When it comes to trying out new genres, even the most hardcore of gamers are wary of jumping head first into Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. The cautious toe dipping into games like League of Legends or DOTA 2 ultimately stems from a number of reasons such as the enormously large hero pools, giving new players the feeling of drowning through the overwhelming amount of game knowledge needed. Another reason, one that isn’t specific to MOBAs, is the player base that frowns upon new players who are out of their depth. Thankfully, Valve, the developer of DOTA 2, is looking to help alleviate the issues new players might face.
Valve aims to do this by first changing the hero selection system for new players. To help new players, the system now features some restrictions when it comes to the first twenty-five games for a beginner. Instead of being presented with the vast pool of heroes which may seem daunting, beginners will only be able to choose from twenty heroes initially. This introductory group of heroes consists of heroes that are very successful in helping new players learn and enjoy the game.
The second and final feature takes aim at the infamously toxic player base.The feature will match new players against players with consistently high behaviour scores. Valve states that it is especially important for a new player to have a good social experience while they are first trying to learn the game. The matchmaking system will now ensure that new players will play with and against appropriately-skilled players that also have a track record of good behaviour.
Source: Dota 2 Blog
