Valve co-founder Gabe Newell is an almost legendary persona among PC gamers, and a recent conversation with him isn’t helping to diminish that notion. Undoubtedly, we must inquire: is a person who spends his work breaks scuba diving several times daily genuinely an ordinary individual like the rest of us?
“I wake up, I work, I go scuba diving, work some more,” Newell laughs in an interview when queried about his everyday schedule. “I either embark on a second scuba dive or head to the gym and exercise. I reside on a boat, so I just spend time with everyone on the vessel. Then I work.”
Listening to Newell discuss residing on a boat and going for multiple daily scuba dives feels quite surreal—nearly as astonishing as observing this interview occur on a YouTube channel sporting only 37 subscribers. I hadn’t heard of interviewer Zalkar Saliev until today, and I’m unsure how he managed to secure a talk with the famously elusive Gaben, but here we are in this reality.
Gabe Newell outlines his daily routine. #gabenewell #gaben #valve #steam #interview – YouTube
“I engage in work every day of the week,” Newell continues. “I’m working from my bedroom, as you can see. I enjoy working. It’s enjoyable. To me, it doesn’t seem like labor. The types of tasks I get to perform day-to-day are incredibly exciting. I’ve mentioned it previously, but when you retire, you wish to stop enduring your dreadful job and then pursue what’s most enjoyable and entertaining. Thus, in that aspect, I’ve been retired for quite some time.”
As someone who pens about video games for a living, I can identify with the idea of a delightful job, but I’m not yet at the stage of ‘lounging with friends on a boat all day.’ However, I also haven’t played a pivotal role in establishing one of the largest gaming marketplaces globally, and I imagine being a multibillionaire contributes to the flexibility of your daily routine.
In another part of the discussion, Newell shared his views regarding the future of AI, speculating that the technology might usher in a “quirky scenario” where “individuals who lack programming knowledge” may be “more effective” than those “who have been programming for years.” That’s perhaps a less charming observation from Gaben, but after all – he’s merely human.
Explore the finest Steam Deck games if you desire to thrive in the garden Gaben cultivated.