r/DeadlockTheGame • u/Axis251 • Feb 24 '26

Discussion A tweet that has me thinking.

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I don’t know if Riot can copy what valve has created with Deadlock. The atmosphere and setting so what I think makes deadlock so enjoyable. Yes the gameplay is amazing and the moba aspects are great but I just don’t think riot will even try to copy valve and make a deadlock clone. What is all y’all’s thoughts.

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66

u/Velstrom Apollo Feb 24 '26

Extremely funny the difference between riot fans (couldn't give two shits about any "rivalry") vs valve fans (absolute seething hatred towards riot and anybody who even suggests they had fun playing a riot game)

57

u/Warp_spark Billy Feb 24 '26

Its a community meme (in greek meaning), Dota community has a much longer player retention cycle, most LoL players nowadays dont know anything about the history of two games, thats if they know what dota is.
Dota however is not only full of grogs, grogs indocrinate the new players into being like them

21

u/Velstrom Apollo Feb 24 '26

Yeah that's the impression I get. It's unfortunate, because instead of friendly rivalry from both sides we have extreme toxicity from one side and complete neutrality from the other side.

40

u/Spider_SoWhat Feb 24 '26

Most of the toxicity from the dota side of the community comes from what the creator of league did, who purposely shafted his colleagues for his own personal gain. 

Pendragon shut down dota-allstars.com, which was the center for the original Dota community and development. He replaced the site with a letter and advertisements for League of Legends.

Imagine if someone shut down the deadlock forums, which also contained the official way to download any of the updates corresponding to the game, and replaced it with an ad for his own personal game. That is what the creator of league did, alongside a chain or lawsuits against valve for Dota.

-1

u/Velstrom Apollo Feb 24 '26

Yes. That was 15 years ago. At some point the level of vitriol no longer matches up with modern reality.

34

u/Spider_SoWhat Feb 24 '26

I think the old guard just created a grievance culture that newcomers will just adopt like skinwalkers lol.

I do think the vitriol directed at the creator of league is entirely fair though, especially for the old guards who also would have been directly affected by this.

22

u/fiasgoat Feb 24 '26

Yes it does. Because it went beyond that. Riot got Twitch to stifle Dota streams

They were forcing contracts that forbade their players from ever playing/talking about Dota. Maybe even at the organization level but I'm not sure on that part

They tried EVERYTHING they could to kill Dota

Fuck Riot and Pendragon forever idgaf how long ago it was

14

u/keaganwill Vyper Feb 25 '26

What honestly has me willing to continue it is the mountain of history about Pendragon being a shit human being in general. Even ignoring anything/everything related to valve/dota, his track record is just abysmal.

Lots of records of him being in league matches, being toxic and full on banning people who he didn't like. Reddit posts on his account just being full blown ass hat, dude is a piece of work and deserves ridicule, the fact that hes successful/well off is a shame.

5

u/Yamato_Naoe Wraith Feb 25 '26

funny how the votes proved you completely right lol, these people are caught up in some shit that happened a decade ago and continue to rage on in the most one sided beef of all time. genuinely haven't heard a league player bring up dota in over 5 years

18

u/Warp_spark Billy Feb 25 '26

Im gonna deliver shocking news, but unless you talk about Mobas in general, noone mentions the other one.
Its that only times LoL and Dota audiences intersect is when arguing about them, which LoL players mostly cannot do because they have no other reference point.

21

u/lumpfish202 Feb 24 '26

Riot spent the majority of the late 2000s and early 2010s backstabbing Valve and Icefrog over Dota. No surprise Valve fans fucking hate them.

11

u/CrocoBull Rat King Feb 25 '26 edited Feb 25 '26

This applies to a lot more than just Riot with the Valve glazers tbh. I still remember the TF2/Overwatch wars of yester year, and while there was some mudslinging from both sides the Valve glazers were definitely the more zealous in that equation

I don't know what it is with Valve and attracting the sweatest, most loyal corporate defenders tbh.

-6

u/veryfriendlycat Feb 25 '26

Nobody born before 2009 ever cared about overwatch lmao get real

3

u/Nie_nemozes Feb 25 '26

And it's seen in all three games, CS players can't stop talking about Valorant, Dota players can't stop making fun of LoL (although this is less prevalent nowadays), and TF2 players laughing at Overwatch being dead while not receiving a major update for 8 years

6

u/ferocity_mule366 Feb 24 '26

remind me of some TF2 players whose Overwatch lives rent free in their head

8

u/Mr_Times Victor Feb 24 '26

It’s the Don Draper elevator meme. League players literally never even think about Dota, and Dota players seethe at the thought of even being compared.

3

u/doctor_dapper Pocket Feb 25 '26

painting 2 gaming communities in broad distinct strokes like this usually means you're on the internet too much

17

u/X_Luci Mina Feb 24 '26

Because one side got massively fucked by an asshole called Pendragon so the hate is 100% justified.

6

u/Velstrom Apollo Feb 24 '26

I do not believe a 15 year old incident is a valid excuse for the level of modern vitriol.

15

u/Weaslelord Feb 24 '26

They also threatened a bunch of esports orgs and tournaments to not have anything Dota related. Definitely fucked with some livelihoods at the time.

17

u/lumpfish202 Feb 24 '26

Riot also:

Helped Blizzard attempt to sue Valve (they lost)

Openly doxxed Icefrog despite him wanting to remain anonymous.

Openly told Tournaments they'd pull out if they hosted Dota as well leaving Tournament Organizers to create off-brands to host Dota tournaments to not make Riot mad.

Are just an overall shit company infamous for sexual misconduct.

Shit company, deserves the hate.

7

u/PaviIsntDendi Feb 24 '26

I mean it's essentially someone you hate doing everything they can to fuck with your livelyhood. Imagine every single day you're gonna go to work and someone slashed your tires, 2 weeks in of slashing your tires they just take the entire car. A week after that the spot your car was in you now find an advertisement for a new shitty car you didn't ask for.

And this is just what happened at the start not accounting for the fact that they had illegal exclusivity deals not allowing dota to be streamed from the same venue as they would stream league tournaments, or the fact that they doxxed Icefrog(yoshi)

9

u/8Lith8 Seven Feb 24 '26

"incident" is a very small word for what happened lol

11

u/X_Luci Mina Feb 24 '26

If it was just a minor incident I would agree, but fuck Riot.

4

u/Bspammer Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 25 '26

If riot had changed as a company maybe. But they still have the same shitty balancing philosophy, they still make you pay for heroes, and they still just copy existing games rather than creating something original. Why would I change my opinion of them?

12

u/Sbotkin Mina Feb 24 '26

Dota subreddit is the worst example of this. Literal inferiority complex.

8

u/falconmtg Feb 25 '26

This subreddit is not that different lol

12

u/manuuka Feb 24 '26

It's also funny seeing the difference in how they glaze.

Riot consumer generally don't have a strong opinion on the company (in the west at least, idk about Asia), usually they'll shit on the game (jokingly or not)

While Valve consumers are obsessed with their company and hate anything outside of it.
I remember hella post on PCMR about how they'd rather pay full price of a game on steam than get it for free from Epic Games Store because anything that's not Steam is inferior. That and how GabeN is the only good billionaire and how he can do no wrong.

Glazing or hating (unless valid) corpos just seems weird to me. Maybe it's just me getting older but I just want to enjoy games, I'm getting tired of this weird tribalism people have about their shit.

5

u/Elegant-Avocado-3261 Feb 24 '26

Sorry, but undiscerning consumerism is what causes formerly beloved franchises like cod, madden, etc to become creatively bankrupt. People like steam because it's a more functional and consumer friendly platform. EGS was so dogshit that even though they gave out free games it never really caught on anyways.

7

u/manuuka Feb 24 '26

That's not what I'm talking about though, I'm talking about the unnecessary GLAZE that Valve receives. Yes Steam>Epic Games, especially for someone like me who wants all my games in one launcher, BUT I'm not delusional or brainwashed enough to think that Epic Games Store giving out free games is a negative and that I'd rather pay full price on Steam.

1

u/Elegant-Avocado-3261 Feb 25 '26

I literally would just because I'd rather support steam over EGS. I don't need their free games that badly. I think it's a lame business practice to buy out games after the fact for exclusivity. If they'd spent even a fraction of that money on making their platform better nobody would have an issue with them. I'll continue to unabashedly glaze valve, they have so few issues and flops compared to the thousands of other dogshit companies out there like EA, blizzard, etc

and I'd MUCH rather people glaze companies that actually set good standards as opposed to shitty ones like riot and blizzard or continuing to blindly spend their money on the new cod or madden or league skin

7

u/LengthOk0 Feb 25 '26

"...good standards..."

Knowingly allowed and profited from offshore gambling sites which actively preyed on minors

So the sexual harassment gets your hackles up but not underage, unregulated gambling? Valve is just as shitty as any other corp, they just make good products. So support them with your money but fuck off with the glaze.

0

u/Elegant-Avocado-3261 Feb 25 '26

If you're brain damaged enough to get addicted to csgo skin gambling then it's a skill issue, sorry!

3

u/LengthOk0 Feb 25 '26

I agree that people need to be more cognizant of the risks of gambling, especially in the US, but that doesn't absolve Valve of their role in the underage gambling epidemic that spawned from CS.

They knew full well what they were doing and avoided impeding it because they knew the laws around it hadn't caught up. That is actively malicious behavior, despite how good their products may be they are still a corporation, no different from any other.

2

u/manuuka Feb 25 '26

Well then continue to bounce up and down for it like a good dog.

5

u/MidnightOnTheWater Feb 24 '26

Valve fanboys are the worst. I remember the Switch 2 discourse and all the Steam Deck users came out of the woodwork.

-1

u/Night-O-Shite Feb 25 '26

Ah yes epic the clinet that runs like shit with nothing or anywhere as good as steam along with it's owner who's been hating on steam and trying anything he can to fuck with valve... I wonder why people hate him along with the unreal engine that imo dis more harm than good for the gaming industry.

It's funny how devs themselves came out and said when their games are free on epic their steam sales explode so it's not just valve fanboys it's everyone in general lol

6

u/andungha Feb 25 '26

Right? The valve shills on reddit would say its because of that drama 15 years ago but really, the majority doesn’t give a fuck about that. The guy doesn’t even hold any importance in Riot anymore. Valve fanboys are so annoying and I am a fan of Deadlock and Steam ffs. They really yap about Riot having terrible f2p experience when you have to actually play the game to unlock more heroes (and everything else is free except for the skins) when they have actual real money gambling market lmao. The fact is the games they copied are all more appealing, have memorable characters and worlds, more accessible, more optimized and their success is undeniable. Anyone saying they’re anywhere close to being “the worst game companies” is genuinely delusional

-17

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 24 '26

Yes because Riots core playerbase are people who get filtered by hard game mechanics in other games, those people love Riot for appealing to them and are happy to have something to play thats more their style. Riot will always pander to that crowd. That means that, especially in North America, those Riot made games are more popular. League will always be more popular then Dota 2 in the US for instance.

And thus we have a Chess vs Checkers scenario. Checkers will always be more popular because its simple, easy and appeals to the common man, Chess will always be popular with a more intellectual crowd and people who like to challenge themselves. And that is fine.

The problem is when Checkers fans come over to Chess and ask why certain Chess mechanics arnt dumbed down and simplified like they are in Checkers, then the Chess fans get a little bit pissy because they are tired of having to defend their more complex game from worms who should just stay in their lane. And then there are Chess fans who dont like that Checkers is more popular then their game. They are tired of going to school and only ever hearing chuds talk about Checkers and never Chess. So they want to campaign to get certain obscure Chess rules ironed out or removed so the game is similar or more friendly so more people will play it and so their cool game can be the coolest game ever and stupid Checkers Chuds can finally lose. And this gets the actual Chess fans mad that worms in their own community are advocating for lobotomizing their game just so it can be more like shitty ass Checkers and the only reason they keep having to have these discussions is because Checkers exists in the first place.

(im agreeing with the apollo guy btw stop dming me malware)

12

u/manuuka Feb 24 '26

> Chess (Dota) will always be popular with a more intellectual crowd and people who like to challenge themselves
> Chess (Dota) fans get a little bit pissy because they are tired of having to defend their more complex game from worms who should just stay in their lane.
>  Chess (Dota) fans mad that worms in their own community are advocating for lobotomizing their game just so it can be more like shitty ass Checkers (League)

I get what you're trying to say but what's up with this weird one-sided superiority complex going on lmao.

Also > Checkers fans come over to Chess and ask why certain Chess mechanics arnt dumbed down and simplified like they are in Checkers

No League/Valorant players are going to their respective counterparts (if at all) and complaining about the game.

4

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

You have to give them something if they can never be the most popular game. So they can be the smartest gamers who play the smart game and feel less bad about playing the less popular game.

6

u/manuuka Feb 24 '26

No game needs to be the most popular game, Dota is a great game and indeed more complex than League but the difference between the player base isn't intelligence, it's preference.

I, as a Factorio player, acknowledge that Factorio is more complex than Satisfactory but I don't tout the game as superior and it's player base and I as intellectuals.

-2

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

No game needs to be the most popular game

I didnt say it did, just that one is and the other tends to be a bit miffed about that.

5

u/manuuka Feb 24 '26

It is what it is.
I'm heavily optimistic about Deadlock though, played a few games again recently and definitely taking a week off for it once it releases.

13

u/Explosionary Feb 24 '26

Brother, most people haven't even tried "chess" in your example lmao. No one gives a shit about dota. They're not playing league because dota was too hard, they're playing it because all their friends play it, meanwhile no one is playing dota except the same elitest chuds who have been playing it for years.

So pretentious.

8

u/twee3 Drifter Feb 24 '26

Exactly. DOTA fans think League players care about their game, they do not and have never even give it the time of day.

2

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

Yes that is what I said, you missed the point. Dota fans are mad they arnt the most played game and also mad people suggest their game gets dumbed down so they can attract more players. Thats the bit. I dont know how you and everyone else is reading that as me simping for Dota 2.

4

u/CrimsonFuckr69 Feb 25 '26

If one person misunderstands your comment that's on them, if everyone misunderstands your comment that's on you.

23

u/Velstrom Apollo Feb 24 '26

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Fascinating mindset.

3

u/Yuno42 Feb 24 '26

I don't even disagree that league is a baby game for idiots but I hate dota players because of posts like this so much it's unreal
I was safe from both types in hots but alas

1

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

Im not a dota player, im agreeing with the guy

0

u/[deleted] Feb 24 '26

[deleted]

2

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

No im not?

What?

Youre gonna need a link or something because that was not me if that did happen.

-2

u/BulletCola Paige Feb 24 '26

I apologize, I seem to have mistaken you for someone else who made this comment.

1

u/CliveBarkers-Jericho Feb 24 '26

What? Youre going to drop some shit like that and then afterword take the 5 seconds required to back it up, find out it wasnt me and then still leave that comment up?

What the fuck is your problem dude

-1

u/BulletCola Paige Feb 24 '26

I apologize, simple mistake is all. Nothing more to it.

0

u/BulletCola Paige Feb 24 '26

Again, I still am gonna find fault of you for your unhinged anti furry comments.

-1

u/BulletCola Paige Feb 24 '26

I didn’t forget your frustration to furry anthro characters to me through.

-4

u/8Lith8 Seven Feb 24 '26

One side actively tried everything to sabotage the other game, and the other didn’t. Hating on Riot is a must for every Dota player, it’s like an unspoken rule.

10

u/twee3 Drifter Feb 24 '26

You guys are embarrassing.

8

u/Box_cat_ Vyper Feb 25 '26

I'm gonna be honest I was just a riot hater because I thought league was mid and overglazed. Sifting through this thread makes me feel like Nicholas Cage in National Treasure because as it turns out there's deep ass lore to this and as somebody who thought my mild dislike was top tier hatred I gotta throw in the towel man I can't compete with this.

0

u/RoboBadger07 Feb 25 '26

I mean riot basically did corporate assassinations to two competitors to secure the space they got. They shut down the old dota site and replaced it with ads, then riot's publisher got the rights for smite in asia (you have to give them asia marketing and shares to release it in china) then didnt market smite at all and shutdown the asia servers back around 2018 and the game was dead on arrival with no asian playerbase. League is only popular as it is because it copied a emerging genre, dumbed it down enough to strip its identity, and manually killed all the competitors so no one can compete with their inferior product

0

u/DotA627b Mo & Krill Feb 25 '26

valve fans (absolute seething hatred towards riot and anybody who even suggests they had fun playing a riot game)

3 of my closest friends are Rioters, but even they know I never let Riot's attempt to kill DotA go. Riot knew what they were doing when they hired Pendragon who then claimed how LoL was the REAL DotA inheritor.