No. 02Team strategy battle game
Dota 2: light on hardware, heavy on learning
Valve's five-a-side strategy game runs on modest PCs, Macs and Linux, is free in full and takes longer to learn than anything else on the list.
01 · the kit listWhere Dota 2 plays
Kind to computers and absent everywhere else. It runs on low-end PCs, including many laptops, and natively on Mac and Linux, but there is no console or phone version at all.
- Desktop PCPlays
Steam on Windows. The published minimum is very low; the game now needs graphics that support DirectX 11.
- Everyday laptopPlays
Integrated graphics that support DirectX 11 are enough at low settings.
- Steam DeckWith caveats · Playable
Valve rates it Playable: controls work, but some text is small and a few prompts show keyboard icons.
- PlayStation 5Not available
Not released on PlayStation.
- Xbox Series X|SNot available
Not released on Xbox.
- Nintendo Switch 2Not available
Not released on Nintendo hardware.
- Phone & tabletNot available
No phone or tablet version.
- MacPlays
Native macOS client (Metal), playing on the same servers as Windows and Linux.
- Cloud streamingWith caveats · GeForce NOW
Stream it through GeForce NOW; it is not on Xbox or PlayStation cloud services.
02 · on a PCWhat your PC needs
- System
- Windows 7 or newer
- Processor
- Dual-core Intel or AMD at 2.8 GHz
- Memory
- 4 GB
- Graphics
- Graphics that support DirectX 11
- Storage
- 60 GB
Recommended
The publisher lists minimum requirements only. Anything comfortably above them will do.
Published by Valve on Steam. Valve lists minimum requirements only. Patch 7.41 (March 2026) deprecated graphics without DirectX 11 support. Official requirements.
03 · the verdictInfinite depth, steep stairs
Dota 2 is Valve's five-against-five strategy battle game: two teams of heroes push down three lanes to destroy the enemy's ancient, levelling up and buying items as each match goes on. A typical match lasts around forty minutes, and no two play out alike.
It is uncommonly fair. Every hero, more than a hundred and twenty of them, is free, and nothing you can buy changes how a hero plays. The money in Dota 2 is spent on cosmetics and on optional seasonal events, and the depth of the game costs nothing at all.
That depth is also the barrier. There is a great deal to learn, the community can be harsh, and the first dozens of hours are spent finding out what you do not know. The built-in tutorials, bot matches and hero guides help, and newer players are matched with each other at first.
On kit, Dota 2 is kind to computers and unkind to everything else. It runs on modest PCs, including many everyday laptops, natively on Linux and Mac, and is Verified on Steam Deck, but it is not on consoles or phones.
Start it if…
you want one game to learn deeply for years, with friends, and you enjoy strategy under pressure.
Skip it if…
you want quick, relaxed sessions, or you play mainly on a console or phone.
04 · the score7.7 out of 10, and why
05 · the billWhat it costs in the UK
| Store | What you get | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | Dota 2 | Free | |
| In game | Dota Plus subscription, cosmetics and event packs | Optional | Prices shown in your Steam currency |
Online play on consoles
- PlayStation
- Not on PlayStation
- Xbox
- Not on Xbox
- Nintendo
- Not on Nintendo hardware
What the shop sells
Cosmetic sets, personas, seasonal event packs and the Dota Plus subscription. Some cosmetic sets are sold in treasures whose contents are random, and Valve does not publish the chances of each item, so decide on a budget before opening any. Dota 2 has no PEGI rating in the UK.
PEGI purchase descriptor: Not PEGI-rated; sells cosmetics, including treasures with random contents.
There are no editions. Every hero and every part of the game is free; spending is on cosmetics, the optional Dota Plus subscription and seasonal event packs.
06 · starting in 2026Always changing, never paywalled
Valve still patches Dota 2 every few weeks, with a large gameplay update in March 2026 and an ongoing free story event since June. For a newcomer, the important part is New Player Mode, added in 2021, which is designed to keep first matches among other beginners.
Patch 7.40 added a new hero, Largo, and moved talents to their own points. Source.
Patch 7.41 reworked innate abilities and began phasing out graphics without DirectX 11. Source.
The Dark Carnival began: a free story event with new cosmetic sets, some sold in a random-content treasure. Source.
Gameplay patch 7.41f, the latest balance update. Source.
Valve describes The Dark Carnival as ongoing, and says a future update will drop graphics without DirectX 11 entirely.
07 · strengths and catchesWorth knowing
Strengths
- Every hero and every piece of gameplay free
- Enormous strategic depth
- Runs on modest PCs, Linux, Mac and Steam Deck
- Nothing for sale affects play
Catches
- A steep, long learning curve
- Matches of forty minutes or more
- Not on consoles or phones
08 · first stepsBefore your first session
- Play the tutorials and a few bot matches before joining public games.
- Pick two or three simple heroes and stick with them for a while.
- Mute players who make the game less fun; the option is always one click away.
- Use the in-game hero guides to learn item orders instead of improvising.
09 · screenshotsHow it looks
Hero renders and screenshots: official, © Valve. Lineup composition by Kit List.
10 · questionsCommon questions
Is Dota 2 really free?
Yes: all heroes and all game modes cost nothing. Money goes on cosmetics, event packs and the optional Dota Plus subscription.
Does Dota 2 run on Steam Deck?
Yes, Valve rates it Playable: it works, but some text is small and a few prompts show keyboard icons.
Will Dota 2 run on my laptop?
Very likely, if its graphics support DirectX 11. It is one of the lightest games on the list.
Does Dota 2 sell random items?
Yes. Some cosmetic sets come in treasures with random contents, and the chances are not published by Valve.