Dota 2 Smurf Account: what is it and why are players banned for It
In Dota 2, a smurf is the name given to an established player’s second gaming account which they use to safely practise and play with different heroes. On Dota Buff, for example, one may find a pro-player’s main account where he participates in official matches and his favorite heroes can be seen. Creating anonymous smurfs enables experts to practice new characters while remaining hidden.
Why is smurfing prohibited?
The problem comes from the fact that repeated accounts are seen by Steam as being against user agreement. Some players sell their smurfs with ratings of 9,10 or even 11 thousand MMRs after boosting them up and such sales have negative effect on reputation and gaming experience of all participants. These actions could harm overall game quality.
For example, let us take into account a situation where someone bought an account for €5000. On the first set they lost over ten games. While on their major one they were rated as ‘Recruit 5’, in those smurf games there were Ceb, Dendi, Saksa or even Eurus among other well-known players. Such actions can be disappointing for other players and may negatively affect their game time.
How Valve identifies smurf accounts:
It is important to note that this detection algorithm is not perfect. The gaming community also seems to think that the penalty system is automated. The software keeps login IP addresses meaning that multiple accounts from the same IP can be picked out by it. However bans don’t happen instantly but after some games (usually about 15-20). As a result of this threat people are worried that even primary accounts might get punishment along with additional ones from Valve especially among many esports players.
No smurf account, but received a ban:
The tracking system is not flawless. On Reddit, many users have complained that their accounts were banned even though they simply played on a friend's account or used a different IP address, causing the system to flag them as potential smurfs. In such cases, the best course of action is to contact Steam Support. Engaging with a live operator can help users restore their account access and clear their name.
How to address the issue:
Resolving this problem should be the responsibility of the developers, Valve. There are two primary approaches that could be considered:
Legalization of secondary accounts: Introduce features in Dota 2 that allow players to link their secondary accounts to their main accounts. This would enable players to switch between accounts quickly and prevent the secondary account from being unlinked. Such a solution could regulate the issue of account selling and make smurfing more transparent.
Stricter enforcement: Valve could enhance its monitoring of smurf accounts and impose penalties on their owners. Additionally, more severe sanctions could be applied to the primary accounts of players creating smurf accounts. In cases of repeat offenses, these players could face longer bans.
