Dota 2 is renowned for its intense matches, where players typically fight relentlessly until the Ancient is destroyed. However, there have been several instances of exceptionally short games in the professional scene. These games stand out as anomalies, where one team’s overwhelming performance or strategic advantage led to an early call of "GG" (Good Game).
Categories of the Shortest Dota 2 Games:
When discussing the shortest Dota 2 games, it’s important to differentiate between typical matches and professional matches. Here, we’ll focus on the latter, where professional teams sometimes concede early, cutting the game short.
The Shortest Dota 2 Pro Match:
In the professional arena, the record for the shortest Dota 2 match is held by Complexity Gaming against eGX during the Beyond The Summit – Americas tournament in 2015. Overwhelmed by Spirit Breaker’s notorious 17% Bash, which led to nine kills within the first seven minutes, eGX conceded the game early.
At that time, Complexity Gaming, featuring players like David “MoonMeander” Tan on Spirit Breaker, was considered a strong team. However, the legitimacy of this match as the shortest pro game is debated because eGX was an amateur team that effectively "rage-quit" after suffering from Spirit Breaker’s relentless bashes.
An Alternative Contender:
A more deserving candidate for the title of the shortest pro match might be the game between Alliance and iNfernity in 2013. This match featured the TI-winning Alliance roster facing the top Czech team, iNfernity. As underdogs, Jonathan “Loda” Berg and his team employed a "death ball" strategy, heavily leveraging their split-pushing prowess.
Alliance’s draft, which included Pugna, Leshrac, and Henrik “AdmiralBulldog” Ahnberg’s Nature’s Prophet, allowed them to execute a relentless push. The game concluded when iNfernity, unable to withstand the rapid loss of their buildings, called GG at 7 minutes and 49 seconds. Alliance’s strategic brilliance and execution in this match earn them recognition for possibly the shortest pro match in Dota 2 history.
The Shortest Pro Match in The International History:
Within the prestigious International Championship (TI), the shortest match occurred during TI4 in 2014. The game between Team DK and Cloud9 ended in just 11 minutes and 18 seconds. Team DK’s victory was facilitated by their pushing strategy, featuring Lycan and multiple healers.
During that meta, Lycan’s auras significantly boosted damage for all allied heroes and creeps, allowing DK to push effectively. With no effective counter to DK’s high-ground assault, Cloud9 was forced to concede the game early.
Another notable mention is the match at TI7, where LFY compelled Virtus.pro to call GG in just 15 minutes and 37 seconds. LFY’s aggressive playstyle punished Virtus.pro’s greedy draft, which relied heavily on late-game carries like Anti-Mage. With VP’s heroes unable to farm effectively, they had no choice but to tap out early.