Best Dota 2 streamers of 2024

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Dota 2 has been one of the leading games in competitive esports since its launch. With over a decade of history, the iconic MOBA has managed to stay relevant despite the evolving gaming landscape. While it hasn’t achieved any major viewership milestones recently and faces tough competition from League of Legends, Dota 2 continues to perform well all-around. Its loyal fan base and steady viewer numbers show that the game still holds strong. It might not be making headlines as often, but it remains a key part of the esports scene.

Dota 2 is widely considered one of the most challenging games ever created. Its steep learning curve, the need for quick decision-making, and reliance on creative strategies have even led some to compare it to chess; some argue it might be even harder. This complexity makes skilled players highly sought after, not just by pro teams but also by fans who watch streams to improve their own gameplay.

At the same time, Dota 2 is known for its “toxic” community, which may not be a good thing, but it has helped create a unique space for colorful personalities. Some streamers gain popularity not just through their skills but by being funny and entertaining. In a game this demanding, having a great sense of humor can be just as valuable as raw talent. The rankings we’re sharing today highlight streamers who have made a name for themselves through skill, personality, or a mix of both.

10 — Mason "mason" Venne

While Dota 2 remains hugely popular in Europe, it would be wrong to overlook North America, even though the game’s relevance in the region has clearly declined in recent years. This decline is one of the main reasons why only one streamer from North America has made it into our rankings: 33-year-old former pro player mason.

  Mason (left) placed third at The International with EG   

Mason’s professional career may not have included stints with many top-tier teams, but his name has always been recognizable in the scene. He gained particular attention in 2014 when he briefly played for the iconic Evil Geniuses roster and helped them secure a third-place finish at The International. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t claim the championship that year and would go on to win TI just a year later, without mason on the roster.

Mason is a great example of a streamer who combines humor, toxicity, and a very high skill level. Unlike some other personalities in the scene, he isn’t particularly interested in co-casting Dota 2 tournaments. Instead, he focuses on streaming his own games, where he continues to dominate the North American ladder. Mason’s dedication to streaming is another reason for his popularity: he streams frequently and consistently, even during holidays like Christmas.

As noted by our colleagues at AFK Gaming, mason is far from the friendliest streamer. His blunt and straightforward style might come across as harsh, unusual, or even cringe-worthy to some. However, it’s precisely this unfiltered approach that makes him so appealing to others.

9 — Vladislav "Stariy_Bog" Levenetz

One of the standout discoveries in Dota 2 streaming across Eastern Europe in 2024 is definitely Stariy_Bog. Hailing from Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Levenetz has been building a solid audience on Twitch for years, but it’s this year that his streams have more frequently drawn five-digit viewership numbers.

Stariy_Bog gained wider recognition thanks to Team Spirit, the two-time world champions, who frequently gave him shoutouts in their vlogs and even from the stage at major tournaments. Levenetz is known for his high-energy streams, and he often flexes his biceps whenever he lands an impressive play: this joke in particular was picked up by Spirit and quickly became a fan favorite in the community.

Stariy_Bog’s over-the-top confidence and comedic flair are balanced by his high skill level. He’s a skilled player on Tinker and Io, often picking the latter for the mid lane which is a very unorthodox play. Who knows, it could be him who inspired OG to unexpectedly pick Io as a carry hero during their triumphant TI9 run.

2024 was Stariy_Bog's most successful year in streaming, despite having been active for several years. Some of the clips from his streams went viral on Russian-speaking TikTok this year, earning Levenets a nomination for 'Meme of the Year' at the SLAY 2024 awards. Although he didn’t claim the award, he is the true winner for many.

8 — Maximilian "Qojqva" Brocker

Unlike the two streamers mentioned above, Qojqva is a different type of Dota 2 streamer. He’s a much more laid-back guy who prefers to focus on high-skill content rather than shouting or insults. That said, his streams are still packed with humor.

Qojqva is a former esports athlete who’s played for a dozen different teams, including well-known organizations like mousesports, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Alliance, and Team Liquid, before settling into his role as a streamer with TL. While his pro career wasn’t necessarily a breakout success, he did compete at TI and took home several tournament wins, including DOTA Summit and ESL One.

Qojqva is an all-time leader on the pro scene for games played with Lone Druid and Tinker, with other signature heroes including Nature's Prophet and Storm Spirit. In general, Brocker is known for his diverse hero pool and his readiness to play nearly any role, which draws in a lot of viewers.

From a viewership standpoint, Qojqva's numbers were slightly down compared to the previous year, but his core audience stuck with him. This year also saw Qojqva's most popular stream yet, with over 14,500 viewers watching his run in the TI Open Qualifier.

7 — Nico "KuyaNic" Nazario

Next in line is KuyaNic, the only Asian representative in our ranking. Widely regarded as the face of Dota esports in the Philippines, KuyaNic has been the go-to source for major Dota events for Filipino audiences for years.

  KuyaNic is arguably the biggest promoter of competitive Dota 2 in the Philippines   

As the founder of WomboXCombo, a group dedicated to Dota-related streaming, community building, and content creation, KuyaNic has played a pivotal role in bringing major Dota tournaments to the Filipino public. While he may be relatively unknown on the global stage, he is an immensely influential figure in his home country, making a huge impact on the Dota scene in the Philippines.

The content on KuyaNic's channel consists exclusively of Dota esports tournaments and tournament-related live content featuring talents, players, and managers. His most popular streams naturally came during The International, with over 40,000 Filipinos tuning in to watch the Grand Final of the event.

6 — Sergei "LenaGolovach"

LenaGolovach’s comeback is one of the most remarkable in recent years within the Russian-speaking Twitch community. Sergey has been streaming for a long time, but 2024 marked the year his viewership hit a career high.

Golovach has been on Twitch since the late 2010s, but his content didn’t always follow the platform’s Terms of Service, leading to regular bans, one of which lasted a staggering 18 months and could have been permanent. His most recent ban came in 2020, and many thought his Twitch career was over. But that wasn’t the case: the ban was eventually lifted, and Golovach found his perfect fit in Dota 2.

Golovach initially made a name for himself as a Hearthstone streamer, gaining a loyal following among Russian-speaking fans of the game. However, despite his popularity, Hearthstone’s smaller player base limited his growth. Seeking a larger audience, Sergey turned to Dota 2, where his humor, rather than gameplay, became the key factor in attracting viewers and setting him apart from other streamers.

Rage-filled rants, spontaneous funny shouts, and humorous analysis of plays make his streams both entertaining for viewers and engaging for fellow streamers. No wonder it was he who won SLAY 2024 in the “Rage of the year” category.

LenaGolovach’s average viewership has steadily grown year over year, and since the summer of 2024, he’s been regularly drawing over 10,000 viewers. His biggest stream occurred just recently during the special event Streamers Battle, where he peaked at nearly 25,000 viewers.

5 — Rostislav “Rostislav_999” Protasenya

Reddit’s “golden boy,” Rostislv_999 (or just Rostik), claims the fifth spot in our ranking. The Belarusian streamer, who once had the potential to become a professional hockey player, eventually traded the ice rink for the virtual battlegrounds of Dota 2.

Rostik’s rise in the Dota community began in the late 2010s when he caught the attention of pro player and streamer Bogdan "Iceberg" Vasilenko. After streams with Iceberg, Rostik’s skillful gameplay and easygoing personality drew in more fans. His big break came when he connected with the “ХАЗЯЕВА” squad, one of the most popular groups in the Russian-speaking Twitch scene. From there, his streaming career took off.

Known for his wild antics, intentionally high-pitched voice for comedic flair, and impressive gameplay, Rostik’s charm is undeniable. At one point, his signature luscious locks (later shaved off as part of a Mellstroy donation challenge) were as much a part of his persona as his random outbursts of humor. While his Russian fans adore him, Rostik is also known in the English-speaking community, but for a different cause: smurfing. It was something that’s gotten him into plenty of trouble.

In 2024, Reddit users repeatedly reported Rostik’s accounts for smurfing, leading Valve to crack down with rapid-fire bans. The situation escalated to the point where even his main account was suspended. But Rostik didn’t back down. He argued that mass reporting on his main account left him unable to play properly (a complaint shared by many professional players). Valve eventually reversed the ban, much to the joy of his tens of thousands of fans.

4 — Oleg "Stray" Bocharov

While Rostik is the favorite of Dota’s younger fans, Stray is the streamer of choice for older and more hardcore Dota enthusiasts. Like many on this list, Stray has a strong connection to esports, though he never made it onto a big team. During his university days, he competed in local tournaments against future Dota stars like Roman "RAMZES666" Kushnarev, Volodymyr "No[o]ne-" Minenko, and Pavel "9pasha" Khvastunov. And while he didn’t break into the pro scene, he found his niche in streaming.

In his early days, Stray made no money from streaming and instead earned a living by boosting accounts for other players. Fortunately, he avoided any smurfing bans, and as his channel grew, he no longer needed to boost accounts to make ends meet.

Stray’s content is straightforward: he plays Dota, listens to music, and talks to viewers through donations, where fans often prank him by trying to sneak in forbidden words for laughs. But this simplicity works: his skilled gameplay, clear in-game explanations, and humor keep viewers hooked. That’s the essence of Stray’s success.

Beyond his streams, Stray is a regular member of the “Старперхаб” (“Old Men’s Hub”) casting team, where he joins other notable names from the Russian-speaking Dota community. Alongside NS and others, he frequently co-casts top-tier Dota tournaments. This collaborative content draws a sizable audience and reinforces Stray’s status as a key figure in the Russian Dota scene.

3 — Yaroslav “NS” Kuznetsov

NS is undeniably the most iconic Dota 2 esports caster from Russia. Not only is he a seasoned figure, but he’s also a true pioneer, having been deeply involved in the scene for nearly 20 years, dating back to the original 'Defense of the Ancients' mod for Warcraft III.

During his competitive career, NS played for legendary teams like Moscow Five, RoX, and Darer, achieving his greatest success with various Virtus.pro rosters. His talent and impact were recognized internationally, with NS winning the “Best Supporter” award at the GosuAwards in both 2008 and 2010.

In the mid-2010s, NS retired from professional play and transitioned to casting and streaming. He initially worked with the prominent Russian studio RuHub, but eventually shifted to independent streaming. These days, NS balances casual gameplay streams with competitive Dota content, making him a reliable source for esports fans. He’s also the driving force behind the aforementioned “Старперхаб” (“Old Men’s Hub”), where he collaborates with other former pros to cast the biggest Dota 2 tournaments of the season.

While NS’s streaming peak is behind him (his 2024 viewership numbers are lower than a year or two ago), he remains an essential figure in the Russian-speaking Dota community. As long as Dota exists, NS will for sure continue to attract a loyal audience of esports enthusiasts.

2 — Janne "Gorgc" Stefanovski

What does it take to become the go-to streamer for English-speaking Dota 2 fans? Simple: you just need to be Gorgc. On a serious note, the 31-year-old Swede has carved out his place in the community by excelling in ways that few others can.

The name "Gorgc" comes from his World of Warcraft character, a female Tauren warrior nicknamed "gorg(eous) c(ow)”. He’s been part of the Dota 2 scene since 2015, competing at smaller events. While Gorgc never achieved significant success as a professional player, his close ties to the pro community, his in-depth knowledge of the game, and his easy-going engagement with fans laid the groundwork for his streaming career.

Streaming consistently is no small feat, and Gorgc stands out for his remarkable dedication. He’s not only been streaming for years, but he’s also maintained a regular schedule with minimal breaks. He rarely tilts, has never admitted to burnout, and typically takes just one day off per week, making his commitment to streaming tough to rival.

While Gorgc might not be the most charismatic or comedic personality, his positive interactions with viewers and his chat set him apart. He also earned widespread appreciation from the English-speaking Dota 2 community for his relentless streaming activity during the COVID lockdowns. With in-person events on hold and esports limited to online tournaments, Gorgc became one of the few reliable sources for fans to experience high-level Dota in English.

Though Gorgc’s peak as a streamer may have passed, his numbers remain impressively consistent. His audience size has barely changed over the past four years, a level of stability that’s rare in the streaming world. That consistency alone cements his place as one of Dota 2’s most reliable and enduring content creators.

1 — Aleksandr "Nix" Levin

The most popular Dota 2 streamer in the Russian-speaking community (and arguably worldwide) is Nix, a former professional player who transitioned into streaming at just the right time, primarily focusing on co-casting esports tournaments. It was this content that turned him into a true Twitch superstar in Russia.

Nix started his pro career in 2015, playing as a support and team captain for organizations like M19, Team Empire, and HellRaisers. While his teams performed well and secured several podium finishes, they never managed to win major titles. In 2021, Nix decided to step away from competitive play, but he didn’t leave Dota entirely. Instead, he transitioned to streaming: a move that proved both timely and incredibly effective.

Leveraging his extensive network within the Dota community and close relationships with numerous pro players, Nix ventured into co-streaming tournaments and quickly found massive success. While studio broadcasts are often characterized by their formality and concise commentary, Nix brought a more unfiltered and authentic style of analysis that resonated with audiences. Regular appearances by top-tier players on his streams only fueled further interest in his content.

Nix's first truly massive broadcasts came in the second half of 2022, and since then, he has become a prominent caster for most major tournaments, especially The International. TI has been the stage for his largest viewership spikes, with the pinnacle being the final day of TI-2024. During this broadcast, Nix drew over 322,000 concurrent viewers. Interestingly, the peak didn’t occur during the Grand Finals, but rather during the lower bracket final between Tundra Esports and Gaimin Gladiators, both featuring Russian players.

Despite the immense demand for his content, Nix doesn’t tailor his work solely to please the audience as he prefers to approach streaming on his own terms. After TI 2024, Nix admitted to feeling significantly burned out from Dota and expressed uncertainty about his future plans. Since then, he has streamed only a handful of times, and for short durations. 

Whether or not Nix returns to regular streaming, his impact on co-streaming and the Dota 2 community is undeniable. For many, his broadcasts redefined how tournaments are experienced in the Russian-speaking scene.