Why Did Valve Drop Patch 7.35 Right Before Kuala Lumpur Playoffs?

We’ve all been eagerly awaiting the post TI patch since October and daddy Gaben has finally provided..in the middle of a Major. Patch 7.35 is a pretty big patch, there are some huge changes to items, new neutrals and that’s not to mention the Frostivus update.

But not for the first time, the new patch has dropped at a key moment in pro Dota. Not only that, but patch 7.35 dropped about 4 hours before the first playoff game between Team Secret and Team Liquid. This breaks the record of when patch 7.33b dropped 5 hours before the group stage of ESL One Berlin back in April.

How Will Teams Respond to Patch 7.35?

The saving grace for the teams competing at ESL One Kuala Lumpur is that they did have some notice that a patch would drop. Early on December 14th, Valve released a poem “The Dark Night Before Frostivus”. It heavily hinted that a big patch was on the horizon, meaning coaches, analysts and strategists would have been poised and ready for the drop.

At this point in the tournament, the meta has been very clearly defined. Primal Beast and Grimstroke picks have dominated, with high contention and win rates between them. Now, however, things are going to have to change. Every game is going to produce new interactions. The teams that can react and adapt the quickest will likely take the win.

Today is a of elimination games. Already, Team Secret have fallen to Team Liquid after mounting something of a pro Dota comeback this tournament.

Puppey spoke to ESL before the patch dropped and although he wanted to get it over with, it seems history repeated itself in today’s games.

“I have lost tournaments because they pulled patches in the middle of the tournament” – Puppey

Why now?

The Frostivus update was initially announced back in November but faced delays. Now, with the size of the patch, it’s easy to see why. The implication here is that Valve didn’t actually intend to patch Dota at this point. But why not wait a couple more days?

A mid-Major patch certainly ups the spice factor. Historically, teams and fans alike haven’t responded too badly to new patches. Perhaps this gave Valve confidence to force players to stay on their toes.

Dota has made no secret of the fact that it needs to attract new players. A thriving esports scene and exciting updates do play a part in that. Dota is unpredictable in nature and events like Frostivus can do a lot to encourage new and returning players to take up the game again. Beginning a new event right before the weekend (and the last weekend before Christmas) gives people more time to play.

Dropping Patches in the Middle of Majors Changes the Win Condition

The question has to be asked whether or not it’s fair to drop a patch in the middle of a tournament. Not every team still in the running has a coach to help them build new strategies very quickly. Team Falcons at the very least are going to struggle to adapt without the extra support.

Because so much has changed in the game, and with very little time to respond, the win condition has changed in the wake of patch 7.35. Now, instead of relying on the skills that come from playing consistently on the same patch, it comes down to flexibility. Mistakes will be made simply because players can’t possibly remember all of the changes. It going to depend on which team capitalizes on those mistakes.

Match timing also plays a role. Secret and Liquid were the first teams to play on this patch, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Other teams are able to watch and gather data on the game while these teams are reacting live.