Gabe Newell talks Valve Hardware, Console Innovation (& Becomes Follically Inspired)

[Hectic Glenn]

First thing we should be talking about is what Gabe talked about in his interview with Penny Arcade. but most of us will need to take a moment to admire Gabe's new beard. I contacted Gabe and he confirmed it's a personal SteamGuard upgrade for those with extra sensitivity to the cold in the wintry months. Stay tuned for more.

In the interview Gabe talked about their work on wearable computers and their biometrics work.

It seems like just about the time that everybody gave up on them they actually started to become interesting, so w've been seeing a lot of stuff go on in that space that gets us excited.

We're trying to get our?the experiments we?ve been doing in?you know we did a ton of work on biofeedback, on biometrics, and that?ll, you know, from our point of view we were like ?okay, this is all sort of proven out? and we?re just sort of scratching our heads trying to figure out the best way to get that hardware out to customers without something where we?d just say ?okay, this works.?

His thoughts on the direction of consoles were also intriguing, talking about much of the innovation coming from the PC space and whoever embraces newer and more fluid attitudes will see "huge benefits".

It?s not the games that are out there today, it?s the games that we don?t ? haven?t even thought of yet that are gonna end up being important. I would push them very hard to stop thinking of themselves as being a platform for everything that already exists and start betting on the inventiveness and the benefits that you would get by embracing a more open approach to the internet and game delivery and game business models and things like that.

An engaging interview of the inner workings of Gabe Newell's brain (and beard), check it out here.

 

[Omnomnick]

Dat beard. Nothing new here other than that really.

 

[Zombie In A Kilt]

That beard... Me Gusta

 

[blackout]

beard


'nuff said

 

[Maestro]

What is with the beard obsession? Half the gaming industry sports one.

 

[tomemozok]

Saw this one on rps,and read the interview,and i got to say,i thought that they will be thinking crazy,as they are valve after all,so we have to wait and see if the ideas they are proposing are going to end up being classics like every game of theirs.

 

[ríomhaire]

Not much new but interesting that they're still talking about the possibility of hardware if they have to. The most interesting bit (other than his beard) is probably how Gabe is interested in tablet development. I wonder would Valve be interested in the Wii U.

 

[AtomicSpark]

That beard makes me think of George Lucas.

 

[Insano]

What a beard. Godlike.

 

[Shem]

Gabe Newell grew himself a beard. He is now godlike.

Yeah.

 

[YouKnow]

I said "What the?!" out loud when I saw that picture. Gabe looks a lot older now, which isn't really a bad thing.

 

[Danny_ZQ]

Gabe has evolved.

 

[Krynn72]

I wish Gabe would stop wasting time growing his beard and just work on Episode 3 already.

 

[SWAT Pointmann]

A wearable computer? Who gives a shit? Give us HL3 already.

 

[Yorick]

I wish Gabe would stop wasting time growing his beard and just work on Episode 3 already.

Hey hey hey. Be fair. Growing beards are never a waste of time.

 

[MFL]

I wonder if they would make their own controllers if a game called for it.

 

[Robbo]

That beard is ****ing terrible, shame on you all for encouraging it.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Gabe killed Santa Claus and has now been chosen to take his place at this years christmas run.

Wait a minute

Beard = Santa = Snow= Artic =Borealis= HL3

 

[Edeslash]

It's a sign. Christmas 2012 is the release date of EP3.

 

[Shem]

That beard is ****ing terrible, shame on you all for encouraging it.

Shame on you for believing we actually enjoyed looking at his half-assed attempt of a follicular masterpiece. If you want a real beard, try Marx. Or Engels.

Gabe killed Santa Claus and has now been chosen to take his place at this years christmas run.

Wait a minute

Beard = Santa = Snow= Artic =Borealis= HL3

GENIUS.

 

[Insano]

It is confirmed. Gabe is hinting at Episode 3 with the beard.

From the size I can extrapolate it will be released in Fall 2013.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

That beard is ****ing terrible, shame on you all for encouraging it.

Give him credit for trying. Though I could grow a better beard on my butt. Really the beard just makes him look old and haggard. pls shave Gayben

 

[tomemozok]

Ah,the conspiracy theories
Althou,Borealis could also be a reference to portal,just sayin