Dota 2 won't work on your old computer, very soon

If you're a Dota 2 player who uses an older 32-bit system, you might want to prepare to upgrade your machine. In a massive update that covers details about The International 2021, Valve also revealed that it's planning to end Dota 2 support for older machines. That doesn't just stop at 32-bit systems, but also older versions of macOS and DirectX too.The news was packed alongside updates about The International ticket sales – along with confirmation that the main event will still be happening live and in-person in Romania – new details about The International Compendium, and some information about changes coming to the spectator HUD. It's a long post, and if you're a Dota fan looking forward to The International, it's well worth a full read-through.

At the end of that article, Valve said it's time to move Dota forward from a technology standpoint. "As Dota has grown and expanded over the years, so has the technology that powers it — both hardware and software," Valve wrote. "In order to keep the game and the Source 2 engine fresh, we're planning on removing support for some older systems and configurations."

While noting that nothing is changing today, Valve said that it will drop support for 32-bit machines and operating systems in the coming months, meaning you'll need a 64-bit system and OS to run the game. Also disappearing is support for macOS versions below 10.14, DirectX 9, OpenGL, and XAudio. Those on DirectX 9 will have to upgrade to DirectX 11, while those using OpenGL will transition to Vulkan, and those using XAudio will switch to SDL Audio.

Of course, an important thing to keep in mind is that this update means nothing for most players, with Valve pointing out that most machines already support these newer technologies. "Removing these older technologies will let us streamline our development efforts as well as use the newer features of these APIs to provide an even better Dota experience," Valve added.

Sadly, Valve didn't say precisely when support for these older machines and technologies would be going away, but we'll keep an ear to the ground for more, and we'll let you know when Valve announces new details.