All the changes to Dota 2’s immortal draft; is your MMR affected?

Dota 2’s immortal draft system is getting a big shakeup that will shake up ranked matchmaking for high-level players in a few different ways.

While Dota 2 is about what happens on the server, what happens off the server is also important. New strategies and builds don’t just materialize out of thin air. Players like Anathan “ana” Pham were tormenting opponents in ranked games with carry Io long before they were bringing the strategy to The International.

This has made high-level Dota 2 an awkward space, though. Players have taken different approaches to how they keep their innovative item strategies or hero choices secret when there’s a decent chance they’re testing them on future opponents. Valve tried to work around this with immortal draft, but a major overhaul to the system has been rolled out.

What is immortal draft in Dota 2?

Immortal draft is a separate matchmaking pool reserved for high-level Dota 2 players, specifically immortal-ranked players. The exact MMR threshold has varied over time, but it is primarily built around the top 1% of ranked Dota 2 players. Immortal draft is not used in any form of unranked play or limited-time game modes.

The system is designed to withhold access to replays and data related to ranked matches involving top players. The system is meant to eliminate the need for smurf accounts and alternate accounts.

For much of Dota 2’s history, pro players have been effectively forced to use multiple accounts. This has resulted in an awkward space in high-level ranked play where there are smurfs, unorthodox strategies, and punishment evasion built into the experience. Valve’s new approach to immortal draft should help this to some degree.

Games played at the immortal draft level are hidden from public view. This applies to both DotaTV viewers as well as the match history of individual players. Players still have the ability to browse their own results and download replays of their matches, but these will not be available publicly.

Immortal draft MMR thresholds changed

Players ranked above 8,500 MMR will need to take special steps in order to address their potential inclusion in immortal draft.

“Players who are above 8,500 MMR, the top 0.5% of players, are now required to register an official name to queue for ranked. This name cannot be changed and will be displayed during the pre-game player draft phase of Immortal Draft games. Approximately half of players at this rank already have an official name registered,” Valve said in its announcement of the changes on Dota 2’s Steam page.

Though they won’t have to take this extra step, players ranked at 6,500 MMR or higher can end up in immortal draft games. Should 6,500 MMR players be matched in a game with a player ranked 8,500 or higher, their matches are considered immortal draft games. As a result, their visibility will be restricted.

Immortal draft games also have a different MMR gain and loss system following this update. Valve did not specify what the changes are.