"Dota 2's" "Blue Shell" was tamed down in Valve's most recent 6.84 patch which was launched in April. Referred to by most gamers as the game equalizer "Bounty Rune," "Blue Shell" was the primary reason why fans saw the lengthiest 200 minutes professional Dota game in history.
Steve Storm wrote on his latest article in the IGN paper, "In its current incarnation, "Dota 2's" "Blue Shell" accomplishes the goal - adding a bit of tension and chaos to the competition. This latest patch shows that Valve stands by comeback gold as a valuable part of Dota, though it is more than willing ensure the first-place team never feels the need to voluntarily slam on the brakes."
Storm also said that Bounty Rune still exists, but its formula has been significantly trimmed down to transform a once oppressive nudge into a gentle transition towards tension.
The update, though about toning down, is part of the International game preparation for the world's Dota worldwide event's fifth iteration, the Verge reported. The tournament will be held in Seattle, United States from Aug. 3 to Aug. 8. Aside from the Aegis of Championships award, winners will also be receiving a prize money derived from the participants' fees and crowd fundings. As of this date, the total cash in pot is $7 million USD.
"Blue Shell," originally taken after Mario Kart feature which allows a dead last to take out the leader of the race effectively without fail, is the randomly-appearing rune. The rune was launched last Dota2 6.82 patch Rekindling Soul to provide players additional gold and XP as a multiplier.
Matches are now bound to run 30-45 minutes because of the downgrade.