I am undecided there’s any single determine within the video games trade that individuals are extra intrigued by than Gabe Newell. He has an interesting charisma, which is bizarre, given you may kind of simply electronic mail him and get a reply. However however, there is a little bit of a cult of persona across the man, to the extent that he typically turns into a stand-in for Valve itself.
Generally it is a joke—the assorted Gabe memes round Steam gross sales, ‘Reward Gaben,’ that type of factor—and typically it is extra severe, like individuals’s actual concern that Steam may quickly enshittify as soon as Newell’s not the boss.
However it seems that, hey, perhaps that type of founder mythologisation is just a little bit off, as a result of in a latest GDC chat with PCG’s Ted Litchfield, former Valve chief advertising and marketing officer Monica Harrington mentioned that one of many key issues she appreciated about Newell throughout her time working with him within the late ’90s was the way in which he nurtured staff expertise: “He delighted in individuals on the staff simply being actually good at what they did,” mentioned Harrington. “I believe he appreciated being a part of all of that.”
Ol’ Gabe has an eye fixed for expertise, in different phrases, and a capability for nurturing it. Which is smart, since numerous Harrington’s GDC speak on her time at Valve targeted on how the corporate managed to find and produce on-board expert individuals from all around the nation and from all method of backgrounds. “You recognize, Gabe is the one who needed me to affix Valve,” Harrington instructed PCG. “After we have been having these discussions, we simply bought alongside very well.”
So, you already know, it feels like fairly than being the heroic Atlas who retains Valve aloft on his again, an enormous purpose Valve has been so profitable below his stewardship is that he is good at—and takes pleasure in—discovering the fitting individuals who may help with the burden. You recognize, just like the intern who saved the entire firm that one time. You want individuals like that if you wish to spend your time hanging out in your yacht with a potato telephone.
Which is not essentially bombshell information: I do not suppose any organisation in historical past has ever actually been stored afloat by the power and dynamism of actually a single particular person, however given the way in which we typically discuss Newell and Valve, it is maybe a mandatory corrective.
Anyway, that is to not say Newell is not a exceptional man unto himself. Harrington remembers that she “thought he was actually, actually sensible and he had fascinating takes on issues,” even to the extent that he stood out from all the opposite “actually, actually sensible individuals” Harrington has labored with throughout the remainder of her profession.
