Quinn explained how matches in Dota 2 are actually won

Quinn “Quinn” Callahan, the former midlaner of Gaimin Gladiators, stated that successful farming and the amount of gold are what ultimately determine the winner of a match.

The esports player shared this on his YouTube channel.

“There is a common misconception that if you don’t join fights, you are useless and have no impact, basically AFK. But that’s not true at all. It’s important to remember that games are almost always won through a gold advantage. You won’t win by killing the enemy 100 times. You win when you are so much stronger that it doesn’t matter how well they outplay you — you will simply overwhelm them with gold”

Quinn noted that players who go off to farm should not be considered griefers, as they actually bring the team closer to victory. According to him, most pro matches and public games are won precisely through a gold advantage. However, he emphasized the importance of balancing farming and fighting.

“Gold simplifies the game. It allows you to do whatever you want, and everything in Dota is built around it — especially when it comes to joining fights. Some heroes need to farm, others need to fight. If everyone is doing only one thing or only the other, something is wrong. You don’t build an advantage if no one is farming. At the same time, you become vulnerable to pressure and attacks if everyone is farming. Not to mention that you miss important timings. You need a healthy balance of actions so that all heroes are properly involved in the game”

The midlaner added that most mechanics in Dota 2 are tied to proper economy management. According to him, players should not focus solely on farming, as participating in fights is also important, but without gold the team is unlikely to win, since it won’t be possible to buy the necessary items and execute a well-thought-out build.

It is worth recalling that Anton “Dyrachyo” Shkredov was named the best pro player of 2025, despite leaving the Dota 2 pro scene in March.