Does PingAim work with Dota Underlords?
Yes. PingAim uses a WFP (Windows Filtering Platform) kernel driver that operates at the network stack level — it routes Dota Underlords' UDP traffic through your best available connection without any process injection. VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) is a user-mode system and does not interfere with WFP-level network routing. PingAim attaches to underlords.exe and directs traffic through a second connection (phone 5G, second ISP, etc.) if one is available. Since Underlords uses Steam Datagram Relay, PingAim optimizes the path to Valve's SDR relay nodes rather than a direct game server IP.
Is Dota Underlords still playable in 2026?
Yes, but with caveats. Valve's servers are still running and matchmaking still functions. The game has approximately 780 average concurrent Steam players as of early 2026, which is enough to find matches but with noticeably longer queues than during the game's peak in 2019-2020. Valve released a final patch in December 2021 extending Season 1 to 2031 — a signal that no further content updates are planned. The game is maintained in a 'lights on' state: playable but not actively developed.
Does ping matter in Dota Underlords?
Much less than in action games. Dota Underlords is an auto battler — all combat is fully automated and there are no real-time aiming or reaction-time mechanics. High ping primarily makes the shop UI feel sluggish during preparation phases: purchasing heroes, repositioning units, and selling take longer to register. At under 150ms, most players won't notice any impact. At 300ms+, preparation-phase actions can visibly lag. Ping does not affect the actual outcome of combat rounds because fight resolution is entirely server-computed.
Why does Dota Underlords sometimes disconnect or timeout mid-match?
Disconnects in Underlords usually come from three sources: packet loss on your home network (not just high ping — even 1-2% loss can cause reconnect loops), Valve's aging server infrastructure having occasional instability, or your Steam client session expiring. Check your connection quality with a ping test to 8.8.8.8 — if you see any packet loss, that is the likely cause. Valve has not actively maintained Underlords since 2021, so server-side instability is possible and cannot be fixed on the client side.
Why are Dota Underlords queues so long?
The game has approximately 780 average concurrent Steam players globally across all regions and skill brackets as of early 2026. With 8-player lobbies required, the matchmaking pool is genuinely thin. Setting your region to 'Any' or 'All regions' gives the best queue times. Off-peak hours (late night in your region) can result in waits of 5-15 minutes. This is a population problem — no network optimization can fix it. Playing during peak hours in your timezone helps most.
Is Dota Underlords safe from VAC bans when using network tools?
Yes. Valve's VAC system detects known cheat software signatures and memory-injection patterns — it does not flag network path optimization tools. WTFast officially lists Dota Underlords as a supported game, and Valve has never taken action against players using network optimization tools across any of its titles. PingAim's WFP driver approach operates at the Windows network stack level with no process modification, making it categorically different from cheat software that VAC targets.
Further reading
PingAim detects Dota Underlords automatically
No manual config. PingAim identifies Dota Underlords by process name and routes it through your fastest connection using a kernel-level WFP driver.