Before we begin, let’s cut to the chase. Dota 2 and LoL are 2 of the biggest titans in the MOBA world and the rest of the competition is far, far away from competing with them. No two games in the history of gaming have ever clashed so stiffly as Dota 2 and LoL did.
Despite sharing the same foundation in the gaming realm i.e. the MOBA genre, both these games provide a starkly different experience. Nevertheless, both these games offer classic gameplay that is highly enriched with diverse elements and captivating visuals!
While you won’t normally hear people buying Dota 2 accounts due to its relatively niched base, it is LoL that takes a significant leap here with people rushing to get their hands on League accounts that come fully serviced with perks such as boosted levels and unlocked champions to name a few.
In this article, we provide you with a quick yet comprehensive overview on how these 2 MOBA giants stack up against each other. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Graphics and System Requirements
We start by focusing on the in-game visuals and overall system requirements for both of these MOBA giants. Afterall, there’s no point downloading either game if your PC doesn’t boasts enough specs to run these games.
Although Dota 2 and LoL were released more than a decade ago, the developers have continued to treat them with quality-of-life updates along the way which have significantly improved in-game visuals as well as gameplay animations. However, with that came increased minimum system requirements.
As of writing, LoL has a minimum system requirement of 3GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, and DirectX 9 GPU with at least 512MB of VRAM.
Dota 2, on the other hand, requires a Dual Core 2.8GHz CPU, 4GB RAM, 60GB storage, and a DirectX 9 GPU with at least 512MB of VRAM
As seen above, Dota 2 is a relatively more intensive game than LoL and takes almost four times more storage. Depending on your system specs, if one or both these games fulfill the criteria, know that you can always get yourself Dota 2 accounts as well as League accounts.
Gameplay, Maps, Roles, Characters, and More
Both Dota 2 and LoL are played from a top-down perspective on a map that is divided into 3 lanes: top, middle, and bottom. And that’s pretty much where the similarities between these MOBA giants end.
When we consider character roles, abilities, and skills, both Dota 2 and LoL take completely different routes. Although both MOBA games are praised for their strategic complexity and depth, requiring one to precisely execute in-game moves and character abilities to stay on the top of leaderboards, they have different map design philosophies that predominantly determine how a game will generally fold.
In other words, Dota 2 maps have an unstructured nature that allows for dramatic swings in any game match where a single decision can potentially lead to a triumphant comeback or a crushing defeat. LoL maps, on the other hand, have a more structured design with clearly defined roles and strategies, thus making it more accessible to newcomers.
Moreover, in line with their map design philosophies, LoL maps are generally shorter in length. They normally last 30 minutes each and are best suited for players looking for a fast-paced, concise gaming session. Dota 2, in comparison, has match rounds that easily extend 45+ minutes. As such, these are more suited to players wanting more drawn-out strategic battles.
Variety Within the Game
Presently, the in-game roster of LoL is significantly bigger than that of Dota 2. As of writing, there are currently 167 champions in LoL that are further classified into Controller, Fighter, Mage, Marksman, Slayer, Tank, and Specialist classes; each designed to play in specific positions on the map. As for Dota 2, there are currently 124 unique heroes, each with unique spells and categories, and fall into one of the 5 main roles: Carry, Midlaner, Offlaner, Soft Support, and Hard Support.
However, at the same time, it is worth noting here that when you run LoL for the first time, except for a handful, all other heroes all locked. To play them, you would need to unlock them first from the in-game currency. As you may have guessed, this requires a ton of grind. Fortunately, you can avoid it all by getting a League account from the Eldorado marketplace. Heroes in Dota 2 are all unlocked from the very beginning.
eSports Environment
Last but not least, both Dota and LoL also greatly differ in their eSports environment. Although both are highly popular, they target viewership of certain types. Where Dota 2 mainly attracts experienced, hardcore, and veteran players of the MOBA genre, LoL is more inclined toward casual, creative, and mainly teenage players. This is not to say that LoL lacks strategic depth but rather for the fact that LoL employs a lot of flashy in-game champion customization that appeals to young gamers.
So, what Dota 2 lacks in viewership when compared with LoL, it makes up for its tournament prize pools. For instance, The International 2021 tournament event for Dota 2 saw its biggest-ever prize pool of a whopping $40 million whereas the biggest prize pool for LoL was back in 2018 which amounted to $6.5 million.
