William Pugh, co-designer of The Stanley Parable, has over 1,600 hours in Dota 2: ‘It’s not a game made of love. It’s a game fuelled by hate and a desire to conquer’
William Pugh, co-designer of narrative puzzle game The Stanley Parable, has invested over 1,600 hours into Dota 2, describing the competitive title as “a game fuelled by hate and a desire to conquer” rather than love. In an interview for PC Gamer’s “Disk Cleanup” series—which explores the gaming habits and PC setups of notable figures in gaming—Pugh discusses his gaming journey from early Mac shareware titles like Scruffy versus the Invaders from Mars to his entry into online multiplayer gaming.
Pugh’s first experience with online multiplayer came through Worms 4: Mayhem, which he describes as a formative moment of connecting with strangers through competitive play. That early experience proved transformative, opening what he calls “a door” into online gaming communities. His extensive playtime in Dota 2 reflects his deep engagement with competitive multiplayer gaming, despite or perhaps because of his characterization of the game as adversarial and conquest-focused rather than crafted with affection.