“Work, scuba dive, work a bit more, then dive again or hit the gym”: Valve CEO Gabe Newell Talks Life on a Yacht

[nihalsari]

️ Gabe Newell, the co-founder and CEO of Valve, shared a rare glimpse into his daily routine — and yes, it involves working from a yacht.

The interview was given to a small YouTube channel with only a few hundred subscribers, but Valve employees confirmed its authenticity to PC Gamer. The full interview is set to be released on July 21, 2025, but a few YouTube Shorts have already been posted.

️ Here’s what Gabe says about his day:

“I get up, I work, I scuba dive, I work some more, then I either go on a second dive or hit the gym. Then I go back to work.”

He adds that he works from the bedroom onboard his yacht, and enjoys it so much that it doesn’t feel like work at all.

“I work seven days a week — right from my bedroom. I love it. It’s fun. It doesn’t feel like a job.”

Despite calling himself retired, Gabe says he keeps busy with what genuinely interests him:

“I’m always working, but it’s not like, ‘Oh no, I’m burning the midnight oil.’ It’s more like, ‘I can’t sleep because I’m having too much fun.’”

About Gabe Newell:

CEO & Co-founder of Valve, creators of Half-Life, Portal, and Dota, and owners of Steam

Net worth estimated at $9.5 billion as of 2025 (Forbes)

[Nahid Hossen]

Clarity & Structure – The post is well-structured and presents Gabe Newell’s routine in an engaging manner. The use of emojis and code blocks for quotes enhances visual appeal while maintaining readability.

[Rimon Khan]

Authenticity & Source – Since the interview is from a small YouTube channel, it’s great that Valve employees confirmed its legitimacy. However, it might help to briefly mention why this interview is rare to emphasize its significance.

[Maxwell]

Gabe Newell’s “retirement” sounds like a perfect blend of passion and luxury. Working from a yacht, diving between tasks, and building the future of gaming from his bedroom? Iconic

[alex]

Gabe’s routine shows how deeply purpose-driven work can blur the lines between work and play. When you love what you do, it becomes part of who you are.

[Nahiar806]

It’s wild to think the mind behind some of gaming’s most legendary titles now codes and strategizes post-scuba dive. The man truly earned every bit of that $9.5B net worth.