William Pugh, co-designer of the acclaimed narrative game The Stanley Parable and founder of Crows Crows Crows, has spent an astonishing 1,603 hours playing Dota 2. Despite this immense playtime, Pugh describes the MOBA not as a game of love, but one "fuelled by hate and a desire to conquer."
Pugh's earliest PC gaming memory involves online multiplayer in Worms 4: Mayhem, an experience that opened a door to games like Team Fortress 2. It was through Team Fortress 2's modding community that he met Davey Wreden, leading to their collaboration on The Stanley Parable.
Following the success of The Stanley Parable, Pugh established Crows Crows Crows, known for titles such as Dr Langeskov, The Tiger, and the Terribly Cursed Emerald, Accounting+, and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. He is currently producing Hunter's Moon, a PS5 exclusive described as a "historical folk horror game."
Current Gaming Habits
Pugh is currently playing Deadlock, a game he likens to Dota 2 but stripped of what he considers "pointless crap" like mana and creep stacking. He appreciates its fun characters and hopes its monetization strategy will be handled well, noting the current lack of cosmetic variety as a positive, fostering a sense of discovery among players.
His previous game experience was with Big Walk, a cooperative puzzle game. Pugh lauded it as a potential game of the year, praising its ability to integrate gameplay into player interactions and communication. He also reflected on the rise of "friendslop" games, a term he coined for the genre that exploded after Peak's release, drawing parallels between the two titles.
Enduring Favorites and Digital Hoarding
Team Fortress 2 remains permanently installed on Pugh's PC, a game he has played for over 1,500 hours since 2008. He won a Saxxy award for his contributions and primarily plays as the Engineer and Spy. He credits Team Fortress 2 with fostering his interest in mapping, which in turn led to his work on The Stanley Parable. Despite acknowledging the game's current state as a "cesspit" of toxic behavior in public matchmaking, he considers it a "10 out of 10 goat" for its artistic merit and community-building potential, stating, "What we really need is Team Fortress 3."
When discussing the game with the highest number of hours logged on his Steam account, Pugh confirmed it is Dota 2. He reiterated his negative feelings towards the game, explaining that its complexity demands complete focus, offering a distraction from real-world troubles, but ultimately leaves him feeling frustrated and unaccomplished despite the significant time invested.
Essential Software
Pugh's most indispensable non-gaming software is Blender, an open-source 3D creation suite. He advocates for open-source alternatives in game development, expressing a desire to move away from proprietary software that relies on perpetual licensing fees. He believes Blender's community-driven model empowers creators and represents a stronger future for digital art tools compared to subscription-based services.
A Tidy Desktop? Not So Much
Pugh admits his desktop is far from tidy, a reflection of his general disorganization. He keeps all his old hard drives containing data from 2005 onward, viewing them as a personal archive of his creative output, from early flash cartoons to game maps. He feels a purity in the art created during his teenage years and cherishes these digital artifacts, fearing their loss.