If you’re like me, you’ll have had June 39 (yes, “June 39”) penned on your calendar after Valve locked it in as the date for Dota 2‘s Crownfall Act Three. Sure enough, the update’s here—but a fighting minigame, a new treasure, and an Overworld map aside, Ringmaster hopefuls will be disappointed.
Valve has released Crownfall Act Three, The Frosts of Icewrack, today on July 9, coinciding with Dota 2‘s 11th birthday. Much like the previous two acts, the update contains a new map and story for players to discover and a Collector’s Cache packed with cosmetics, including rare skins for Luna, Juggernaut, and Pudge. That’s not the talk of the fandom, however, as fans dive into a new minigame built into Dota’s newest act titled “Sleet Fighter,” which sees a Street Fighter-like 2D fighting game available in Crownfall.
The minigame is free and features five Dota heroes each with their own movesets. From controller support to fullscreen availability, Crownfall tokens, rewards to earn, and even the ability to play against friends, you’ll finally be able to live out your Dota fighting game dreams.
What today’s Crownfall update did not include, however, was Ringmaster, the next confirmed hero joining Dota 2‘s already massive roster. Many had hoped Valve was planning to release Ringmaster for Dota‘s birthday, but once again the community’s expectations were just a little too high and players have been left disappointed.
We’re now about 10 months on from Ringmaster’s first preview at The International 2023’s grand final, and well over a year since the release of the last hero, Muerta. Given Crownfall’s end date was today extended to the end of October, many believe Valve needs the extra time to finalize Ringmaster and get him into Dota.
Should Ringmaster actually arrive in October at the conclusion of Crownfall, it would mean this year’s TI would be the first in history that didn’t feature a new hero.
At the very least, Dota 2 players will have more time to finish their Overworld maps and earn a few goodies now that the Crownfall event has been extended.
