Games like Dota 2
If Dota 2 is your kind of game, the closest matches are Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike and Battlerite — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its endless custom game modes, tactical positioning matters and stressful. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Get personalized picks →Dota 2 is a free-to-play competitive MOBA developed by Valve, released in 2013. Players select from over a hundred heroes and compete in 5v5 team-based matches that require substantial coordination and strategic positioning. The game features a brutal difficulty curve and massive scope, with matches that can extend for extended periods. Players describe the competitive environment as stressful and tense, with outcomes often hinging on precise decision-making and team coordination. Beyond the core competitive mode, the custom game mode system offers additional variety. Dota 2 holds a 90 score on Metacritic and maintains an 88% positive rating from over 827,000 Steam reviews, and it is playable on Steam Deck.
About Dota 2: Every day, millions of players worldwide enter battle as one of over a hundred Dota heroes. And no matter if it's their 10th hour of play or 1,000th, there's always something new to discover. With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has taken on a life of its own.
Players who liked Dota 2 also play
Steam players who put hours into Dota 2 also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.
Counter-Strike 2
WHY THIS
Shares competitive multiplayer, team coordination and a stressful mood with Dota 2.
Top pick for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Free To Play with Dota 2.
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
Counter-Strike
WHY THIS
Second-strongest match for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Play the world's number 1 online action game. Engage in an incredibly realistic brand of terrorist warfare in this wildly popular team-based game. Ally with teammates to complete strategic missions. Take out enemy sites. Rescue hostages. Your role affects your team's success. Your team's success affects your role.
Battlerite
WHY THIS
Third-strongest match for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Free To Play with Dota 2.
BATTLERITE is an action-packed team arena brawler. Experience the unique combination of top-down shooter meets fast-paced fighting game and challenge friends and foes in a battle of reaction. The Arena awaits!
Prime World Legends
WHY THIS
Ranked #4 for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Prime World Legends is a free online game in RPG / MOBA genre with a unique universe where tactical session battles, castle management, and hero development are mixed together. Gather your collection of talents, build an army of invincible heroes and become the champion!
Counter-Strike: Source
WHY THIS
Ranked #5 for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Counter-Strike: Source blends Counter-Strike's award-winning teamplay action with the advanced technology of Source™ technology.
Iron League
WHY THIS
Ranked #6 for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Behold the clash of heroes! Iron League is a MOBA teamfight of the warriors named "Ironsides". The League does not care what their motives are, as long as they give a good fight. How about you? Do you wanna be the strongest Ironside? Then, take a bold step into the Iron League!
SMITE®
WHY THIS
Ranked #7 for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Join 40+ million players in SMITE, the Battleground of the Gods! Wield Thor’s hammer, turn your foes to stone as Medusa, or flex your divine power as one of 100+ other mythological icons. Become a God and play FREE today!
March of Giants
WHY THIS
Ranked #8 for Dota 2 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Free-to-play 4v4 War MOBA where you play as a Giant, lead an army of soldiers and deploy tactical structures known as "Battleworks" on a ravaged urban battlefield. Request access below for a chance to join future playtests
Reviewers mention these as similar to Dota 2
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
World of Tanks
WHY THIS
Shares a tense mood with Dota 2.
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Free To Play with Dota 2.
World of Tanks is a tactical action game with very different gameplay depending on the vehicle type and role. Aside from regular PvP, there are competitive and clan-based modes, special PvE and PvPvE events, and much more. Whether you play to dominate or just enjoy the ride, you'll fit right in.
Dirty Bomb®
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Free To Play with Dota 2.
Work together or die alone! Fight to restore peace to London or tear it down for profit in the most challenging team based shooter around.
Strife®
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Strife® is a truly free to play, competitive, MOBA that features non-stop action and engaging combat. Take control of powerful and versatile heroes, each capable of dominating in unique ways, and exert your will in an epic battle between two teams.
Heroes of the Three Kingdoms 2
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
《三国群英传Ⅱ》是由奥汀科技运营研发的一款即时战略游戏。于1999年发行，为《三国群英传》系列游戏作品的第二部。游戏开创性地在此类游戏中引入了即时战略的时间概念、独特的内政和作战模式、动听的CD音轨以及华丽的背景地图。
Predecessor
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Strategy with Dota 2.
Inspired by the legacy of Paragon, built with love by the community, and powered by Unreal Engine 5, Predecessor is the ultimate fusion of shooter action and MOBA strategy. Join more than 2,000,000 players and play for FREE now!
Guild Wars 2®
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Free To Play with Dota 2.
Guild Wars 2 is an award-winning online roleplaying game with fast-paced action combat, deep character customization, and no subscription fee required. Choose from an arsenal of professions and weapons, explore a vast open world, compete in PVP modes and more. Join over 16 million players now!
Rocket League®
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Rocket League includes casual and competitive Online Matches, a fully-featured offline Season Mode, special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely, hockey and...
Albion Online
WHY THIS
Shares a tense mood with Dota 2.
Reviewers of Dota 2 cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Free To Play with Dota 2.
Albion Online is a fantasy sandbox MMORPG featuring a player-driven economy, classless combat system, and intense PvP battles. Explore a vast open world full of danger and opportunity. Grow your wealth, forge alliances, and leave your mark on the world of Albion.
Head-to-head comparisons
More from Valve
Other recommendable Steam games by Valve, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Counter-Strike 2
WHY THIS
Shares competitive multiplayer, team coordination and a stressful mood with Dota 2.
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action and Free To Play with Dota 2.
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
Left 4 Dead 2
WHY THIS
Shares a tense mood with Dota 2.
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Set in the zombie apocalypse, Left 4 Dead 2 is a co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns.
Half-Life 2
WHY THIS
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Reawakened from stasis in the occupied metropolis of City 17, Gordon Freeman is joined by Alyx Vance as he leads a desperate human resistance. Experience the landmark first-person shooter packed with immersive world-building, boundary-pushing physics, and exhilarating combat.
Portal
WHY THIS
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Portal™ is a new single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games on the horizon and will offer gamers hours of unique gameplay.
Counter-Strike
WHY THIS
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Play the world's number 1 online action game. Engage in an incredibly realistic brand of terrorist warfare in this wildly popular team-based game. Ally with teammates to complete strategic missions. Take out enemy sites. Rescue hostages. Your role affects your team's success. Your team's success affects your role.
Counter-Strike: Source
WHY THIS
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Counter-Strike: Source blends Counter-Strike's award-winning teamplay action with the advanced technology of Source™ technology.
Half-Life
WHY THIS
Another title from Valve, the studio behind Dota 2. Shares Action with Dota 2.
Named Game of the Year by over 50 publications, Valve's debut title blends action and adventure with award-winning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players must think to survive. Also includes an exciting multiplayer mode that allows you to play against friends and enemies around the world.
Frequently asked about Dota 2
- Does Dota 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Dota 2 is rated Playable on Steam Deck — it runs, but expect some manual adjustments (control remapping, text size, or graphics settings) for the best experience.
- Is Dota 2 free to play?
- Yes — Dota 2 is a free-to-play title on Steam. You can install and play it without buying anything, though some games include optional in-app purchases.
- Does Dota 2 have multiplayer or co-op?
- Yes — Dota 2 supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player, Co-op).
- What games are most similar to Dota 2?
- Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Dota 2 are Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike, Battlerite.
- Who developed Dota 2?
- Dota 2 was developed by Valve.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on Dota 2.
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