Many players find themselves deeply invested in online multiplayer games, even when the experience is fraught with frustration. William Pugh, co-designer of The Stanley Parable, articulated this phenomenon in a recent discussion about his own extensive, yet conflicted, relationship with Valve's popular MOBA, Dota 2.
Pugh logs 1,603 hours in Dota 2, a figure that dwarfs his time spent in other games. Despite this significant investment, he admits that his experience playing the game is rarely positive. "If you ask me, ‘Did you have a good time playing Dota 2?’ The answer is ‘no.’ The answer is ‘fuck that fucking game,’" Pugh stated. He detailed common frustrations such as teammates underperforming, poor strategic decisions, and a general lack of coordination, sentiments familiar to many who have spent considerable time in Dota 2.
He further elaborated on the intense emotions the game evokes, saying, "Even thinking about it now, I’ve got to turn my fan on. I’m getting a little bit sweaty and a little bit pissed off. I’ll say it—fuck everybody who plays Dota 2." Pugh suggested that Dota 2 is not a game "made of love," but rather one "fueled by hate and a desire to conquer." He contrasted this with games like chess, noting that while chess can be intense, it does not involve direct negative feedback from other players in the same way.
Adding to the sense of futility, Pugh expressed dismay at his own performance despite the hours invested: "I was never any good, which is the saddest fucking thing. That you spend 1,600 hours of your life and you’re not actually any good at it." This contrasts with common narratives where players find solace or escape in games during difficult times; for Pugh, Dota 2 represents a source of negativity.
Pugh described Dota 2's complexity as requiring immense concentration, likening the experience to solving a "five-dimensional Rubik’s cube." Successfully navigating its intricacies for an hour can provide a distraction-free mental exercise, but this focus eventually gives way to the frustration of failure and interpersonal conflict inherent in the game's competitive nature. Despite these negative feelings, Pugh admitted a lingering temptation to return to the game, a sentiment that many long-term players may recognize.