Chiefmiest

Server-Clearing Cynic
I see it's 30 dollars in store but some people get a key or something to play. Does the key last forever? Or how do you get dota 2?
 

Derpingson

Totally Ordinary Human
If you do a quick search on outpost, you can easily get a tradable copy of DotA2 for 2 Rec tops. You can prob get one for 2 scrap in 10 minutes of searching, prob way less though.

Right now, DotA2 is in Beta. It's not exactly an open beta, but not really a closed beta either. Not everyone can join.

Essentially those keys in the store are access to the closed beta, but keep in mind that Alienware has given ~10k DotA2 keys before (Which actually upon activation, gave you two other copies and was essentially a 3-Pack) and Valve recently gave away 4-6 copies per "active" DotA2 player. (TL; DR of this part: It's in closed beta but closed beta access is spreading like wildfire.)

Oh yeah, it's also going to be F2P when it comes out.