Valve shared details about the development of the “Nest of Thorns” mini-game in Act 4 of Crownfall

Valve has released another installment of "Between the Lanes", where the developers discuss the challenges, mistakes, and discoveries encountered while creating the “Nest of Thorns” mini-game in Act 4 of Crownfall. The post was published on the official Dota 2 website.

The development team experimented with various genres and ideas, guided by player feedback and data, applying an iterative approach — constant testing and adaptation.

“That mindset also shapes when we make decisions — usually as late in development as possible, when we have the best (and sometimes only) data. At every step, we rely on actual player experiences to help us focus on what resonates, and steer away from what doesn't.”

Initially, the mini-game was dull and unbalanced, but through continuous testing, feedback, and observing player experiences, the developers found a successful format — a Survivors-style genre with enemy waves and a progression system. They gradually improved the mechanics, shifted the focus, added tension, replayability, and unique abilities and items for heroes.

Special attention was given to the first six minutes of gameplay to hook players right from the start. Even though the second part of the game was unfinished — described as “an unbalanced wasteland of copy-pasted enemies” — testers still pushed through it (and succeeded), which became a sign of the game’s appeal. The final stages of development involved polishing, balancing, and adding a flood of “final” ideas.

When “Nest of Thorns” was released, players reached it faster than expected — in just 16 hours. It has now been played nearly 100 million times. The developers emphasize that the game’s success was made possible by flexibility, testing, and embracing unpredictability in the development process. Valve also noted that this approach is one of the reasons their products often launch later than initially planned.

As CyberScore reported earlier, the average number of players in Dota 2 has decreased again.