History of Gabe Newell in Timeline

Gabe Logan Newell, often called GabeN, is a prominent American figure in the video game industry. He co-founded and serves as the president of Valve Corporation, a highly influential game development and digital distribution company. Valve is responsible for critically acclaimed games like Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike, and operates Steam, the leading PC game distribution platform. Newell's leadership has significantly shaped the landscape of PC gaming, fostering innovation and providing a platform for independent developers. He is known for his direct engagement with the gaming community and his influence on digital distribution models.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

November 3, 1962: Gabe Newell Born

On November 3, 1962, Gabe Logan Newell, also known as GabeN, was born. He would later become an American video game developer, businessman, president, and co-founder of Valve Corporation.

Others born on this day/year

1971: First Game Played

In 1971, Gabe Newell played a Burroughs mainframe version of the Star Trek game, which was the first game he ever played.

1980: Enrolled at Harvard University

In 1980, Gabe Newell enrolled at Harvard University to study programming.

1993: Doom's Impact

In 1993, the first-person shooter game Doom, developed by id Software, was released and had a significant impact on Gabe Newell.

1995: Windows 95 vs Doom

In late 1995, it was estimated that Doom was installed on more computers worldwide than Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 95.

August 24, 1996: Valve Founded

On August 24, 1996, Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington founded the video game company Valve after being inspired by Michael Abrash's move to id to work on Quake.

1996: Founded Valve Corporation

In 1996, Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington left Microsoft to found Valve Corporation, with the purpose of funding the development of their first game.

1998: Half-Life Release

In 1998, Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington funded the development and release of Valve's first game, the first-person shooter Half-Life, which achieved critical and commercial success.

1998: Release of Half-Life

In 1998, Valve released their first game, Half-Life, which was a critical and commercial success.

2000: Harrington Leaves Valve

In 2000, Mike Harrington sold his stake in Valve to Gabe Newell and subsequently left the company.

2003: Steam Launched

In 2003, Gabe Newell led the development and launch of Steam, Valve's digital distribution service.

2004: Half-Life 2 Development

In 2004, Gabe Newell gave Valve no deadline and a "virtually unlimited" budget to develop Half-Life 2.

2006: Cornea Transplant

In 2006, Gabe Newell underwent one of two cornea transplants to cure Fuchs' dystrophy.

2007: Criticism of Console Development

In 2007, Gabe Newell expressed his displeasure with developing for game consoles, particularly criticizing the development processes for Sony's PlayStation 3, calling it a "waste of everybody's time".

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2007: Second Cornea Transplant

In 2007, Gabe Newell underwent a second cornea transplant to cure Fuchs' dystrophy.

2009: Named One of Top 100 Game Creators

In 2009, IGN named Gabe Newell one of the top 100 game creators, acknowledging Valve's influence on game design, technology, and the video games industry.

December 2010: "A Name You Need to Know"

In December 2010, Forbes listed Gabe Newell as "A Name You Need to Know", primarily for his work on Steam and partnerships with major developers.

2010: E3 2010 Announcement

At Sony's keynote at E3 2010, Gabe Newell acknowledged his past criticism of the PlayStation 3 but announced a port of Portal 2, stating that with Steamworks support, it would be the best version for any console.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2011: Steam's Market Control and Anti-Piracy Stance

By 2011, Steam controlled between 50% and 70% of the market for downloaded PC games. At a technology conference in Seattle that year, Newell argued software piracy was best addressed by offering a superior option, citing Steam's success in Russia.

2011: Steam Dominates PC Game Downloads

By 2011, Steam controlled the majority of the market for downloaded PC games.

2011: Favorite Video Games

In 2011, Gabe Newell stated his favorite video games included Super Mario 64, Doom, and a Burroughs mainframe version of the 1971 Star Trek game.

2013: LinuxCon Speech

At the 2013 LinuxCon, Gabe Newell stated that the Linux operating system and open-source development were "the future of gaming." He also criticized proprietary systems of companies like Microsoft and Apple for stifling innovation.

2013: Hall of Fame and BAFTA Fellowship

In 2013, Gabe Newell was added to the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame and received the BAFTA Fellowship for his contributions to the video game industry.

October 2017: Wealth Ranking

In October 2017, Forbes listed Gabe Newell among the 100 wealthiest people in the United States, with an estimated net worth of $5.5 billion.

2019: Divorce from Lisa Mennet

As of 2019, Gabe Newell and Lisa Mennet had divorced.

October 2020: Residency Application in New Zealand

In October 2020, Gabe Newell applied for permanent residency in New Zealand after staying there due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Charity Work and Space Gnome

In 2020, Gabe Newell and Yahn Bernier created a car racing team, the Heart of Racing, to raise funds for children's charities. Also in 2020, Newell collaborated with Weta Workshop and Rocket Lab to send a gnome figure from Half-Life 2: Episode Two into space, donating $1 for every person who watched the launch video in 24 hours to a children's hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

December 2021: Estimated Net Worth

In December 2021, Forbes estimated that Gabe Newell had a net worth of $3.9 billion and owned at least one quarter of Valve.

2021: Estimated Ownership of Valve

As of 2021, Gabe Newell owned at least one quarter of Valve and was estimated to be one of the wealthiest people in the United States.

2021: Return to Seattle

By 2021, Gabe Newell had returned to Seattle after initially staying in New Zealand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 2022: Inkfish Purchases Hadal Exploration System

In November 2022, Inkfish, Gabe Newell's marine research organization, purchased the Hadal Exploration System, a private deep-sea exploration platform, from Victor Vescovo.

2024: Less Involvement in Valve

As of 2024, Gabe Newell had become less involved in Valve and was spending more time on personal projects.

May 2025: Starfish Chip Announcement

In May 2025, Starfish Neuroscience, which was co-founded by Gabe Newell, announced that their first chip will be released in late 2025.

August 2025: Acquisition of Oceanco

In August 2025, Gabe Newell acquired the privately owned yacht manufacturer Oceanco.

2025: Wealth and Ownership in 2025

As of 2025, Forbes estimated Gabe Newell owned at least half of Valve, making him the wealthiest person in the video games industry, with an estimated net worth of $11 billion.

2025: Estimated Net Worth of $11 Billion

In 2025, Forbes estimated that Gabe Newell owned at least half of Valve and had a net worth of $11 billion, making him the richest person in the video game industry.