Is Dota 2 Down? How to Check Dota 2 Server Status

Things can never be perfect with online gaming, and downtimes are sometimes inevitable when scheduled maintenance is done for an online game. However, some unpredictable and unforeseen situations knock the servers out cold, making Dota 2 unavailable for players online. If you cannot access the Dota 2 coordinator and cannot play Dota 2, you may believe that the servers are down. Here is how to check if Dota 2 is down and what is the server status for matchmaking servers.

When Will Dota 2 Be Back Up? Where to Check Dota 2 Server Status

On September 27, 2023, thousands of Dota 2 players are experiencing outages.

The first places you need to check to see if Dota 2 is down are “steamstat.us” and “DownDetector.” Both are unofficial platforms, with these two key differences:

• Steamstat.us is an unofficial site not affiliated with Valve or Steam; they just use publicly available information, including API data.
• DownDetector is an unofficial, community-based site that gathers reports of users claiming they cannot access the service. So basically, on DownDetector, you will have the answer to the question, “Is it just me?”.

Various social media hubs, such as Dota 2 subreddit and Steam Community Discussions, could also be the source for user-submitted information about their inability to play Dota 2.

How to Troubleshoot Dota 2 Connection Issues

In case the Dota 2 servers are up and running but you still can’t connect and play, here are the troubleshooting steps that I would advise you to take:

1. Check for any updates for Dota 2 that your Steam client might have missed. Just restart the Steam Client, and it should pick it up.
2.  If this does not do the trick, try to verify game files on Steam. If there is a discrepancy between your installation files and the official version of Dota 2, Steam will automatically replace the “problematic” files.
3.  Power cycle (restart) your router. I advise keeping it unplugged from the power source for 30 seconds.
4.  Change your DNS. (More on that below)
5.  Turn off your VPN (if you’re using it)
6.  Turn off your Firewall (if you’re using it) – if this fixes the issue, make sure that Dota2.exe and Steam.exe are added as exceptions in your Firewall.
7.  Change your Internet connection (type) – if you are on Wi-Fi, try going to a cabled connection. If you have another internet connection source, such as a hotspot from a different internet provider, try that as well.
8. Contact your ISP for further aid if the issue happens only with one ISP.

How to Change DNS in Windows

Here is how you can change your DNS on Windows

1. Press the Windows Logo button on your keyboard.
2. Type “ncpa.cpl” and hit Enter.
3. Find your Internet connection, whether it’s Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
4. Click on Properties.
5. Find “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties under the list.
6. In the General card, change the “Obtain DNS Server address automatically” option to “Use the following DNS server addresses.”

I hope these troubleshooting steps helped you play Dota 2 again successfully. Also, it might be helpful to check whether Steam is down.