The secret rules for how to surrender in Dota 2

Ahsan Kabir Published August 2, 2024

Sometimes, a match seems unwinnable and a waste of time. Here’s how to surrender in Dota 2 and avoid leaving the game mid-match.

Dota 2 is a team-based game, so even if a player is doing great, they still have to rely on the other four players for victory. If one or two players are having a bad game, that can impact the whole match, leading to an endless battle. Dragging a fight can work sometimes, but often, it’s just delaying the inevitable defeat. Unlike other games, Dota 2 doesn’t want players to surrender easily. Sure, the game is best played to the end, but when all hope is lost, it’s painful to play until the defeat screen.

Dota 2 hides the feature to discourage players from surrendering too early, but the feature is still there for certain matches.

How to surrender in Dota 2

There is no surrender button in Dota 2, and players need to type GG or GGWP in all chat to surrender in specific game modes. 

The surrender option is available in both public and ranked matches. Previously, only tournament-style game modes had the option of surrendering in Dota 2. To surrender, players need to access the chat and type GG (Good Game) or GGWP (Good Game Well Played) to start the surrender. A ten-second timer initiates that anyone on the team can cancel. If no one stops it, the team’s ancient instantly explodes and ends the match.

The lack of easy access to surrender is a part of Dota 2 culture and game design. Unlike some other MOBAs, Dota 2 is designed so that almost any winning position can be reversed. This can result in crippling throws and triumphant comebacks in both the pub and pro scenes. All it takes is one good hook and followup to bring a game from the brink.

When is surrender available in Dota 2?

The surrender option becomes available for parties of five after the 30-minute mark in a match in Dota 2. 

Unfortunately, Valve only gave the surrender option to full party teams. Players in the solo queue won’t be able to initiate a surrender. Typing in all chat is the only way to start the process. The surrender button likely won’t ever appear in Dota 2.

A surrender option is great to have in tournaments where speed is what matters. The losing side can end the match early and move on to another game. No one likes to fight a losing battle, especially in online games. The surrender option lets players restart the next game without spending time on a losing cause.