Hidden files hint at a new Dota 2 Battle Pass for spring 2021

The International 2021 is not getting a battle pass, but that may not mean that Dota 2 players will be going without some form of battle pass this year.

A Dota 2 update dropped on Wednesday that added a predictions mini-game for the upcoming TI10 qualifiers. Packaged inside that update were hidden files that reference a Spring 2021 Battle Pass which were spotted by a Reddit user. This suggests that the previously teased June event in Dota 2 could be a seasonal battle pass similar to those seen in years past.

Though this is an intriguing development, though it's uncertain what exactly may come of this.

While there are indeed new files for a Spring 2021 Battle Pass, this doesn’t mean that a Dota 2 Spring 2021 Battle Pass is going to launch. Other battle passes in the past have had many more files compared with this one. This could mean that the rest of the battle pass will be packaged in the next update, or it could mean that Valve dabbled with the idea but ultimately didn’t decide to complete it.

Even if there is something akin to a battle pass set to come out later this month, that doesn’t mean it will be as grand as fans might hope. Dota 2 fans are all too familiar with seasonal events being made up of random consumables and high-fives rather than anything substantial.

Will there be a Dota 2 battle pass in 2021?

Hidden files in a new Dota 2 game update do suggest that a Dota 2 battle pass may be coming in the near future, but there are no guarantees in this regard. But there’s little question that a seasonal battle pass would be a financial success for Valve.

From 2015 to 2017, Dota 2 had rotating seasonal battle passes that were attached to the $3 million Valve-sponsored majors. These battle passes were relatively lean in their offerings by modern standards but had popular features such as daily and weekly challenges, tips, wagering, and more. These allowed players to level up their battle pass and obtain limited-edition skins, and a shortcut was offered to those willing to pay up.

This format was later standardized across other multiplayer games, with Fortnite, Apex Legends, Valorant, and more doing something similar as time went on. Valve phased these out in 2017 after the Winter 2017 Battle Pass with little explanation. This decision, coupled with the previous stoppages of event tickets and compendiums for third-party tournaments, is believed by some to have been related to the company’s attempts to focus players’ attention and money towards The International Battle Pass.

Though it would be very nice to see these return, Dota 2 fans shouldn’t start clearing off their calendars in July in anticipation of grinding daily hero challenges. Answers will likely come in the very near future, likely ahead of the June 23 start date for the TI10 qualifiers.