The Most Intense Dota 2 Matches in 2023 That We Witnessed

Dota 2 games can sometimes stretch past the hour mark when things heat up. Here are some of the most intense Dota 2 matches in the pro scene in 2023

Professional Dota 2 matches and your typical pub games aren’t the same thing. In Pro Dota games, the stakes are higher, and the pressure to perform is immense. At the big leagues, you either go big or go home.

The year 2023 was an amazing one for Dota 2, with many memorable professional tournaments. And let’s not forget Team Spirit becoming the first team to win 2 TI’s in a row after OG was also a moment we will not soon forget. 

Amidst all these exciting matches, some stand out far above the cut, where one team simply couldn’t take the throne and force out a GG call. 

With the new year drawing ever close, we think it’s a good time to look back at those intense games and relive those memories. So, let’s get started.

5 Most Intense Dota 2 Matches in 2023

Here are five of the most intense Dota 2 matches in the professional scene that we saw in the last 12 months:

1. Betboom Team vs. Tundra Esports – ESL One Kuala Lumpur powered by Intel 

• Lower Bracket Round 1 (BO3) 
• Game 1
• Duration: 57:41
• Match ID: 7488645978 

ESL One Kuala Lumpur was a pretty controversial event with Patch 7.35 dropping in the middle of the tournament. But for fans of the competitive scene, the games were certainly enjoyable. 

The event had plenty of intense matches where hero damage racked up and team fights dragged on. But the longest game of the tournament was the Lower Bracket Round 1 Best of 3 Game 1 between Betboom and Team and Tundra Esports.

Following their TI run with Topson Standing In for Saksa and Nine moving to Position 4, Tundra Esports had some trouble finding their stride. During the group stage of the tournament, their performance was pretty decent, and Bryle, as a mid-laner for them, was performing superbly.

As they moved to the Lower Brackets in the playoffs, Betboom became a major roadblock for them. However, despite not doing well in the laning phase, they managed to hold off the Betboom Team for 57 minutes and 41 seconds.

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Danil “gpk” Skutin’s performance on Storm Spirit and Jonathan Bryle “Bryle” De Guia on his solo mid Zeus were both phenomenal. In the end, Betboom triumphed. Worth a watch if you’re someone who loves competitive Dota 2 games.

2. Virtus Pro vs. Betboom Team – The International 2023

• Lower Bracket Round 3 (BO3)
• Game 2 
• Duration: 1:27:26
• Match ID: 7402800418

Comebacks aren’t exactly new in Dota 2 Pro games. A failed team fight can quickly turn the tides of the match and put the winning team on the back foot. And that’s exactly what we saw on TI12’s Lower Bracket Round 3 Game 2 between VP and Betboom. 

This is one of those games where the scoreboard doesn’t paint the whole picture. In fact, when GG was called, VP and Betboom both had the same team kill score of 36. However, if you’ve seen the match live, you will remember that the scoreboard doesn’t matter at all.

Virtus Pro was leading the game both in terms of Team Net Worth and Player XP. In fact, at minute 39, the score read 20 kills for VP, while Betboom only had 10 kills on the board.

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But Betboom managed to get two pickoffs on two different lanes, killing off four heroes instantly. This gave them some much-needed breathing space. However, the game wasn’t over yet, as VP wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

The game dragged on for 1 hour and 27 minutes, and even though Betboom had more than 20k gold lead at one point, they couldn’t finish off the game. This game showcases how strong Muerta and Tusk can be when they’re defending the high ground.

3. Quest Esports vs. Tundra Esports – The International 2023 

• Group Stage (BO3)
• Game 1
• Duration: 1:27:09
• Match ID: 7379995104 

We expected a lot more from PSG.Quest in TI12 than what they delivered. In the group stage, their performance wasn’t exactly what we saw during their Road to TI run. 

However, though they couldn’t make it to the playoffs, they certainly made their mark by giving us one of the most memorable series of the entire tournament vs. Tundra Esports. This Best of 3 series ended in a 2-0 defeat in favor of Tundra, but both of the games were far longer than an hour.

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If you don’t want to watch both games, we recommend just watching Game 1 at the very least. It’s a game of multiple comebacks and team fights, and it shows how unique two carries can be, with Naga Siren on one side and Sven on the other. Don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything for you.

4. Quest Esports vs. OG Road to TI 2023 Patch 7.34

• Western Europe Regional Qualifiers (BO3)
• Game 1
• Duration: 1:23:45
• Match ID: 7310705748

On the Road to TI 2023, game one between Quest and OG would go down in history as one of the most epic games of the whole qualifiers. On the one side, you have OG, who were already known as a dominating force in the game, and on the other, Quest, who were looking to prove themselves in the big ground.

The game lasted for 1 hour and 23 minutes, with Quest throwing away more than 20k gold lead at one point. When the game ended, OG, despite losing, was at a 9k gold advantage. 

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Aybek “TA2000” Tokayev was the true star of the show with his signature hero, Naga Siren. Even when they fell to a disadvantage, he barely managed to secure the win for his team. This game is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, so miss it at your own peril.

5. Gaimin Gladiators vs. Quest Esports – The Bali Major

• Group Stage Best of 2
• Game 1 
• Duration: 2:16:39
• Match ID: 7220606698

Mega Creeps secured? Absolutely. Tier 5 Neutrals in the bag? Without a doubt. Multiple Divine Rapiers in play? You be! This is exactly what went down in the Group Stage Game 1 between Quest and Gaimin Gladiators in The Bali Major.

At one point in the game, Quest had a net worth lead of 96k over Gaimin Gladiators! Yep – you read that right!

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When the game ended, Chen, Silencer, and Medusa had one rapier, and Snapfire had 3. Quest ended up winning the game, but frankly, both teams won our hearts. 

It’s a must-watch game for anyone who enjoys intense competitive Dota games. 

The Bottom Line

Dota can be a pretty stressful game, and when the match drags on, things get even more nerve-racking. In the competitive scene, typical matches last around 30 to 40 minutes. 

So when a game goes longer than an hour, we get to see different strategies and play styles, and that is always pretty fun.

We hope you’re looking forward to more intense Dota 2 games for 2024 just as much as we are. Cheers!