Valve CEO Gabe Newell attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 Dota 2 International Championship in Shanghai. His traditional video message to players and spectators prompted a strong reaction from the fan base.
In his speech, Newell recalled that just 15 years ago he greeted the contestants attending the first game of the series. Esports events and the game itself have changed a lot over the years, but the skill and passion for professional teams competing for the main trophy – the Champions Aegis – has remained the same.
However, it was the appearance of Valve’s top brass that attracted the most attention online: Reddit and YouTube users pointed out that Gabe had lost significant weight and looked much healthier than in previous years.
On the main stage of the competition in Shanghai, the strongest teams in the world gathered together to continue fighting for the championship title.
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