Stanley Parable Dev's 1,603 Hours in Dota 2: 'A Game Fuelled by Hate'

William Pugh, co-designer of The Stanley Parable, reveals his 1,603 hours in Dota 2 and his love-hate relationship with the MOBA, plus thoughts on Deadlock, Team Fortress 2, and Big Walk.

Ever wondered what a game designer with 1,600 hours in a single game thinks about it? William Pugh, co-designer of The Stanley Parable, has some strong words about Dota 2.

In a recent interview, Pugh opened up about his gaming habits, admitting he's a "recovering Dota 2 addict" with a whopping 1,603 hours logged. But don't mistake that for love. "It's not a game made of love," he says. "It's a game fuelled by hate and a desire to conquer." Sounds about right for a MOBA, doesn't it?

These days, Pugh is deep into Deadlock, Valve's upcoming hero shooter. He calls it his "third job" and praises it for stripping away what he sees as pointless MOBA mechanics. "Mana? Bye-bye. Creep stacking? Bye-bye," he says. For Pugh, Deadlock feels pure right now—one skin per hero, everyone discovering it together. He's just hoping monetisation doesn't ruin it.

But his heart still belongs to Team Fortress 2. Pugh has 1,583 hours in TF2 and has been playing since 2008. It's perma-installed on his PC and he credits it with getting him into mapping, which eventually led to The Stanley Parable. He even won a Saxxy award—a golden replacement for every class's base melee weapon—though he confesses to idling for hats back in the day. "I've served my time, and I'm sorry," he jokes. Despite calling modern TF2 matchmaking "an absolute cesspit," he still rates it a "10 out of 10" for its community and creativity. And yes, he wants Team Fortress 3. "I'll die on that hill," he says.

When he's not grinding Valve games, Pugh is playing Big Walk with friends. He gushes about it, calling it "game of the year" material and urging House House to make a sequel: "Just make Bigger Walk. Don't think about it too much." High praise from a man who knows a thing or two about subversive game design.

Pugh is currently working on his next big game at Crows Crows Crows and producing the PS5 exclusive Hunter's Moon, a "historical folk horror game." With his eclectic taste, we can't wait to see what he cooks up next.

So, what's your most-played game on Steam? Are you a recovering Dota 2 addict too? Let us know in the comments!