Overview

After collaborating with DotaCinema as a video editor, Shannon brought me onto his website team as they needed a front-end developer and I was eager to learn new skills.

I was welcomed by Pietro, the full-stack developer who was in charge of the website. Despite the lack of my background in web development, Pietro was immediately grateful for all the little contributions I made by improving the website’s CSS.

From small styling changes, I continued on to learn JavaScript and help launch the livestream and VOD sections of the website.

The new features were hugely popular with the growing Dota community and at its peak, we would receive over 3 million visits per month.

Our passion kept us going despite difficulties in monetizing our product. Predictably, after years of working on the site without profit, we agreed to shut it down and pursue other ventures that could put food on our table.

Although the project didn’t stay afloat, I was happy to have worked in a passionate and inspiring atmosphere with people who I’m still friends with to this day.