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Gabe Newell is to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’s Hall of Fame.
Newell will be the 17th inductee to the academy’s hall of fame, and is being recognised for his leadership in founding and managing Valve, the creator of the Source game engine, Steam and award-winning franchises, such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike.
The AIAS Hall of Fame honour is bestowed on game creators who have been instrumental in the development of highly influential games and moving a particular genre forward.
The 2013 Hall of Fame Award will be presented to Newell by Epic Games president Dr Michael Capps, who serves on the AIAS board of directors and the AIAS awards committee, at the 16th DICE Awards on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas.
Past AIAS Hall of Fame recipients include: Tim Sweeney (2012), Dr Greg Zeschuk and Dr Ray Muzyka (2011), Mark Cerny (2010) and Bruce Shelley (2009).
“Gabe is one of the most cherished and respected figures in the industry not only for his technological innovations in advancing many of today’s highly successful video games, but also for his unique stance towards leadership and management,” said Martin Rae, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
“Gabe’s vision for the interactive industry has created lasting effects that have completely reshaped this generation’s digital distribution model, paving the way for independent developers and creating an invaluable service for consumers. It is a great honor to have Gabe inducted into the Academy’s Hall of Fame.”
Capps adds: “Gabe is a living legend of the video games industry, and his relentless focus on customer experience has made our whole industry a better place. Valve’s unconventional success is an inspiration for us all, and I couldn’t be more pleased to present Gabe’s Hall of Fame award.”
Valve’s debut title, Half-Life, released in 1998, earned over 50 game of the year awards. The studio’s portfolio of games, which includes Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, Left 4 Dead, Portal and Team Fortress, accounts for over 70 million retail units sold worldwide. In addition, Valve’s Steam platform has over 50 million accounts.
