Do you really think he coded all that stuff alone? I know icefrog has a core team for planning the updates but i doubt he actually codes it in dota 2.
Icefrog only shows up to Valve once a week or so, possibly even less. I think he does the numbers balancing like 6.79
It's not just the lack of a Halloween update. It's the lack of communication
Too busy making bird heads for a game with 1/7th the player base of Dota 2 and ghost chickens for a game with 1/10th
Balance update aren't for the most part, heavy coding. Some change might need new mecanics, but it's mostly modifying existing value; so it's hardly an evidence of huge work being done by an huge team.
It's been already said but the reaction to the lack of halloween update are not only aimed at the seasonal even it self, but the current lack of content update for months. At best we got one 'decent' update with first blood ( as disapointing as it was for people like me who mostly want new hero; the only thing saving that update for me was captain draft ), now more than 1 month ago.
oh no not new hats
Peak Players 10/31 Game Halloween DLC/Event?
473,533 Dota 2 NO
70,089 Team Fortress 2 YES
42,829 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive YES
29,660 Terraria YES
21,683 Total War: ROME II YES
23,460 Path of Exile YES
11,911 Borderlands 2 YES
11,276 PAYDAY 2 YES
8,217 RIFT™ YES
7,576 War Thunder YES
4,599 Killing Floor YES