Valve Rushes Update After Bug Disrupts Azure Ray vs Thunder Awake TI12 Match

Following a game-breaking bug at The International 2023 (TI12) Day 1 featuring Earth Spirit + Centaur, Valve rushed out various bug fixes on 13th October. It said, "We've fixed a number of issues leading up and during the first day of Group Stage." With Azure Ray's gameplay getting affected by a bug that has seemingly been in the game for more than a year, Valve took swift measures to ensure that the rest of the tournament flowed well without any major hindrances.

Dota 2 has a storied history of encountering bugs that occasionally inject unpredictability into the competitive scene. These discoveries, ranging from game-breaking anomalies to comical mishaps, have become an inherent part of the Dota 2 ecosystem. From the infamous "fountain hook" incident during The International 2013 finals to this Earth Spirit and Centaur bug that happened at TI12, Dota 2 fans have experienced it all. 

While significant bugs typically receive swift patches before major tournaments, there's always the possibility that some, like this Earth Spirit and Centaur bug, slip through the cracks, leading to unanticipated moments on the grandest stages of them all. 

A Long-Standing Dota 2 Bug Takes Center Stage in Azure Ray vs Thunder Awake Match

Day one of The International 2023 (TI12) bore witness to a bug that hindered gameplay. In the match between Azure Ray and Thunder Awake, a rather unpleasant bug disrupted the flow of the game. 

In the 38th minute, during a fierce top lane skirmish, Lu "Somnus" Yao of Azure Ray playing Earth Spirit found himself in an unexpected predicament. Attempting to retreat from the clash using the "Rolling Boulder" ability, Somunus was midway through the casting animation when Yang "Chalice" Shenyi, playing Centaur Warruner, employed his "Hitch A Ride" Aghanim's Scepter upgrade skill on Earth Spirit. What unfolded thereafter could only be described as a whimsical moment etched into The International's annals. Somnus was stranded, completely immobilized, and unable to execute any actions, and even unable to use Town Portal Scroll.

Despite the Earth Spirit bug rendering Somnus practically useless during the match, tournament administrators acted swiftly to address the situation. They opted to restart the game, reinstating the exact in-game stats and conditions prior to the bug's occurrence. In the end, this unexpected bug, while an amusing twist in an intense game, did not deter Azure Ray from securing victory over its opponents, Thunder Awake.

Earlier Occurrences of this Bug

This particular bug, a peculiar interaction between the Rolling Boulder's cast animation and the Hitch A Ride ability, has been in the game for over a year. 

The revelation of this unusual bug and its ramifications was first highlighted by Reddit user u/Comprehensive_Word45 last year. The post was titled, “Rolling Boulder + Uber Cart Interaction.” Another Reddit prophet humorously commented, "I can't wait for a historic bug to pop up during TI; I want the chaos."

Notably, a similar bug was documented years earlier. Intriguingly, a video showcasing a similar bug was posted on YouTube seven years prior by a channel named g0ggy.

While this update underscored Valve’s proactivity and its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the game, fans pointed out how a year-old bug had to rear its head in the grandest stage of Dota 2 for Valve to fix it.