Pudge Surpasses a Billion Games in Dota 2

Pudge is the most-played hero in Dota 2 and recently set a record in the game, with more than a billion games played. 1,000,164,435 to be exact at the time of this article.

The butcher is perhaps the most iconic hero, with his Meat Hook being a part of explosive competitive matches, as both a game-winning and throwing ability.

In this article we will delve into the history of Pudge, why he is so popular, and his impact on the competitive scene.

Pudge originated from the first Diablo game

Maybe one day we will get a lean Pudge cosmetic. (Credit: Valve)

While it's easy to assume that Pudge was born in the first iteration of Dota back in 2003, the truth is the butcher predates it by six years.

Originally an incredibly strong boss found in Diablo as part of the Butcher quest, he would greet players with his iconic line of "Fresh Meat!" before slicing them down in a few seconds.

The hero's Dismember ability would play the "Fresh Meat" sound effect in Dota 1, alerting all other players that it is being used, regardless of whether it was on enemy heroes, creeps, or even Roshan.

Dota 1 was based on the custom maps in Warcraft 3, as such nearly all the unit models used in the first Dota game were recycled from iterations of the main title.

Pudge was based on the Abomination, the strongest melee unit for the Undead faction. The hero was based on that model and along with the iconic voice line, Pudge was born!

Since Dota 2 was made by Valve, the original Pudge hero model had to be remade and his voice line for the ultimate changed as well, as they are properties of Blizzard. While the butcher still says "Fresh Meat", it's with a completely different voice and not quite as iconic.

Why is Pudge the most popular hero in Dota 2?

Role versatility, plenty of item choices, and Hooking feels so good. (Credit: Valve).

Since the hero has over a billion games played, it's good to look at his strengths and discuss why he is so popular.

Pudge can be played in any role, whether as a carry who rushes Aghanim's Scepter and Shiva's Guard or a support who Blinks in and saves allies with his Shard upgrade. The hero is versatile and can be first-picked in any draft.

Besides his role flexibility, the butcher has plenty of item builds. Players can rush a Blink Dagger to initiate fights, or Aghanim's Scepter to counter healing-heavy drafts. Shiva's Guard is overall strong for him, while his Shard upgrade can save allies in a pinch.

Pudge is also extremely fun, which might be the biggest factor in his popularity. He can Hook allies to safety or catch enemies unaware. A good player can set the tempo for his team and keep his enemies on their toes.

Pudge's most iconic game in Dota 2

TI3, it has to be TI3. (Credit: Valve).

With over a billion games played, it's hard to pick one game as the best or most important for the hero, but the consensus is that Pudge changed the game at The International 2013.

During the final game in the Upper Bracket between Navi and Tong Fu, the Chinese squad was destroying the International 1 champions.

Realizing they had no way to come back through conventional means, Navi set up one of the most incredible combos in Dota 2 history.

Using Clement "Puppey" Ivanov's Chen to send back Danil "Dendi" Ishutin's Pudge after he lands a hook, the duo would drag members of Tong Fu into their fountain, and stop their snowball completely.

The controversial strategy highlighted the strength of the hero and since then Fountain Hooking has been patched out. Whether it was a bug that was never meant to happen, or a strategy that was too strong is up to each player's interpretation.

Pudge has been the face of Dota since his inception. He is a skill-based hero who can play any role and has had a massive impact on the competitive scene. We're hoping for another billion games with the Butcher.

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Featured Image Source: Valve