Gabe Newell refuses to say the number 3 in surprisingly funny Dota 2 voice recording

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.

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