Dota 2 Workshop Mafia Threatens Artists

Dota 2 artists and content creators have reported pressure from a shadowy “workshop mafia” that threatens their submissions with vote and rating violence. Suspected workshop mafia Godfather Vladimir “Heaven” Revin has allegedly been using his vote goons to force innocent local artists into his vote protection racket in exchange for a share in profits.

“We are just helping small content creators promote their beautiful workshop creations,” said Revin. He added, “It would be such a shame if something were to happen to their submission ratings,” while menacingly stroking an evil looking cat.

Cosmetic items are incredibly important to Valve’s Dota 2 business model, as well as to fans and players who have oftentimes expressed frustration at the number and quality of sets being added to the store.

“I hated the Alpine Ursa set,” said bear fashion expert Henrik Ahnberg. “A cowboy hat is far too crazy for a fictional bear to wear on his head.”

Ahnberg stated he preferred the other Ursa cosmetic options, which include a regular brown hat with a large blue crystal, dreadlocks with pink feathers, an iron helmet, and the skull of another non-bear animal.

In response, Valve has set up an item sting operation in cooperation with artists, creating a perfect storm of workshop items to bait Godfather Revin into action:
 

 

 

 
 
As these items rose to prominence, Heaven’s organization approached Valve’s undercover agents, and they refused to pay the standard 20% mafia tax on profits, Revin threatened to use workshop voting violence to drop the submission’s rating “harder than Skrillaxe drops the beat.” Revin has since been exposed and arrested by Dota 2 police commissioner Wu.