Minh Le, one of the original co-creators of Counter-Strike, has shared a peculiar anecdote about Valve co-founder Gabe Newell's past fascination with Mongolian throat singing. During an interview with game consultant Indie Game Joe, Le detailed how Newell became so engrossed with the vocal technique that he practiced it throughout Valve's offices for approximately five months.
Le explained that Newell had watched a documentary on throat singing, a practice known in Tuvan culture as Khöömei, which involves producing multiple notes simultaneously through circular breathing. Newell's enthusiasm led him to practice this technique while walking through the company halls. According to Le, this daily practice became a source of annoyance for many employees, who resorted to closing their office doors to escape the persistent noise.
This account aligns with mentions from other Valve veterans. In a documentary celebrating Half-Life 2's 20th anniversary, senior developer Charlie Brown recalled the office environment, noting that while staff were often engaged in various activities, "Gabe was Tuvan throat singing."
Newell's interest in throat singing was even incorporated into a skit in the Dota 2 Mega-Kills Announcement Pack video on YouTube, where he is seen warming up in a sound booth. The story has since sparked numerous jokes and memes online, with fans affectionately dubbing him "Gabe-is Khan" and humorously suggesting he "yearns for the steppe."
This amusing tale follows recent news of Newell purchasing a $70.8 million mansion in Florida, complete with an underground tunnel.