Dota 2 artwork for the fancy Phantom Assassin Arcana

[Update]: Dota 2 is getting rid of its Battle Pass and instead focusing on more frequent updates.

As a part of an announcement that came seemingly out of nowhere, Valve has just given the entire Dota 2 playerbase the genuinely impressive The International 2022 Swag Bag. Behind this silly title hides the basic version of the Battle Pass, a one month subscription to the in-game Dota Plus assistant, as well as your choice of the currently available ~$30 Arcanas - super fancy cosmetic items that come with their own custom icons, voice lines and other nifty features.

Best of all, unlocking all of these freebies is incredibly simple! All you have to do is play (or have played) at least ten matches during this Battle Pass season and all of the items above will be yours to keep for good.

Before you pick your Arcana, it's well worth mentioning that not all of them have been created equal. For example, the Rubick Arcana gives you a unique special effect for literally every single spell you steal which is an absolutely ridiculous amount of 'value' for a single cosmetic item! Meanwhile the now-ancient Lina Arcana is basically on the same level as a random set you might find in the store. As such, make sure to check all of them out before you pull the trigger.

Besides the generous freebies, Valve has also announced that the second part of the Battle Pass (which is also included for free) will be launching on November 3rd. Part 2 will bring with it The Candyworks as a new Diretide-style event mode, the Conduit of the Blueheart' Crystal Maiden persona that is seemingly going to transform her into a wolf, as well as a bunch of other cosmetic goodies.

Once the Part 2 update goes live I'll make sure to let you know. Until then, you might want to check out The International 2022 finals that will be running from October 28-29 as the games are bound to be quite a spectacle!