Players recently discovered Gabe Newell's name in a long-overlooked credits list for Windows 1.0, providing direct evidence of his involvement in Microsoft's early Windows development. This period of employment at Microsoft has long been known; the new discovery is limited to this documentary evidence.
Gabe Newell joined Microsoft in 1983, about two years before the first version of Windows launched in November 1985. He worked at Microsoft for about 13 years, contributing to the first three versions of Windows, until he left in 1996 to co-found Valve with Mike Harrington.
This list also debunks a popular joke that lacked a timeline basis. It was once claimed that Newell left Microsoft before the release of Windows 3.0, leading to the rumor that he "feared the number 3" and therefore would never make Half-Life 3. However, Windows 3.0 was released as early as 1990, while Newell didn't leave until six years later. During his time at Microsoft, he also worked on the Windows port of Doom to prove that the system wasn't just suitable for office software.
After leaving Microsoft, Newell's relationship with his former employer gradually became complicated. He criticized Windows 8 in 2012, and since then Valve has continued to invest in Steam for Linux, SteamOS, Proton, and the Steam Deck.