Greetings, fellow Dota 2 enthusiasts!
I’m reaching out to spark a discussion on a topic that touches the core of our Dota 2 esports scene – sustainability and support for our teams and players.
Having observed the Counter-Strike scene, we’ve seen the remarkable success of in-game stickers, which have proven to be a lucrative venture. These stickers represent more than just in-game flair; they are a testament to the support of fans worldwide, translating into significant revenue streams for teams and players alike. This financial backbone allows competitors to dedicate themselves to the game full-time, leading to a healthier and more competitive ecosystem.
Contrast this with the current state of Dota 2, where the support for in-game content linked to teams or tournaments pales in comparison. While we have had moments where team pennants and tournament compendiums have contributed to the scene, there’s a consensus that we could do more – much more.
The potential here is immense. Imagine a Dota 2 esports landscape where third-party tournament operators can once again introduce in-game cosmetics. This would not only bolster the visibility of these tournaments but also provide fans with a direct avenue to support their favorite teams and the overall ecosystem.
To achieve this, Valve could consider implementing a new policy framework – one that balances creativity with regulation, ensuring that the unique identity of Dota 2 is preserved while opening the doors to a plethora of team and tournament-themed cosmetics.
It’s important to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that can thrive independently. It’s about giving players the recognition they deserve and the stability they need to push the boundaries of competitive Dota 2.
I believe it’s time for a change, and I’m convinced that this community, with its passion and dedication, can be the catalyst for this evolution.
What are your thoughts? Could this be the key to a more dynamic and self-sustaining Dota 2 esports scene?
A few notes.
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At this point, unless there’s a significant change in the eco-system, the only way to sustainably monetize the e-sports eco-system is skins. E-sports as a a whole act as a loss leader to introduce users to the game/motivate the selling of skins (ie: I see pro player with cool gear, I want cool gear). Unless there’s some fundamental shift in the consumer base attitude (ie: being willing to pay to watch esports content), e-sports will not be profitable to those running the tournaments nor those running teams. If League and their hundreds of millions of burned VC money can’t make it work, it’s probably not possible. That said, the scene should be safe for now - the people running teams or tournaments generally don’t run teams with direct profits in mind (ie: Shopify Rebellion for marketing/awareness for Shopify, Saudi e-sportswashing, etc). Being able to sell skins related to your tournament or having team skins sold could go a long way for grassroots though - “small operators” like BTS or orgless stacks performing well (a DOTA equivalent of CS’s Bad News Eagles).
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The problem with this implementation that is there’s no like for like in DOTA compared to CS stickers. In CS, stickers are desirable as an “investment” - with people obsessed with holding on to the next IBP/Titan holo equivalents - as well as have a significant aesthetic purpose on their own. 3rd parties aren’t allowed to do Compendiums anymore (guessing too much work from Valve’s side to implement?), Dota 2 stickers are a joke and supporter pack content is a joke - the majority of players don’t give a shit about voicelines, stickers, and sprays. A sticker would need to give some kind of chromatic or particle effect for anyone to give a shit. We need to find what that equivalent in DOTA is before anything meaningful can happen.
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Even if we were to allow orgs/TO’s to create cosmetic content on their end to sell - who would make it? Pretty sure the last time this was a thing, most artists had gone on the record saying it wasn’t worth it for them.
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I kinda hate how Reddit veils its lootbox dopamine addiction behind faux-concern for the pro scene.
Secondly this kind of model was only sustainable for as long as Valve cared to maintain it, which was as long as they felt generous enough to give away 25% of their profit from cosmetics, a revenue stream which is entirely unrelated to the pro scene.
A sustainable model would be one where people actually paid to watch and buy merchandise from the teams they like. But the vast, vast majority will never spend a single penny on pro dota unless they get a shiny and/or lecherous in-game item in return.
Cosmetics are literally digital merchandise. Yes Valve has to maintain it, but they take a cut. Similar analogy to a factory that handles merch fulfillment.
In CS the stickers are literally just the team logo. The problem is that Dota stickers aren’t nearly as popular due to how they are implemented (not even really shown ingame). Sticker revenue stream is truly just a fandom element unless you think a particular logo is aesthetic (or as you say, shiny).