Highly toxic lump of coal Dota 2: what is this

Alongside the release of Patch 7.35 and the start of Frostivus 2023, Valve sent gifts to every identified smurf account in Dota 2. Upon opening, players received a new item called the Highly toxic lump, which led to a permanent account ban.

What is Dota 2 Highly toxic lump?

Dota 2 Highly toxic lump – is a new item introduced in the global Patch 7.35 released by Valve. It's a humorous gesture from the developers dedicated to Frostivus 2023. Similar to Santa Claus bringing gifts to well-behaved children and coal to naughty ones, Valve decided to play a similar trick on cheaters and smurf account users.

Ban from the Dota 2 Toxic Lump

Developers used this method to ban tens of thousands of accounts. Not even fame spared many players, as bans extended to well-known streamers and even some esports professionals. Mason, for example, admitted to account boosting and became viral after his unboxing video.

Can you avoid the ban by not opening the gift from Valve?

There is no reliable information on this matter yet. It is possible that, for a while, players can avoid punishment by not opening the gift. However, Valve likely maintains a list of offenders, and they will eventually be banned, even if they haven't opened the Frostivus gift in Dota 2.

Recall that Frostivus has started in Dota 2, introducing a plethora of festive content and offering players the chance to earn several valuable thematic rewards.