Updated: Gabe Newell's Lack of Poker Skills Lost Him Gearbox Name

[ProfessorLayton]

That's actually a really interesting story. Valve is a much cooler name, anyway.

 

[not a zaar]

Sounds like Gabe really wanted that name. Too bad he couldn't muscle it away from Pitchford's skill and luck.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

Now I want to know what caused them to decide SOURCE should be the name of their delivery system and STEAM should be the name of the engine. It's totally backwards!

 

[FloodOne]

Great story.

I like Gearbox's name way better than Valve's, but Valve makes the better games.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Huh, there's something I never would have guessed.

 

[ohgodalex]

Wow.

There's not much I can say to that. It's fascinating, in a strange sort of way.

 

[HomeAliveIn45]

It's like a story Mark Twain would tell

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

hmmm...are there any normal stories behind studio names?!

 

[Leroy Frederick]

I wonder what Steam would be called if Gabe won.

Screw

 

[Lord Thodin]

Never heard of Gearbox to be honest, so GJ Gabe Newell for making vavle a cooler name than Gearbox

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

That story is awesome. I like the name Valve more than Gearbox anyway.

 

[bob-2000]

that's hilarious. I'd say that Valve is a better name, although Gearbox is pretty epic...

 

[j0z]

Awesome story, but I like VALVe better than Gearbox.
Gearbox fanboy? Just isn't as catchy as Valve fanboy.

 

[nova18]

Quite possibly that is the most legendary story I have ever heard. All that was missing was a hooker.

You kidding me?
This is Gabe Newell and Randy Pitchford, they probably had an ARMY of hookers.
Which leads to Newells story about the inspiration for headcrabs...

 

[Strategia]

"The story begins when, and don't ask me what led to this, Gabe Newell and I were in New Orleans together and we decided to get on one of those river boats to cross the river"

I love how random that sounds. "So I was - don't ask me how - having lunch with Shigeru Miyamoto and Barack Obama in a hot air balloon, when we decided to head to France....."

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

That has to be the coolest name origin story ever. I think steam would be called... like... clockwork or something...

 

[The Shade]

What to do, then? What else would you do on a New Orleans riverboat when you have to settle a score?

Have a party with me and my cajun queen?

Cocaine kisses, and moonshine misses. That's the life for me.

 

[Spucktier]

Quite possibly that is the most legendary story I have ever heard. All that was missing was a hooker.

You kidding me?
This is Gabe Newell and Randy Pitchford, they probably had an ARMY of hookers.
Which leads to Newells story about the inspiration for headcrabs...

Did you just have to bring this to the equation? Now there's a naked Gabe with a hooker on his face locked into my head and I can't get it out (>.<)
So, when Lamarr is a pet-headcrab at HL, do they have pet-hookers at Valve too?

 

[paketep]

Doubt it.

 

[Captain Pancake]

Hey, I'd settle for being Valve any day.

same here.

Hey, this is the internet. You can't just go around saying "This->" to other people's comments. The internet is reserved for original ideas and creativity.

*Sigh* IF you really want me to stretch my brain, then okay...

The point i'm making is that valve sounds much cooler to me than gearbox, though that's probably more to do with valve's reputation than anything else. You can see the similarities in the names though, both rather mechanically oriented, am i right? Anyway, I'm sure Gearbox had a hand in the half life expansion opposing force.

That elaborate enough for you?