ABSTRACT
Social norms in esports are quite different than in traditional sports and the Dota 2 ecosystem is a colorful environment filled with people called “Dotaheads,” which was adapted from Grateful Dead fans, Deadheads, who show tremendous devotion to Dota 2. The Dota 2 season lasts 11 months and there are short periods of time, usually after major tournaments, during which teams take time off and get away from the game. Teams will come back together and “bootcamp” over several weeks, where they intensely prepare for and play in qualifying tournaments which, hopefully, culminate in major events and money-earning opportunities. Practice consists of scrimmaging other Dota 2 teams online anywhere between four to six games a day, with each game lasting approximately 40 minutes.
