The butcher reigns supreme.
Dota 2 offers 124 free-to-play heroes for all players and while many of them are equally popular, one hero truly shines above the rest. The striking hero, Pudge, has just reached more than one billion total picks across all Dota 2 matches.
Pudge is way ahead in terms of popularity when compared to its battlefield buddies. This hero is constantly popular for the last decade. It is the most picked hero in the last month, in the last three months, in the last six months, and so on.
Take a look at the top 10 heroes based on all-time matches played:
| Hero | Total picks | Win rate |
| Pudge | 1 billion | 51% |
| Phantom Assassin | 704 million | 50% |
| Sniper | 692 million | 50% |
| Invoker | 653 million | 48% |
| Juggernaut | 627 million | 51% |
| Lion | 529 million | 48% |
| Legion Commander | 520 million | 49% |
| Slark | 518 million | 50% |
| Windranger | 503 million | 48% |
| Axe | 503 million | 51% |
What makes Pudge so popular?
Pudge has a strong design and a unique concept that makes him stand out from the other heroes. Why pick the cliche robust warrior when you can mock the opponents with a rotten chunky butcher?
His Meat Hook is iconic and is one of the most unique and rewarding spells in the game. On top of that, Pudge was popularized by the veteran Dota 2 professional, Dendi. He showcased his glorious Pudge and satisfying hooks during his time with NAVI throughout the early 2010s.
We described in-depth regarding Pudge’s popularity in Dota 2 in the article below:
So with Pudge achieving the billion milestone in total picks, which hero will follow its footsteps? At its current rate, Phantom Assassin is the closest with 704 million total picks. But who knows, another hero may just rise in popularity and take over the #2 spot. In the last months, Lion is consistently the second most-picked hero in Dota 2 and he may climb faster than the others.
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