Getting into e-sports can seem elusive for young Dota 2 fans. With the Austrian Community Ladder, or ACL for short, a community has developed for the German-speaking world that provides both contacts and skills.

Players with professional ambitions can prove themselves in the ACL in front of potential teammates. But the league is also a social interface for the Canadian scene.

Dota-Talent pool in German-speaking countries

"I heard about a friend from the ACL, he described it as a German-speaking in-house league. Then I played there for one or two seasons," says Paul "Azazel" Schwarzmüller in an interview with the German Press Agency. "Over time, it became more and more fun for me. And the fact that I made so many contacts there also helped me to find a team at the ESL Championship. That was my first stepping stone into the Canadian scene.»

The 19-year-old Canadian was already among the best Dota players when he entered the ACL, but still at a hobby level. In two years, he has earned two ACL and one ESL championship title.

Connect with the Dota Pros

The Ladder has contributed enormously to his success: "Back then, as a 5000-MMR player, I got into a game with professional and semi-professional players for the first time. The calls that such a person makes, the knowledge that he conveyed in a game about Dota: this was something completely new for me, I didn't know that before.»

Former ACL winners are also represented at the highest European level. Erik "tOfu" Engel first played in the ACL, found a team in the ESL Championship and has now been playing in the first division of the Western European Dota Pro Circuit for two seasons. His team is in second place in the table for the winter break.

Dota 2 ACL based on volunteering

According to Mark "irie" Kostenz, the ACL community is united behind tOfu: "No one is as idolized in the ACL as he is, because he is really just a super likeable guy. Everyone really wishes it from the bottom of their hearts," irie told dpa. Together with a partner, the 30-year-old from Vienna founded the league in 2018.

The league is based on voluntary work. "People come from solo matchmaking, where there are almost no rules of conduct," says irie. "That you have to pull them to a certain extent, we had to learn over time." The founder sees the ladder between professional and amateur scene. "Overall, I'm super happy with the Ladder. And I think I want to keep the contribution we can make for the community that way for a long time to come.»