Gabe Newell is one of the richest people in the video game business. He is an American programmer who has made billions through his game development company. He is the co-founder and managing director of the renowned Valve Corporation, which has produced popular game platforms such as Steam and games such as Half-Life. Although he gained his wealth through technology and video games, his career began as one of the original creators of the Windows operating system at Microsoft.
He later partnered with Mike Harrington to develop Valve Software, which was aimed at creating traditional, narrative-driven single-player games. Their first projects included the classic releases ‘Half-Life’ and ‘Half-Life 2’, but it was the launch of the Steam gaming platform that put their company on the map.
Gabe Newell Bio/Wiki
| Birth Name | Gabe Logan Newell |
| Nick Name | Gaben |
| Age | 59 |
| Religion | Believes in God |
| Sun Sign/Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Birthplace | Seattle |
| Date of Birth | November 3rd, 1962 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Residence | Los Angeles |
| Hobbies | Collecting branded weapons
Watching motor racing Spends time playing video games, with Super Mario 64 and Doom as his favorite He is an ardent follower of the animated series ‘My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic’ |
Family
| Mother’s Name | Not Known |
| Father’s Name | Not Known |
| Brother | Not Known |
| Sister | Not Known |
| Other Family Members | Not Known |
Girlfriends/Affairs
| N/A |
Marital Status, Wife, and Children
| Wife/Spouse | Lisa Mennet Newell |
| Marriage Date | 1996-2019 |
| Children | 2 sons (Gray Newell and another whose name is not available) |
Education
| School | Davis High School |
| College/University | Harvard University (Did not complete) |
| Educational Qualification | N/A |
| Profession | Programmer |
Height, Weight, and Figure Measurements
| Height (Approx) | 5’7’’ (1.7m) |
| Weight (Approx) | 98 kg (216 lbs) |
Extra Ordinary Features
| Race/Ethnicity | White |
| Eye Color | Green |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| S*xual Orientation | Straight |
Life Journey
Gabe Newell was born on November 3rd, 1962 in Seattle, Washington, United States. According to the billionaire, he started creating computer games at age 13 as a hobby using the ALGOL language. It was this hobby that led to him being admitted to Harvard University. However, he quit his studies at the university to work with Microsoft. Newell was involved in the production of versions 1.01, 1.02 and 1.03 of the Windows operating system.
Despite his successful career at Microsoft, Newell was determined to start his own software company. After quitting his job, he partnered with Mike Harrington to create the Valve Corporation. Their first project was the Half-Life game. They sold two million copies of the game in the first months. After two years, Mike Harrington left Valve. It was during this period that the modifications of Half-Life 2 were ongoing. Newell bought his partner’s stock and he, later on, started working on Steam.
His company has revolutionized the gaming world, giving video players access to a seamless streaming platform. His contribution to video games is also unmatched based on the popularity of games such as Dota 2 and Counter-Strike. The increasing popularity of these video games has led to the creation of esports. Valve is also the pillar behind the majority of esports tournaments.
Gabe Newell’s Success on Valve and Steam
Steam is a digital distribution store that providers digital rights management, gaming, video streaming and social networking. The platform has close to 200m active users from around the globe.
Valve has been the driving force behind the making of several popular video games such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2. The company has also co-produced the HTC Vive virtual reality headset. In 2010, Newell was featured in the Forbes list of the most famous programmers.
Gabe Newell Net Worth
In 2012, Newell had amassed wealth valued at $1.3bn and he was ranked among the wealthiest people. By that time, the company’s success was just starting to take off. By 2017, he had accumulated wealth worth $5.5bn. This led to him becoming one of Forbes’ top richest people in the USA. His current overall net worth is estimated to be $3.9bn.
Gabe Newell Personal Life
Not much is known about his childhood or family as he hardly discloses this to the media. He got married in 1996 to Liza Mennet Newell and they have two children, they divorced in 2019. During the 2020 pandemic, Gabe Newell spent his time with a group of friends in New Zealand, and he even applied for permanent residency in the country.
Awards and Achievements
2005– Game Developers Choice (Best Game- Half-Life 2)
2009– BAFTA Games Award (Best Multiplayer- Left 4 Dead)
December 2010– Forbes named him as ‘A Name You Should Know
2013– Newell was added to the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame
March 2013– Honored with the BAFTA Fellowship award
October 2017– Listed in Forbes’s top 100 richest people in the United States.
Interesting Facts
He collects bladed weapons and his collection has over 600 items ranging from carved knives, Japanese swords, tridents, sai and more. He even has his own workshop where he makes blades.
He interestingly enjoys watching the children’s series ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ and he also loves watching motor racing.
In the early 2000s, he almost became blind due to Fuchs’ dystrophy.
Games
- Half-Life 1&2
- Team Fortress
- The Portal
- Counter-Strike
- Left for Dead
- Dota 2
- In the Valley of Gods
- Artifact
Frequently Asked Questions About Gabe Newell
Who is Gabe Newell?
Newell is an American computer programmer who is the co-founder and managing director of Valve Corporation.
Is Gabe Newell dead?
No! Newell is alive and well.
How much does Gabe Newell make?
He is estimated to make $100m per year.
