Dota 2 replay unavailable: what to check before trying again
Troubleshoot a missing Dota 2 replay: distinguish pending requests, OpenDota outages, failed downloads and parser errors, then try a saved file.
A Dota 2 match can have a score page while its replay is unavailable. Match statistics and the downloadable replay are separate sources. Start by checking whether you are waiting for a replay URL, failing to reach the lookup service, or failing to download or parse a file. Those problems need different next steps.
Identify which step failed
- Confirm the match ID against the game you intended to review. Check the heroes and date too.
- Try the replay download in the Dota 2 client. Record whether it is missing or actually fails.
- In ReplayDojo, keep the exact import message. A pending request is different from an error.
- If you already saved the replay file, try uploading that copy instead of resolving the ID again.
If you need to locate the number first, follow the match ID guide. A different website showing the score does not establish that it still has the replay file.
The match exists, but the replay is pending
When OpenDota returns a match without a replay URL, ReplayDojo requests processing and returns a pending response. Give that request time before starting another import. It is a request to an upstream service, so the waiting message is not a guarantee that the file will become available within a minute.
The OpenDota FAQ explains that basic match data can exist without replay-derived data, and that API or Game Coordinator issues can prevent replay retrieval. That FAQ dates from 2014; its retention estimate is historical guidance, not a current Valve download guarantee.
OpenDota cannot be reached
ReplayDojo uses OpenDota to look up the replay URL for a match ID. If that lookup is unreachable, try again later. If you already have the complete Valve replay download URL, you can paste it into the importer instead: that path skips the OpenDota lookup. It still needs Valve to serve the file.
The download or parser failed
If Valve no longer serves the file, another ID lookup cannot recreate it. Check for a saved copy on your computer or ask a teammate whether they downloaded it. Uploading that copy avoids the remote download; it does not guarantee that every replay version can be parsed.
ReplayDojo currently groups several fetch errors under its “no longer available” message. Treat that as a failed retrieval, not proof of the exact cause or age of the file. If the client can download the same replay, keep that file and the error text when reporting the problem. If a file uploads but fails during parsing, record the match ID and the parser error rather than repeatedly requesting a new download.
Keep a copy for next time
Save matches you want to review while they are still downloadable. Keep the original file with the match ID and date in its name. See where Dota 2 stores replays for finding local copies. A saved match page or screenshot of the scoreboard is useful context, but neither contains the replay stream.
Try the match ID, an existing Valve replay URL, or your saved replay file.
Import a match