Today, on GameInformer.com, VALVe has announced Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2) coming to PC & Mac next year. Sure, there are already games out already that are free-to-play like HoN and LoL (League of Leagends), but VALVe will be doing something different.
Valve is updating its Steamworks system specifically for the game, and in addition to including in-game features like the ability to point out and recommend certain strategies and items for beginning players, veterans will get rewarded for helping outside of the game as well, by writing and editing strategy guides and tips. There will also be an in-game coaching system available with voice chat and screen sharing, all designed to help a wider audience adapt to the hardcore world of “action RTS” gameplay.
This is an awesome feature that I would welcome, because I know a lot of first-time DotA players rage-quit and never come back. This is because it is a team-based game, and everyone needs to pull his or her own weight. But if one person is a noob, that person would quickly get yelled at by his or her team members for sucking so badly rather than shown how to fix the mistakes in gameplay.