Unmasking the Dota 2 Drafting Dilemma: The Rise and Fall of Advantageous Apps

The creator of the original DotaPlus application, known as Tsury, took to Reddit to clarify the controversy surrounding certain applications that granted an advantage to Dota 2 players during drafts. He outlined the distinctions between various software with similar names and emphasized that he removed unfair features following a patch by Valve in 2023.

Understanding the nuances between these applications can be challenging, so here's a concise summary based on Tsury's explanations. In essence, all of them provided players with some form of advantage in the drafting phase.

DotaPlus/Overwolf/OVERPLUS:

1. DotaPlus: Tsury developed the Overwolf app DotaPlus in 2015. This software included ban suggestions and other pre-match bonuses, giving users an edge.
2. Dota Plus: Valve's official paid add-on to Dota 2, launched in 2018, featuring a "simplified version of Tsury's pick suggestions and notes."
3. OVERWOLF (capital letters): Released in 2020, described as a "Russian cheat" that concealed itself behind Tsury's app name.
4. OVERWOLF changes name to OVERPLUS in 2022: This application introduced a match-dodging feature, revealing opponents' information even before its user pressed the Accept button.

In February 2023, Valve attempted to block access to players' profiles before the end of the draft. While it initially seemed like the developers successfully countered the applications, Tsury claimed that he disabled the ban-pick features himself due to Valve's actions. Currently, his application is in "maintenance mode," providing useful information only after the end of drafting. However, OVERPLUS has continued functioning with the same features.

The ban-pick applications gained attention within the community in early January 2024, prompting calls from Dota 2 and former professional players, including w33 and Loda, for the developers to ban such software.