Gabe Newell opens The International Dota 2 tournament

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell appeared in a prerecorded video message to open The International, the world championship for Dota 2, currently being held in Shanghai, China. The video concluded with the tournament's traditional greeting, “Welcome to The International.”

Newell's appearance drew significant attention from the gaming community due to his noticeably slimmer appearance, shorter hair, and trimmed beard compared to previous years. While the video did not include announcements regarding new games or major Dota 2 updates, fans on platforms like Reddit discussed his changed look, with many expressing relief that he appeared healthy.

The tournament features eight teams competing in a double-elimination format. The International has a long history in esports, having debuted in 2011 with a then-unprecedented $1 million prize pool, which later peaked at over $40 million through crowdfunding before Valve transitioned away from the Battle Pass model.