Dota Underlords

Dota Underlords is a game that had the potential to be a major player in the autobattler genre but unfortunately fell short of its initial promise due to some questionable development decisions.
When Dota Underlords launched in 2019, it was seen as Valve's answer to the then-emerging autobattler craze sparked by the original Dota Auto Chess mod. The game impressed early on with its clean UI, strategic depth, and reduced randomness compared to competitors like Teamfight Tactics. Valve also made some smart choices, like the implementation of a standardized item system that provided a more balanced experience across matches​.
However, as time went on, Dota Underlords struggled to maintain its momentum. While the early access period was filled with excitement and rapid updates, the game began to stagnate after its full release. The addition of new features like the City Crawl campaign and Battle Pass in Season One was appreciated, but it wasn’t enough to keep players engaged long-term. Valve's decision to slow down updates and shift focus away from the game left the community feeling abandoned.
Despite these issues, Dota Underlords still offers a solid experience for those who enjoy the autobattler genre, particularly for fans of the Dota universe. The game is well-designed and has plenty of content, but it’s clear that it never reached the heights it could have. Many fans hold out hope that Valve might revisit and revitalize Underlords in the future, addressing its shortcomings and bringing it back into the spotlight it deserves​.
In conclusion, Dota Underlords is a game with great ideas and solid execution that unfortunately lost its way. It’s still worth trying, especially since it's free-to-play, but don't be surprised if you find yourself wishing for what could have been.

No updates from 5 years. I can still find Ranked matches in few seconds 24 hours round the clock.
We are a breed of humans who really need to get a life..... and learn to move on!

The game is unsupported - no updates and doubtful they would come, I read an article that explained work culture at Valve and basically no one can force the developers to work on a particular project, and since original project head left the company I can't see that happening.

But that is just something to keep in mind, because it definitely does not have to prevent you from enjoing the game, which still has active player base, que times are not even that long. You still have a pretty long battle pass which you can complete with no time limit and there is a lot of missions to complete.

Gameplay is super fun but very meta-dependent. You just have to figure out which combinations work, but untill then - there is still enjoyment to be had. Since it's also avaialable on mobile - great game to commit to in short periods of free time - as you have quicker and a tad longer game mode.

And the Dota characters - if you love Dota - are super enjoyale - something that keeps me away from other Auto Chess titles - it's just not that cool not to have these folks around!

I enjoyed my brief time with it, but valve has a track record of quickly abandoning the games that don't generate them one gorillion dollars a month recently, and sadly, this game is one such victim of this approach, now completely abandoned.
Hopefully Deadlock will fare better.

Great game, but need an update asap, it's been the same for years. Don't let this game die and please update it!

With Riot games adding vanguard to league of legends which is basically a root kit. Now would be a perfect time to revive underlords and remove the underlord units that killed the game. Your move Valve!

Even though the game is not updated anymore, it's still fun and pretty balanced. Some units may feel OP, but then the next round other units feel OP and it all depends on the teams you're playing. Play it while the servers are still up.