The best memes in the history of Dota 2

Dota 2 is a multiplayer game played by millions of players all over the world. The game has seen many matches and events over time. However, Dota 2 is famous for memes as well. It has been within the gaming community as a whole and beyond that it is recognized. This piece will explore some of the most memorable and iconic gaming memes that are relevant even today.

Lakad Matataaag! Normalin, Normalin!

What does Lakad Matataaag mean?

If you come across this word combination, you might think that they are just random letters without meaning. Nonetheless, there’s hardly a Dota 2 player who hasn’t heard this phrase before. The actual phrase in Filipino goes like “Lakad Matataaag! Normalin, Normalin!” which means “Walk Sturdy! It’s normal, it’s normal.” These were the words pronounced by commentators during Fnatic vs Team Secret at ESL One Katowice 2018 match which was surely thrilling. This phrase became popular as a meme because of how it was said by commentators with comical voices.

How did the meme originate?

Its authors are Aldrin Paulo "Dunoo" Pangan and Marlon Marcelo. Commentators wished to be noticed differently from others; however, their excessiveness made them outstanding among all commentators. Surely they didn’t expect such wide-spread response but the line stuck on so much that Valve added it to Battle Pass chat wheel for obtaining level 1205 connected to The International 2018 year tournament. Such teams as OG, paiN Gaming or Virtus.Pro often used this phrase during their games. Consequently these two Filipino commentators became famous throughout the entire gaming community due to true emotions expressed.

Лост БКБшечка

What does this meme mean?

This is another example where commentator speechwriting skills have received attention not only from players’ memories but also from fan bases in EEU/CIS region. The meme is so popular at present time. In many cases it is used by players for creating a humorous atmosphere during an intense fight or after a turning point of the game. Players spam this meme whenever it reaches late game, where each clash may be vital for any side due to long hero respawn time at taverns especially if there are no buybacks available. The idea of that joke was in correct usage of Black King Bar item that once changed the course of what seemed like a lost match for Navi only because of “Lost, BKB!” and subsequent Black Hole from Enigma, which helped Navi grab victory at the last second. This well-known meme was born when V1lat commented on it.

How did the meme originate?

Navi played against Invictus Gaming, Chinese team during TI2. Navi was losing and most believed the outcome was clear; nevertheless, there were still those who believed in Navis. At that moment V1lat himself strongly supported his team throughout his commentary on this particular match. It is his comments and the manner he pronounced this phrase that provided a foundation for creation of “Лост БКБшечка” meme.

Here is what happened: The Chinese team felt the need to poke Navi from behind and they succeeded. When Naga Siren, the enemy reached her sleep point during which it seemed that all hope was lost, Black King Bar of NaVi’s Enigma summoned an instant Black Hole on all heroes. Five heroes from the Chinese team were sent back to the tavern as CIS fans rejoiced, V1lat included. This commentator’s cry of “Лост БКБшечка” became a popular meme.

322

What does 322 mean?

These numbers are famous for those who watch esports when one of the teams behaves unequivocally and openly throws matches. This is related with a case where RoX.KIS and zRage engaged in match-fixing. Every time a professional player does anything suspicious, these figures 322 accompany it; at unexpected comeback it turns out to be 644.

How did the 322 meme originate?

Popularity of this meme started picking up in 2013 when Rox had already become very popular and no longer cared much about match wins or losses. One of such players was Alexey "Solo" Berezin who used his girlfriend's account to place a bet against his own team. He staked $100 which equated to odds of 3.22. By that game start both spectators and organizers suspected that there could be fixed match involved here. It led to serious investigation which found out the whole story behind this wager.

Afterwards, following trial verdict: a player named Alexey ‘Solo’ Berezin has received life ban while RoX disbanded after KDL Season 2 finals in which they had good chances to win thereby receiving an official award amounting $1500 each member would receive if they won although during that day they made even more suspicious kills than any other match ever held before ending less than half an hour after its kickoff thus making the event organizers suspicious.

After one year, Solo was handed a 12 month ban. He returned to esports and joined Navi. Nobody would think of match fixing in eSports at that time, but an opportunity of quick gain has shown once again that even among e-athletes there are also swindlers.

Puppey Pause

What does "Puppey Pause" mean?

This meme is widely used in Dota 2 community and it refers to a pause made by a team during professional matches. It gets its name from Clement 'Puppey' Ivanov, the professional gamer who is famous for his tactical pauses especially at critical times of the game that infuriate and amaze his fans and fellow players.

How did this meme originate?

The ‘Puppey Pause’ meme originated from the professional Dota 2 scene where Puppey, a renowned player and captain of Team Secret, would often pause the game at pivotal moments. Although these pauses were officially due to technical issues, the community started to speculate that these were strategic pauses meant to disrupt the enemy team's momentum or to discuss strategies. This became a running joke in the community, leading to the creation of the 'Puppey Pause' meme.

Rat Dota

What does Rat Dota mean?

'Rat Dota' is a term used in the Dota 2 community to describe a playstyle where a team focuses on split pushing and avoiding team fights to sneakily destroy enemy buildings. This strategy is often associated with 'sneaky' or 'cowardly' gameplay due to its emphasis on avoidance over direct confrontation.

How did Rat Dota meme originate?

The term 'Rat Dota' was popularized during The International 2013 when Alliance, a Swedish team known for their exceptional split pushing strategies, won the championship. Their playstyle, characterized by avoiding direct team fights and focusing on taking down enemy structures, reminded the community of a rat's behavior - sneaky and elusive. Hence, the term 'Rat Dota' was born and has since been used to describe similar strategies in the game.

Arteezy Cliff Meme (Cliffteezy)

What does Cliffteezy mean?

The Arteezy Cliff meme, commonly referred to as 'Cliffteezy', is a humorous reference to a recurring incident involving the professional Dota 2 player Artour 'Arteezy' Babaev. The meme revolves around Arteezy's unfortunate habit of getting his character stuck on cliffs during important matches. It's often used in the Dota 2 community to symbolize an unfavorable or awkward situation.

How did this meme originate?

The 'Cliffteezy' meme originated from various Dota 2 professional games where Arteezy found his hero stuck on cliffs, an unfortunate position that often resulted in his character's death and considerable in-game losses for his team. The meme gained popularity due to the recurrence of this incident, ultimately turning into an anticipated and amusing moment for the community whenever Arteezy played.

EternaLEnVy Pizza Party

What does this meme mean?

The 'Pizza Party' meme is a phrase used within the Dota 2 community to denote a situation where a player is about to be kicked or replaced in a team. It has its roots in a real-life event involving professional player Jacky 'EternaLEnVy' Mao, and it's often used humorously or sarcastically in discussions about team changes.

How did this meme originate?

The meme originated in 2013 when EternaLEnVy was removed from the team No Tidehunter. According to EternaLEnVy's blog post, the team had invited him for a pizza party where they announced his removal. This surprising turn of events was quickly picked up by the community and turned into a meme, representing any situation where a player is unaware that they're about to be kicked from their team.

The Question Mark, “?”

What does this meme mean?

The question mark, "?", meme is a popular way for players to taunt or provoke their opponents in Dota 2. It's often used after a player makes a successful play or when their opponent makes a mistake. Despite its simple nature, the "?" meme has become one of the most recognizable and widely used memes in the Dota 2 community.

How did this meme originate?

The "?" meme originated during the Grand Finals of the Dota 2 Asian Championship in 2015. In a match between Evil Geniuses and Vici Gaming, the player ppd from Evil Geniuses typed a single "?" in the all-chat after his team successfully defended their base. The sheer audacity and timing of this single question mark quickly turned it into a meme, symbolizing a moment of dominance or a turning point in a game.

But the most memorable use of the “?” was the grand final of ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021, where Evil Geniuses and Invictus Gaming met. On the third map, when the score in Bo5 was 2-0 in favor of EG, player iG.Emo after a successful final fight wrote “?” to chat. Then the Chinese team won the Dota 2 Major.

1000-7

What does 1000-7 mean?

The phrase "1000-7" is a direct reference to the popular anime "Tokyo Ghoul." In the anime, subtracting 7 from 1000 in a sequence allowed the main character, who is a half-human, half-ghoul hybrid, to maintain consciousness and feel all the pain while being tortured by other ghouls. In Dota 2, this concept was interpreted through the hero Shadow Fiend, who pauses before unexpectedly casting his ultimate ability near an enemy. This mass behavior of players also influenced their gameplay style and communication. Players using Shadow Fiend were increasingly labeled as soulless and toxic. They extended the concept of being "dead inside" far beyond the anime world. The letters "ZXC" represent the keys responsible for Shadow Fiend's abilities in the original Dota, so these letters are used as a prefix to determine a true ghoul player, rather than an imitator.

How did the meme originate?

Many players, in order to determine who had superior skills, often engaged in one-on-one battles by picking Shadow Fiend. Professional esports players were no exception to this trend. In a one-on-one confrontation between Ilya "ALOHADANCE" Korobkin and Yegor "Epileptick1d" Grigorenko, the victory went to Yegor. It was a highly arrogant win. About 40 seconds into the game, Epileptick1d nearly eliminated ALOHADANCE, but before delivering the final blow, he paused and typed various unpleasant messages to Ilya in the chat, implying that he had lost and his character was about to die.

Many spectators of this match subsequently adopted this tendency. Now, those who behave similarly during a match are commonly referred to as "dead inside," as it is believed that only someone who is emotionally numb would treat their opponent with such disrespect.

VOLVO GIVE DIRETIDE

What does this meme mean?

Diretide is a game event that the developers of Dota 2, Valve, introduced in anticipation of Halloween in 2012. The event was so well-received by players that they eagerly awaited its return the following year. However, it didn't happen. The message "༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ VOLVO GIVE DIRETIDE" spread across all social media platforms.

How did the meme originate?

This is a request from Dota 2 players to bring back the Halloween event. In 2012, Valve released an event that players loved. They were disappointed when the event wasn't repeated in 2013. That's when players started actively posting the phrase "VOLVO GIVE DIRETIDE" because for many players, the company Volvo sounded similar to Valve, the developer of Dota 2. The comedic aspect of the situation is that the actual company Volvo, which had no connection to this, was inadvertently involved in the players' request to bring back the event, causing confusion for the Volvo company. 

However, over time, even Volvo themselves asked Valve to bring back Diretide. A petition on this matter was even submitted and reached the President of the United States. As a result, Valve had no choice but to reintroduce Diretide into the game. Once again, the gaming community showcased its power and persistence.

MID or FEED

What does this meme mean?

To "feed" enemies means to give them an easy advantage, thereby making the game more difficult for your own team. A player who intentionally feeds can directly engage with enemies and die under their towers, providing easy gold to the enemy. They can also disrupt their own team by essentially playing on the enemy's side. The phrase "MID or FEED" signifies that the player is willing to intentionally feed the enemies if they are not given the central position on the map, known as the "mid" lane.

How did the meme originate?

This meme has been present in the gaming community for a long time, and it's reassuring that nowadays there are hardly any players who behave in this manner. However, the memory of such players and the memorability of the situation, especially for those who have been playing for a long time, have not disappeared. People would actually enter the game and write "MID or FEED" in the chat during the role selection phase. If ignored, the player would typically pick Pudge and intentionally lose the game on other lanes. Additionally, they might even hook their teammates when they were trying to escape from enemies, pulling them back into danger.

But even if you yielded the mid position to them, it didn't guarantee your team's victory. Usually, such a person was not very skilled at playing mid. So why did they insist on it? It's simple: the mid position is the central lane where the player doesn't depend on their teammates and can acquire more gold and experience without sharing it with others. All they need to do is hold their ground against the opponent, after which they can roam to other lanes or continue dominating their own.

Thanks to the banning system, players with such behavior were punished, which served as a lesson for others. In modern public games, you rarely encounter such geniuses of thought.

Ka le

What does Ka le mean?

Ka le is another fairly old but widely known meme in Dota 2. Players started filling chat with this phrase after seeing it during matches of Chinese teams. Professional players often encountered delays during matches, which can be particularly frustrating when playing in tournaments. During such pauses, the phrase "ka le" or, more commonly, "kale" would appear in the general chat instead of simply typing "lag."

How did the meme originate?

The community revolving around the esports game Dota 2 is incredibly international. The game, which currently boasts millions of unique users every month, enjoys immense popularity not only in North America and Europe but also in Brazil, Russia, and China.

Chinese teams play a particularly important role in professional Dota 2 tournaments. The nation, which arguably showed the greatest interest in the game's predecessor, Dota 1, has professional Dota 2 teams that are among the best in the world. As a result, Western tournaments increasingly feature matches that can be considered "Chinese derbies," where both teams are comprised of Chinese players. This further fuels the interest of the Western audience and media in Chinese Dota 2 tournaments.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see Chinese phrases from Dota 2 adopted in the Western scene. "Ka le" is a romanized expression of the Chinese characters "卡了" (kǎ le). The first character, "卡" (kǎ), means lag or delay, while the second character, "了" (le), is a modifying character indicating past tense. Therefore, the translation of "ka le" would be "there was lag."

The Influence of Memes on Players

In conclusion, memes in Dota 2 are an integral part of players' culture. Numerous masterpieces have been created over time that bring smiles and positive vibes. They allow us not only to have fun but also to share our emotions with other players. The best Dota 2 memes have become true classics and will live on in the hearts of all fans of the game.