Message to Gabe Newell: Shut Up Already!

Submitted by Shane Whitehouse on October 12, 2007 – 12:26 am8 Comments

Gabe Newell talked to Edge Magazine the other day and started giving his long running opinion about how poor the PS3 is selling and spouting off such words of wisdom as, “Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits.”, and it’s, “a waste of everybody’s time”. Wonderful Gabe, glad to know for the 5,000th time that you hate the PS3 and its development kit. We know this. Maybe you could mix in a new story or two while you rip on the system.

Look, I am not a big fan of the PS3. I have stated that on several occasions, but I have normally made different points each time I have talked about it. But Gabe Newell just seems to go on and on about how bad the system is and how it is so difficult to bring the Source engine to fruition on the PS3.

But I am just getting tired of a man complaining about another company’s different approach to a device. Sony has tried to do something different and new. It is so new, that it is taking developers longer than they anticipated to fix it. But does that mean that Gabe Newell needs to open his mouth and disparage the PS3 every time he opens his mouth. It is almost as if he has some strange obsession with the machine.

But Gabe, while Sony is trying to innovate, you continue to make games based on the same franchise, and the only franchise that has really come out of Valve. Half-Life and its sequels are great games. Actually, they are fantastic games, but it is funny to see someone who has made their living off of one franchise for the last nine years. And the Source engine, which was so touted by Gabe Newell has become stagnant while other engines have flourished.

And the greatest part of all of this is that even with all that you have said about the PS3, you sure as hell aren’t willing to lose that chunk of revenue. Just don’t put out a PS3 version of the game if it is so difficult. Just skip it. Or are you just so hungry for money that you can’t for go the extra revenue stream. I would love to see the PS3 owners stick it to you and not buy one copy of your game, just to put all of your “hard work” down the crapper. It won’t happen, but I would love to get a video of that whole sequence in progress.

So Gabe, I am imploring you to just shut up. Yes, you hate the PS3. You despise it with all of your heart and soul. Great, but would you please turn the record over already. I am tired of hearing the static repeating itself (yes, anyone younger than 25 might have to look that reference up).

Tags: gabe newell, half life, PS3, Sony, valve

http://www.whoisbill.com Bill

Perhaps mr. Newell should ask anyone at Ninja Theory (heavenly sword), Insomniac (resistance fall of man, ratchet), ubisoft (haze), evolution (motorstorm), naughtydog (uncharted), and Guerrilla games ( killzone 2), how they were able to program for the ps3 and make their games look amazing, ( better then half-life at least).

I’m sorry but I have no sympathy for someone who complains that something is “hard”, if it’s too hard for you, then don’t develop for it, and let everyone else who has the talent do it instead. what a loser, and I’m definetly not buying this game.
Brent

By the looks of the picture it appears Mr. Newell is ordering a double cheeseburger, with some fries, milkshake, and a pie. And I do belive he’ll be wanting that super-sized!
http://eklipse.net Mike

The other issue I have with Mr Newell is his two-facedness.

From the Next Generation article (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510&Itemid=2ration) Gabe Newell stated:

“Most of the problems of getting these systems running on these multicore processors are not solved. They are doctoral theses, not known implementation problems. So it’s not even clear that over the lifespan of these next generation systems that they will be solved problems. The amount of time it takes to get a good multicore engine running, the Xbox 360 might not even be on the market any longer. That should scare the crap out of everybody.”

Then Valve went and delivered their OWN DEVELOPED multi-core development environment. Clearly it just sounds like he learned how to program in the 70s and has no idea about new technologies. I stopped caring about Gabe’s opinion and voice when that occurred.

I can’t wait for them (Valve) to drop an awesome game on the PS3 and Gabe to turn around and say, “Having all the power under there is awesome. I have one SPE that just performs calculations for audio reflection, so that’s how we have the realistic sounds. Then there’s a couple handling our physics. So in real-time I can perform model deformation without having predefined static renderings.”

Also, I’d love to know how big that wagon is. It seems a bunch developers just loves jumping on it: The-PS3-Is-Hard/Bad/Ugly bandwagon.
Willey

“Sony has tried to do something different and new. It is so new, that it is taking developers longer than they anticipated to fix it.”

It shouldn’t be a game devloper’s job to “fix” a console, and make it work.

The multi-core software that valve developed was based on the current cpu configurations, just with more cores. The “cell” and it’s configuration is completely new arcitecture, and programming techniques. I don’t see how this could be “two faced”. It’s like valve developed a more powerful mustang car to drive, and showed that off, a more powerful version of older technology, but the same programming principles apply. Sony has handed them an alien driving vehicle, and said “hey, break the land speed record with this completely alien vehicle in 1 month. Oh, and we’re keeping the owners manual.”

He’s only bitching about sony’s lack of support for the developers. Sony seems to ship out people specifically for people like Guerilla games (you know they were watching over the development of that game so much, it could almost be called a sony game). But any developer who has the audacity to develop a “multi-platform” game, sorry suckers, you’re on your own. Funny how Bill lists only games that are ps3 exclusives.

Oh, but he’s SOooofat… so it’s ok to disregard his statements.

Did I go to sonydefenseforce this morning on accident?
Mal F4ction

Well, he may have not wanted to bring the game to the PS3, but EA does. EA has a team porting it. Maybe he is pissed because they constantly call him for support because they can’t do something, I don’t know, but the point is it wasn’t his decision.

Half-Life 2 was ported to the xbox, and he said they couldn’t port it to the PS2.
http://eklipse.net Mike

The two-faced was not because of PS3, but from that incident alone. When a company comes out and says “OMG! This will never happen and is the wrong way to do things.” then turns around 3-4 months later and comes out in support of that feature and even PRAISES it, then that’s two-faced.

I wasn’t directly relating today’s interview with previous, but rather implying that he has a record for saying one thing then turning around doing just the opposite.
Willey

“”"OMG! This will never happen and is the wrong way to do things.” then turns around 3-4 months later and comes out in support of that feature and even PRAISES it, then that’s two-faced.
“”

Gabe or Valve has always said the “cell” architecture is the wrong way to do things. Multiprocessors are not the same as the “cell”!! Valve supports multi-processor development, not the cell. There is a distinct difference.

If you can show me two quotes from gabe saying “Cell good” vs. “cell bad”, i’ll get your point, otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.
Petr

“Half-Life is the only franchise that has really come out of Valve?”

Was this joke? Portal is one of the most innovative games in last few years. Also, their multiplayer games are very innovative, including TF2 (in visual style, at least).

I am not saying he is right, actualy, I don’t think so. All I think is that everyone have right to say opinion. And yeah, I am big fan of Valve. And PS3, by the way!