A beloved Dota 2 voice actor passed away

A famous voice actor known for voicing over six iconic Dota 2 characters passed away on July 20, 2024.

Sam A. Mowry had a career spanning four decades as an actor and director. His deep and reverberant voice was distinct on stage and behind the microphone in video games. He suffered a massive cardiac arrest while getting ready to undergo emergency surgery for blockages in the arteries, according to local Oregon news outlets. Cindy McGean, his theater and life partner, announced his demise on Facebook.

“For those who do not know, my beloved Sam died this morning. His heart gave out,” she wrote in the post. Cindy also encouraged her Facebook followers to share shorties and hugs.

The voice actor was 64.

Sam Mowry’s Dota 2 characters

Sam Mowry voiced the ever-present Shopkeeper in Valve’s Dota 2 in addition to six different heroes in the game. 

The actor lent his voice to Anti-Mage, Beastmaster, Clockwerk, Necrophos, Slardar, and Warlock. His voice acting is known for having a lot of personality. His varied performances in the game earned him praise from critics and fans alike. Many players loved his work as Anti-Mage and Warlock, appreciating each character’s unique accents and pronunciations.

Dota 2 Gamescom Trailer

Almost a decade ago at Gamescom, Sam’s voice asked, “What does a hero truly need?” in the now iconic Dota 2 trailer. The trailer opens with the Shopkeeper introducing the players to the items in his shop. The trailer closes with, “That is for you to decide.”

Remembering Sam’s other characters

Sam has also voiced characters in films and other games, including a character in a League of Legends title. 

The voice actor lent his voice to Rhaast in Legends of Runeterra. His voice acting brought a childish joy to the character in the card battler. His voice can also be heard in Magic Legends and Valve’s discontinued card game Artifact.

Other notable games featuring his voice include Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in which he played the role of Alexander. Sam also voiced Alric in Torchlight, a Diablo-like game, and Kessler in the first Sony exclusive inFamous game. His first voice acting credit comes from Sly 2: Band of Thieves, where he voiced Arpeggio.