Gabe Newell refuses to say the number 3 in surprisingly funny Dota 2 voice recording
"You've killed more than two people and less than four."
Gabe Newell is the hallowed leader of one of gaming's most powerful companies, Valve, but we don't often see him. He's like some whispered-about deity at the top of a mystical tower.
Nor do we often see much humour from Valve. It's all serious Steam business these days and Dota 2 and Counter-Strike GO. But, hold your breath, here's a new Dota 2 video from Valve which does something about that.
The video features Gabe Newell recording voice lines - Mega-Kills Announcer lines - for Dota 2. He's in a recording booth and he's being prepped for what should be an easy hour's work. Except, he's awful - he's as wooden as a door and can't stop introducing himself before delivering the lines. Some lines he can't even say. His avoiding the word "three" - yes it's the Half-Life 3 meme in action - is a wonder to behold.
Better yet, the Mega-Kills Announcer lines Newell recorded are an actual thing, being added to Dota 2 free for anyone with The International Battle Pass. Speaking of The International, the $25m prize-pool competition comes to conclusion this weekend, and you can keep up to speed with it all on Twitch.