How to Mute Players in Dota 2

Dota 2 is a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) in which different players must cooperate in a team in order to destroy the enemy team's ancient. As an online game, Dota 2 requires the cooperation of different players, who must not only play as a team during the battle, but must also observe the team composition in order to select the most strategic heroes in order to win each battle.

Due to the competitive and online natural of the MOBA genre, in this genre it is possible to see players who sometimes engage in disruptive behaviour, which could be troublesome for a player trying to focus in a certain fight or strategy during the battle. In some cases, there are players who engage in spamming certain sounds or alerts to team allies during the game, which can make the gameplay more difficult for the players who want to focus on their strategy.

Considering that Dota 2 is an action strategy video game, in which players must be able to pay attention to split-second teamfights and also focus on different strategies throughout the game, it is very important to be able to maintain a focused gameplay enviroment in which the player is able to focus only in the important aspects of the game, and not be disturbed by disruptive behavior. For this reason, in this article I presented a simple step-to-step guide on how to mute players of Dota 2 that present disruptive behavior.

Step by Step

1. During the match, click on the scoreboard.

The Video Game Literate name was included in this image as an watermark. The arrow is not related to the name of the blog, it only points to click in the dashboard of the game.

2. Then, find the player you want to mute in the game, and click on the red circle button.

The Video Game Literate name was included in this image as an watermark. The arrow is not related to the name of the blog, it only points to where the button is located in the game.

Will the Player Know That I Muted Them?

Players will not be notified that you muted them during the match. However, if the player tries to contact you through signals and other communication during the match, they may notice that you either muted them or that you are ignoring them. However, as far as I know, there are no in-game notifications during the battle that a teammate or other player muted you. However, if players are often muted during battles, they may notice their behaviour score lowering, even though they may not directly know exactly which players muted them.

Is There a Limit to How Many Players Can be Muted?

During a battle of Dota 2, you can mute up to all players in the match. However, I suggest only muting players who present disruptive behaviour, because Dota 2 is an online video game that expects cooperation between teammates during the battle. In order to cooperate, players must communicate. Regarding any type of in-game limits to muting players, as far as I know, players are able to mute as many players as necessary. However, is previously stated, it is better to only mute players when necessary. Muting players without necessity could jeopardize teamwork, team coordination and various strategies during battles.

When Is Muting a Player Necessary?

Considering that Dota 2 is a competitive multiplayer online battle arena, I suggest only muting in the cases in which players present disruptive behaviour. If players present behaviour that is disrupting the focus of the teammates and disrupting your focus on your strategy and on what is important during the battle, then it is reasonable to mute these players. However, it is not suggested to mute players if not necessary because teamwork is an important part of Dota 2 and of any MOBA video game.

While muting players is not something necessary in all cases and for all players, in some cases it is quite reasonable to mute players, when these players are presenting disruptive behaviour, because this behaviour could jeopardize team strategy, team coordination, or the overall gameplay and strategy of the player. In these cases, it is reasonable to mute these players in order to be able to focus more on the gameplay, on what is important on the battlefield, and on the strategy to win the match.

Is It Against the Purpose of the Game to Mute Players?

Only if you mute players without necessity. The purpose of a team in Dota 2 is to defeat the enemy team's ancient through teamwork, skill and strategy. In order to do this, all team members must work together and stay focused on what is happening on the battlefield, while also conducting different strategies throughout the match. If these activities are jeopardized by disruptive behaviour of certain players, then it is reasonable to mute these players in order to be able to keep a more adequate environment for the gameplay and for conducting the strategies of battle.

How to Avoid Having to Mute Players

To avoid having to mute players, there are multiple ways. Make sure to always work as a team with your teammates, aiming to work together and to cooperate whenever possible during the game. If you try to cooperate with teammates, there will be less chances that your teammates engage in disruptive behaviour, although it may sometimes happen nevertheless.

In Dota 2, you are queued and matched together with other players who have a similar behaviour score to yours. In other words, if you want the general behaviour score of your teammates to be higher, make sure to increase your own player behaviour score. In order to do this, make sure to cooperate as much as possible with your fellow teammates during battles, and to only use the in-game communication for important and meaningful communication and team coordination. Make sure to use the in-game communication sparingly, using it only when needed. There cases in which some players use the in-game communication with the good intention of team coordination and team communication, but in which these players use the communication too often, and are thus muted and reported by their teammates, lowering their own behaviour scores. To avoid this, make sure to use the in-game communication sparingly. While increasing your own behaviour score may seem like a long-term solution, it is an effective one.

Lastly, another reasonable way is to play the game together with people you know, such as friends and other people you have played Dota 2 before. Add these people to your in-game friends list and play together with these people when you want to queue for a new match.