Valve introduces subscription model to Dota 2
$3.99 a month subscription "an evolution of the Majors Battle Pass" says Valve
Valve has revealed new monetisation options for its free-to-play MOBA Dota 2.
The Dota Plus subscription aims to supplement revenue generated from cosmetic microtransactions by offering players additional features for $3.99 a month.
Described as "an evolution of the Majors Battle Pass", the subscription offers a number of perks including hero levelling and challenges, and free entry to the weekly Battle Cup where players can compete for reward shards.
The Dota Plus subscription also offers players access to Plus Assistant, an in-game utility that provides in-depth data on their play and makes suggestions accordingly.
However, the Plus Assistant has attracted a certain degree of negative attention from the Dota community for providing an unfair advantage to paying subscribers.
With monetisation models in games coming under increased levels of scrutiny, the Dota Plus subscription is a notable departure from the conventional wisdom of competitive free-to-play games, but only time will tell what long-term impact is has on the community.