All you need to know about Gabe Newell: Renowned Businessman
Sophia Dalton
Updated on January 02, 2026
Gabe Newell is a $6 billion American businessman in the video game production industry. Gabe Newell made his money as the co-founder and managing director of Valve Corporation, a video game creation and online distribution company. Valve, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, is best known for its games Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and Portal 2.
Who is Gabe Newell?
Gabe Newell (nicknamed Gaben) was born in Colorado on November 3, 1962. In Davis, California, he attended Davis Senior High School. He attended Harvard University but went out to work for Microsoft for 13 years, during which time he claims to have produced the first three releases of Microsoft Windows. Newell argues that in three months at Microsoft, he learned more than he ever did at Harvard.
How old is Gabe Newell?
He is currently 61 years old.
What is Gabe Newell’s net worth?
He is estimated to be worth $6 Billion.
What is Gabe Newell’s career?
In 1996, Newell and another Microsoft employee, Mike Harrington, left Microsoft to start Valve, which they funded with their own money by developing the computer game Half-Life and the GoldSrc game engine. During the development of Half-Life 2, Newell concentrated on the Steam Project.
Newell has voiced dissatisfaction with the development of his software on gaming consoles such as the PlayStation 3. Despite this, he made an appearance onstage during Sony’s keynote talk at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Newell has also criticized Xbox Live and the Windows 8 operating system.
Other prominent video games produced by Valve Corporation include Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, Portal, and more. Forbes dubbed Newell “A Name You Should Know” in December 2010, primarily for his work with Steamworks. Newell received the BAFTA Fellowship Award in March 2013 for his remarkable and exceptional creative contribution to the video game industry.
Newell was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame the same year. In October 2017, Forbes named him one of the top 100 richest persons in the United States.
