I started playing Dota about 11/12 years ago when it was still a custom game in Warcraft 3. Since then I've racked up 6954 hours on Dota 2.
To me it's also the strategy aspect that makes it fun. I see it like chess, just more complicated, using a bigger board. Inevitably every single move every hero makes leads to the destruction of one ancient.
I am getting older now and don't have that much time to play games anymore. I also moved to another town and left a lot of friends behind. Dota 2 allows me to speak to my friends on a weekly basis as we play competitive games in one of our local leagues. We're a bunch of older dudes compared to the rest of the scene, but have managed to work our way into the first Division.
All in all, it's fun, it's competitive, it keeps my reactions sharp and it allows me to speak and keep in touch with a lot of my friends who I see maybe once a year if I'm lucky.
Key is balance- I work, social life, exercise and game! Mind, body and soul brother.
Yes! Key is balance! I work in strategy and analytics and i believe that DoTA 2 has made me stronger in both those areas :/