10 games similar to Dota 2, a Strategy, MOBA game, drawn from IGDB's similarity data. Each pick below notes the genres it shares with Dota 2.
01Both Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are team-based competitive shooters built around esports infrastructure and supported by Valve's ecosystem. Each game emphasizes objective-focused multiplayer matches where coordination between five players determines victory. Both offer cosmetic progression through loot boxes and in-app purchases while keeping core gameplay free-to-play, letting you compete at the highest level without spending money.
Games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive →
02Both Dota 2 and Counter-Strike center on competitive team-based multiplayer where players earn resources through combat to purchase upgrades between rounds. Each game emphasizes objective-focused gameplay, explosive action, and death consequences that shape strategy. Both have become esports staples with professional scenes, and both distribute digitally through Valve platforms, making them accessible entry points into competitive gaming.
Games like Counter-Strike →
03Both games pit you against supernatural forces in fantasy settings steeped in good versus evil conflict. Shadow of Mordor shares Dota 2's emphasis on combat rhythm through its counter-based melee system, rewarding players who master timing and positioning. The Nemesis system creates persistent antagonists with memory and tactics, echoing how Dota 2's heroes develop through matches with distinct abilities and evolving strategies.
Games like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor →
04Both games emphasize action-driven fantasy combat where player skill matters in encounters against varied enemies. The Witcher 3 shares Dota 2's bloody tone and focus on character progression through leveling and item acquisition, though it unfolds across a single narrative campaign rather than discrete matches. Each game rewards mastering combat mechanics and tactical decision-making within its fantasy setting.
Games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt →
05Shares StrategyBoth games center on commanding a squad of fantasy characters through tactical combat on isometric maps. Aarklash: Legacy strips away Dota 2's multiplayer focus to deliver single-player strategic battles where you level heroes, acquire items, and manage skill trees to overcome enemies. The core loop of character progression and tactical positioning remains intact, just paced for solo play rather than competitive matches.
06Both games emphasize combat skill and tactical decision-making within their respective formats. Dead Cells shares Dota 2's focus on action and fantasy warfare, requiring players to read enemy patterns and respond precisely. While Dead Cells strips away the team strategy layer in favor of single-player roguelike runs, it channels the same mechanical depth and moment-to-moment gameplay intensity that defines Dota 2's appeal.
Games like Dead Cells →
07Both games emphasize combat flexibility through supernatural abilities and weapons that let you approach encounters on your own terms. Dishonored's branching outcomes based on player choice echo Dota 2's moment-to-moment tactical decisions, where each engagement shapes the match's direction. The action-heavy gameplay and dark fantasy settings ground both experiences in visceral, consequence-driven combat rather than narrative linearity.
Games like Dishonored →
08Shares StrategyBoth Paladins and Dota 2 are free-to-play team-based fantasy action games where you pick from a diverse roster of characters, each with distinct abilities, and coordinate with teammates to win matches. Paladins trades Dota 2's isometric strategy for first-person shooting, but shares the same core loop of character selection, ability customization, and competitive multiplayer combat in a balanced, regularly updated hero roster.
09Shares MOBAStrategyVainglory strips Dota 2's formula to its essence: two teams of heroes clash in real-time combat, leveling up and acquiring items to destroy the enemy base. Both games center on character select, esports competition, and respawning mechanics that keep matches flowing. Vainglory condenses the experience into faster 3-vs-3 battles, preserving the core MOBA strategy while demanding quicker decision-making.
10Shares StrategyBoth games cycle through day and night, forcing players to adapt strategy as conditions shift. Terraria shares Dota 2's focus on progression through combat and item acquisition, where gear directly determines your power. Multiplayer cooperation anchors both experiences, and death carries weight in each match or session. The explosion and magic keywords underscore how both reward tactical decision-making in their respective action-fantasy settings.
Games like Terraria →
Frequently asked
10 games similar to Dota 2: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Counter-Strike, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Aarklash: Legacy, Dead Cells, Dishonored, Paladins.
Most of these games share Action, Fantasy, Strategy, Warfare and MOBA with Dota 2, based on IGDB's similarity data. Each pick has a short note explaining what it has in common with Dota 2.