Popular Leagues

Other Leagues

Skiter believes IceFrog would return for the upcoming patch

In 2023, IceFrog will return to working on Dota 2, although many fans might not even be aware that he ever left.
Frenkie Tran
By: Frenkie Tran

Oliver "skiter" Lepko of Tundra Esports spoke about the allegations that IceFrog might temporarily stop working on Dota 2 in either late 2020 or early 2021 during a recent interview. The revelation was made in an interview conducted during The International 2022, when Tundra earned almost $8.5 million and the opportunity to personally meet the illustrious developer.

Who is IceFrog, the founder of Dota 2?

A lot of esports games have front-facing directors and designers who give the development team behind the game a face. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has PlayerUnknown, Overwatch has Jeff Kaplan, and Valorant has Anna Donlon. Although IceFrog appears in Dota 2, he doesn't exactly match the mould.


Who is IceFrog, the founder of Dota 2?

IceFrog is significantly more elusive than Kaplan and Donlon, who frequently appear in front of the camera to talk about the condition of their game and the justifications for meta-shifting updates. IceFrog only makes an appearance a few times a year, and occasionally even fewer, as opposed to engaging in frequent conversations with Dota 2 players. When he does show up, he will merely say a few words, maybe wishing his fans a good Christmas or directing them to the most recent patch notes.

But the paucity of IceFrog doesn't stop there. Little is known about them, including who they are and their origins. What led to his appointment as Dota 2's manager? And just what do we know about IceFrog?

IceFrog’s name is Abdul Ismail

Defense of the Ancients, the WarCraft 3 mod that laid the groundwork for the MOBA subgenre, wasn't really created by IceFrog, despite popular belief to the contrary. Kyle "Eul" Sommer first invented DotA in 2003. Eul's Scepter, an item in Dota 2, is named in his honor. After WarCraft 3: The Frozen Throne, an expansion pack that added a lot of new tools and troops to the WarCraft 3 map editor, was released, he stopped playing the game.


IceFrog’s name is Abdul Ismail

Steve "Guinsoo" Feak replaced Eul in 2004 and contributed a tonne of new features, but he left the industry soon after. IceFrog seized control in 2005 and ran it until 2009, when Valve asked him to assist develop Dota 2. Guinsoo and Eul's names are well known, while IceFrog's wasn't for a very long time.

When an anonymous weblog post saying IceFrog's name was Abdul Ismail and that he was generally awful to work with was published in 2010, hints concerning his true identity began to surface. Additionally, it claimed that IceFrog had deceived Valve and had previously collaborated with the creators of Heroes of Newerth and League of Legends, Riot Games and S2 Games. The Dota 2 documentary Free to Play's credits and secret software files both feature the name Abdul Ismail on many occasions, thanks to Valve.

Skiter interview

Yadda Peter "c1RcA" Trávnik conducted the interview, which he then uploaded on his YouTube account in December 2022. Midway through the 75-minute conversation, Skiter disclosed that IceFrog had personally asked Tundra Esports to a meeting. Skiter told c1RcA that there were claims the unknown developer hadn't been working on the game for years after speculating on how much he gets paid by Valve.

“However, there were speculations that he hadn't been spending as much time on Dota during the previous two years. The economy and geography didn't undergo any significant alterations as a result. I believe that's why it's like way because people complained about the situation of Dota," he remarked.

He didn't say where he got them, but it's conceivable that Valve or other insiders from the corporation informed him of The International 2022 champion carry personally.

If accurate, that would imply that IceFrog was not involved in the creation of some of the more contentious technical modifications during the previous few years. It's possible that he had nothing to do with the installation of flagbearer creeps or the infamous Wraith Pact. Too many to mention the balancing changes and Shard redesigns that were solely carried out by Valve's own staff. All improvements throughout the same hazy time period are credited to the same group as well.

According to the TI champion, IceFrog may have stopped development for two years

Skiter said that he will be returning to Dota 2 development for the upcoming significant patch in addition to announcing IceFrog's potential departure from the game's development. Since IceFrog departed the development team, the map and economic structure of Dota 2 haven't altered much, according to Skiter, but his return might bring about big improvements in both areas. From 2018 to 2020, IceFrog favored scaling experience and gold such that they were both more abundant later on in the game as opposed to in the beginning. Flagbearers are an exception to that rule, hence their influence could be restrained for the post-TI11 patch.


IceFrog may have stopped development for two years

It's considerably more difficult to foresee what adjustments, if any, IceFrog will make to the map. It's possible that the mismatch between the radiant and dreadful jungles was designed to counterbalance the former's consistently greater victory rate. Professional players have also expressed their opinions on the location of Roshan's pit, thus the monster may be kicked out once more.

What role did IceFrog play in the creation of Dota 2?

The primary creator of Dota 2's mechanical and balancing adjustments is, or was, IceFrog. Before the team disbanded to focus on other projects, he was a part of the Warcraft III Dota development team. IceFrog was apparently asked to visit Valve's headquarters when the company initially started wooing the team for a sequel, and he was later hired to oversee development. He places a strong importance on privacy, which contributes to his special aura among esports developers. Even his true name, Abdul Ismail, which is rumored, has not been properly established.


What role did IceFrog play in the creation of Dota 2?

Although many Dota 2 players are eager to blame him for any powerful heroes or disliked mechanics, it is impossible to determine IceFrog's true impact on the evolution of the game. It's important to remember that Aghanim's Shards may have been added just before his hiatus, though. He could need to provide his okay for bigger alterations like map tweaks or new mechanisms. If so, it would clarify the comparatively few adjustments made over the previous two years.

Click star to rate
5 (2 rating)
Frenkie Tran
Written by: Frenkie Tran
My football predictions cover a variety of competitions and tournaments. In addition to English and European football, football predictions also include tips on games taking place in the USA, Australia, Africa, South America and beyond, from famous leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga to popular national leagues such as Croatian First League and Portugal Primeira.

Related Content

SpVgg Bayreuth vs Buchbach Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
SpVgg Bayreuth vs Buchbach Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
[Germany Regionalliga Bayern Prediction] Who will reign supreme in the SpVgg Bayreuth vs Buchbach showdown? Our prediction analysts provide betting tips and current odds for this highly anticipated match.
SGV Freiberg vs TSG Balingen Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
SGV Freiberg vs TSG Balingen Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
[Germany Regionalliga South West Prediction] Who will reign supreme in the SGV Freiberg vs TSG Balingen showdown? Our prediction analysts provide betting tips and current odds for this highly anticipated match.
Farul Constanta vs FCSB Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/31/2024
Farul Constanta vs FCSB Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/31/2024
[Romania Liga I Prediction] Who will reign supreme in the Farul Constanta vs FCSB showdown? Our prediction analysts provide betting tips and current odds for this highly anticipated match.
SK Prostejov vs MFK Chrudim Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
SK Prostejov vs MFK Chrudim Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
[Czech Republic 2. Liga Prediction] Who will reign supreme in the SK Prostejov vs MFK Chrudim showdown? Our prediction analysts provide betting tips and current odds for this highly anticipated match.
Aston Villa Women vs Leicester Women Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
Aston Villa Women vs Leicester Women Prediction, Odds & Betting Tips 03/30/2024
[England Super League Women Prediction] Who will reign supreme in the Aston Villa Women vs Leicester Women showdown? Our prediction analysts provide betting tips and current odds for this highly anticipated match.