Key Takeaways
1. Gabe Newell humorously acknowledged that he still faces criticism while playing Dota 2, showing his connection to the gaming community.
2. The International 2025, the 14th annual Dota 2 tournament, began on September 11, 2025, attracting 100,000 online viewers.
3. This year’s prize pool exceeds $2.6 million, with Valve contributing $1.6 million and fans adding $1 million through in-game purchases.
4. The tournament features a double-elimination format, with 16 elite teams competing, culminating in grand finals on September 14.
5. Gabe Newell expressed his enduring passion for Dota 2 and the importance of the community, reflecting on the growth of the game since the first International.
Valve’s co-founder and president, Gabe Newell, often called GabeN, shared his thoughts at the start of The International 2025 through a pre-recorded message. He humorously noted that even he faces criticism weekly when he plays Dota 2, receiving comments like “hey noob, uninstall the game.”
The Tournament Begins
The International 2025, marking the 14th year of this celebrated Dota 2 tournament, started on September 11, 2025, at the Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany. It drew in 100,000 viewers online and featured thrilling matches, with Xtreme Gaming facing off against Tundra Esports right from the beginning.
Prize Pool and Competition Format
This year’s prize pool for The International 2025 is more than $2.6 million, with Valve contributing a base of $1.6 million, while fans added an extra $1 million through in-game compendium purchases. The tournament kicked off with group stages that started on September 3 and will reach its peak with the grand finals on September 14, where 16 elite teams will compete in a double-elimination format.
During the opening ceremony, GabeN’s message was recorded, reportedly from one of his luxury yachts, where he talked about his passion for Dota 2 and how, at 62 years old, he still gets flamed by players.
Gabe’s Words of Wisdom
Gabe Newell said, “Hi, I’m Gabe Newell. 14 years ago, we held the first International in Cologne, Germany. That first event was amazing. It was great to see the skill of the players and the excitement of the community.
Before the inaugural International, I had fun playing the game. But after that event, my love for it grew. It’s not just about the game anymore; it’s about the community too. Sure, I get some negativity in chat, and about once a week, someone tells me, ‘hey noob, uninstall the game.’
But that reflects their passion and the energy they bring, which is why I still play Dota every day after all these years.
Now, we’re back in Germany to celebrate together again. (In German) Oh man, this is going to be so much fun.
To all the Dota fans who’ve been with us since the start, those who’ve joined later, and anyone watching for the first time, welcome to The International.”
Despite GabeN’s enormous wealth, estimated at around $9 billion primarily from Valve’s Steam and iconic games like Half-Life, he remains connected to gaming culture and plays regularly. In March 2025, he mentioned he had completed Stalker 2 four times and was considering what to dive into next.
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