Launched in 2013, Dota 2 was initially conceived as a community-made mod for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, developed by gaming giants Blizzard Entertainment. More than a decade on, this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title continues to thrive.
In fact, Dota 2 remains one of the most popular Esport games right now. It pulls in huge audiences and has been the making of several Esports pros, including Johan Sundstein, Jesse Vainikka, and Anathan Pham.
Many of the biggest Dota 2 Esports events are live streamed on Twitch, which has become the most popular live streaming platform for competitive gaming. Simulcasts of Dota 2 Esports tournaments have also been broadcast on major TV networks like ESPN, demonstrating the growing popularity and commercial revenues in the world of professional Dota 2 gaming.
Today, there are a plethora of professional Dota 2 Esports teams around the world. Many of whom have accrued tens of millions of dollars in prize money from Dota 2 events. Below, we explore the five most notable Dota 2 teams in the Esports scene right now.
OG Esports
OG Esports are arguably the finest Dota 2 team in the history of Esports. Formed in Denmark, this organization has yielded over $36 million in prize money. It’s a mark of how successful they’ve been that team founder, Johan Sundstein, is one of the highest earners despite not having played competitively for a lengthy period. OG Esports won back-to-back at The International in 2018 and 2019.
Team Liquid
Established in 2000, Team Liquid is one of the longest standing Esports teams of all time. Liquid existed during the dawn of competitive video gaming, competing largely in Counter-Strike tournaments.
They built a successful Dota 2 team in 2016 and landed The International in 2017.
Gaimin Gladiators
The Canadian Esports organization, Gaimin Gladiators, were only formed in 2022 but have already made a huge impact on the Dota 2 Esports scene. During the 2023 DPC Season, the Gladiators managed to win all three of the Majors hosted by Valve. They also finished runners-up in The International during the same year.
Team Spirit
In 2021, Russian Esports organization, Team Spirit, became only the second Esports team from eastern Europe to win The International. They followed that up by winning The International again in 2023, defeating the Gaimin Gladiators comprehensively in the final to take a first prize worth over $1.5 million.
Team Secret
Team Secret was established by two former Esports players of Natus Vincere and Fnatic. Kuroky, N0tail and their pals formed a new team to take the space by storm.
They finished third in The International 2021 and inched a step closer to victory by finishing runners-up the following year.