Dota 2's average concurrent player count in December 2025 reached a nine-year high, registering 594,200 players, according to Steam Charts. The game's peak concurrent users for the month climbed to 903,000, marking a significant spike in activity compared with recent years.
Such sustained average numbers have not been observed since 2016. The closest recent figure was 586,000 in March 2019, while October 2016 remains the last month with a higher average — about 639,000 concurrent players at that time.
On December 16, Valve released patch 7.40. The update included a new hero named Largo, balance changes for multiple heroes and items, and adjustments to the game's terrain. Shortly thereafter, the developer issued patch 7.40b to further tweak item and hero balances and stabilize certain champions.
The release of major updates and a new hero likely helped drive both returning and new players back to the game, contributing to the December surge. This resurgence highlights how significant patches and content additions can have an immediate and measurable impact on player engagement in long-running multiplayer titles.