and feel more frequent than some older years.Valve’s stuck to their guns: smaller TI pots, no battle pass slog, and some hefty gameplay patches—Crownfall being a standout hybrid of play and rewards. Player counts have nudged up since 2023 (per Steam Charts), but the pro scene’s definitely feeling the prize pool shrink. So, what’s your take? Did Valve deliver on their 2022 promise in a way that’s good for Dota? Are you vibing with less TI flash for stuff like Crownfall and bigger patches, or do you think they fumbled? And bigger picture—do you feel Dota 2’s heading in the right direction with all this? Drop your thoughts below!