Gabe Newell admitted that he continues to play Dota 2 daily and accepts the community's toxicity as part of its energy

The main stage of The International 2025 in Dota 2 kicked off in Hamburg, and on the very first day of the tournament, Valve founder Gabe Newell addressed the audience. He said that after all these years, he still spends time in the game every day and even enjoys its sometimes unfriendly community. According to Newell, he regularly gets into trouble from other players in the chat: someone insults him, advises him to delete the game or calls him inexperienced. However, the head of Valve perceives this as a manifestation of sincere enthusiasm and energy, thanks to which his interest in Dota 2 remains unchanged.

Meanwhile, the fight at The International is approaching its climax. Of the sixteen best teams in the world, only eight remain in the tournament, the rest have already dropped out of the championship and joined the spectators. The final of the main event in Dota 2 is scheduled for September 14.