People "talk s**t" to Gabe Newell when he plays Dota 2, but he's okay with it

I consider myself pretty good at MOBAs. While my primary choice will always be League of Legends, I've played (and lost) a few Dota 2 games in my time, piloting heroes like Queen of Pain, Muerta, and Crystal Maiden to somewhat mixed success. Despite the fact that most people believe that Valve has left the once-iconic multiplayer heavyweight to rot, when The International rolls around I can't help but get excited. What I didn't expect, however, was a message from company president Gabe Newell saying that people still "talk shit" to him when he plays, and in some ways, it's made me feel better about feeding my lane.

During TI 2025's opening ceremony, Newell recalls the first ever Dota 2 International, noting that it was "awesome to see the skill of the players, and the enthusiasm of the community. Before that International I really enjoyed the game, but after The International, I loved the game." Cue the 'awws.'

"It's not just the game I love, but the community," he continues. "Sure people talk shit to me in the chat, and about once a week people say 'hey noob, uninstall the game and" - insert a series of expletives - "but it's really about their enthusiasm for the game and the energy that they bring. That's why, after all these years, I still play Dota every day." If people are calling Gabe Newell a noob, I guess there's hope for all of us, right?

It's also reassuring to hear that Newell does, in fact, continue to play the game, and with a decent level of frequency, too. Dota 2, while still one of Steam's most-played titles, only gets major content drops once or twice a year - slim pickings when compared to competitors like League of Legends.

Similarly, The International's once mind-boggling prize pool has been on the decline, reaching a peak in 2021 at $40,018,195 (yes, really) then declining to $2,776,566 in 2024. According to the Dota 2 Prize Pool Tracker, 2025's pot currently sits at $2,590,670 at the moment, but that number could increase as the tournament goes on.

In short, it feels like Dota has been on the decline for a while, with Deadlock's reveal raising questions about whether the new noir-set hero shooter/MOBA hybrid will eclipse it entirely. For the Dota faithful among us, Newell's words do certainly spark a bit of hope, even if there's a bit of flaming involved.

If you've been bitten by the Deadlock bug, especially with its recent slew of huge updates, check out our sister site, Deadlock Rank, to help you choose the best characters for the job. Alternatively, if you're looking for something completely new, we have a list of all the best multiplayer games.

Are you still playing Dota 2? Or is Deadlock more your jam? Let us know on Discord - either way, I'm sure Gabe will be happy.