DOTA 2: Female Players Continue to Face Prejudice in Public Lobbies


DOTA 2 has been regarded as a "sick mental game" by professional players like Johan "N0tail" Sundstein in the past. The 5 vs 5 MOBA title which has been around for over a decade is undoubtedly one of the most competitive and complex video games.

Be it the countless complex mechanics or an infinite number of possible hero-item combinations, DOTA 2 takes quite a lot of time for players to master.

Needless to say, having a clear mind is a basic requirement for performing well in DOTA 2. However, the community around this game isn't specifically known for its friendliness. I mean, a game that is supposed to bring out the best and worst in a person can often lead to an ugly scenario.

Nevertheless, even without these speculated scenarios, there can be instances where specific players can find themselves being unfriendly and rude towards other players. Even scenarios of 4 players exhibiting toxic behaviour to the fifth person on their team happen more often than one might expect.

Having said that, female gamers are often subjected to the worst that this community has to offer in the form of baseless and unnecessary insults for their gender.

Prejudice Against Female Gamers in DOTA 2

Despite various campaigns and measures being implemented to make new players feel more welcome in the community, female gamers have always faced a rather negative experience in public lobbies. Sometimes, situations can get so ugly that someone trying to defend the victim ends up on the receiving end of insults.

Given that DOTA 2 is a fairly difficult game to get started with, it only seems sensible that the pre-existing community is not only welcoming but also understanding. Considering the complex mechanics of the game, it can take years to master DOTA 2. Additionally, making mistakes is also a part of the game that everyone makes irrespective of gender.

Even professional players have been known for making terrible mistakes on the biggest stage that DOTA 2 has to offer. Be it kYxY's Aegis Deny or Sumail tossing his own carry into 5 enemy heroes, mistakes are a part of the game which only helps the player to learn.

With that in mind, it is extremely important for all of us to speak up when we witness such acts occurring in our games. The offenders might end up insulting the defendant, but until and unless the entire community steps up for it, situations like these will keep repeating in the future.

Situations like these can only be avoided when the entire community speaks up against the mentality of "girls can't play games, they suck at it." Given that DOTA 2 is one of the oldest MOBA titles, it is about time for the community to evolve itself as a whole and start treating everyone in it as an equal at the very least.

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