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A Love Letter For Dota - by DavidXYu - XY-Wise

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Having had “video games” as a hobby since age 6 or so, there’s one type of game that has stuck with me from age 15-30 – MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena). I play enough that a part of me genuinely feels embarrassed that I “only” logged 2,000 hours on Dota 2. I try to explain to myself: “That number is underestimating a lot. I’m not even counting all the hours of Dota on Warcraft 3, that’s like at least 500-1,000 hours more! Not to mention, if we assume MOBA overall, then we have to count League, HOTS, right?” It’s a weird sentiment, but compared to people who dump 5,000-10,000 hours or even more, I feel like I can’t really call myself a “hardcore player”. (How many hours verify love anyways 🤷‍♂️) In my understanding, this kind of experience is a phenomenon common to dedicated amateurs. Those who have devoted enough to know just how far there is still to go. Dota, or “Defense of the Ancients”, is a game that puts 5 players against 5 players, each controlling a hero, working togeth

I love Dota. It’s hard to understate this. Having had “video games” as a hobby since age 6 or so, there’s one type of game that has stuck with me from age 15-30 – MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena). I play enough that a part of me genuinely feels embarrassed that I “only” logged 2,000 hours on Dota 2. I try to explain to myself: “That number is underestimating a lot. I’m not even counting all the hours of Dota on Warcraft 3, that’s like at least 500-1,000 hours more! Not to mention, if we assume MOBA overall, then we have to count League, HOTS, right?” It’s a weird sentiment, but…

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