Gabe Newell Reaffirms Love for Dota 2 and Its Passionate Community

Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell recently shared a heartfelt message with fans just before the grand finals of The International 2025, the annual world championship for Dota 2. In his address, Newell once again openly expressed his deep affection for the game and its dedicated, sometimes fiery, community, despite often being on the receiving end of in-game chat criticism.

Newell recounted the early days, reminiscing about the inaugural The International tournament held 14 years ago in Cologne, Germany. "The first tournament truly blew me away," he stated. "It was amazing to see the skill of the players and the passion of the community."

He explained that while he enjoyed the game before this landmark event, "after TI, I fell completely in love with it." He added, "I love not only the game itself, but also the community."

Following that 2011 championship, Newell revealed he had already logged around 800 hours playing Dota 2. He famously admitted then, "Every day after work, we would come home and play until two or three in the morning. So yes, I absolutely love playing [Dota 2]."

However, Newell emphasized that his affection isn't just for the game's mechanics but for the players themselves. "Sure, people talk sh*t at me in chat, and maybe once a week someone says, 'Hey, noob, uninstall the game and f*** off,'" he acknowledged with a laugh, referring to a recent clip shared by Jake Lucky. "But really, that's just a manifestation of their enthusiasm for the game and the energy they bring," he explained. "That’s why, after all these years, I still play Dota every day."

Newell’s enduring commitment and passion for Dota 2 offer a reassuring message to the game’s vast global player base. It highlights that the leadership at Valve remains deeply connected to the games they create and the communities that form around them, often participating directly in the very experiences they develop. His continued daily play, despite the occasional in-game toxicity, underscores a genuine love for the game that few executives publicly express.