Is Gabe Newell really hand-delivering the new Steam Deck?

Fariha Bhatti Published 28/02/2022

It seems like Santa has arrived earlier for PC gaming enthusiasts. Gabe Newell has reportedly been sighted hand-delivering the new Steam Deck to buyers.

The lord of all things Steam, Gabe Newell, is sometimes not as much in touch with the community as fans would like him to be. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans have complained many times about his absence at major events. However, he seems to have taken a specific interest in Steam Deck buyers. 

Everyone’s jaw’s dropped to the floor when players reported that Gabe was delivering Steam Deck at the doorsteps. 

“Saw a camera crew going up to my neighbor’s house while I was loading stuff into my truck. My roommate recognized the guy being followed as Gaben, I didn’t believe him. Our other roommate then verified it was indeed Gabe,” Reddit user SeattleRainPidgeons reported. 

It was difficult for users to believe these social media posts as Gabe Newell has rarely been seen in the flesh even at big gaming events. But it’s possible that these people aren’t kidding. 

Is Gabe Newell hand-delivering Steam Deck?

The only source is social media posts, but it could be possible that Gabe Newell is actually dropping the pre-order Steam Deck packages at doorsteps. So far, two players have reported that Valve’s co-founder delivered the package at their home, and one of them has an image to support the claim. 

The picture has been taken from the security camera so the image is blurry. But the courier sure looked like Gaben. According to bitfiddler0, they live near Valve headquarters in the state of Washington, so it makes sense how he might be so lucky as to receive a delivery directly from Newell. This exclusive delivery is likely only limited to buyers in Seattle. 

Gabe Newell may actually be up to something as part of a Steam Deck marketing campaign. According to both the Reddit users, the Valve CEO had a crew behind him filming him dropping the package. So it’s likely for video footage that may be released soon. Some of those who placed orders won’t the get Steam Deck any time quickly, as the handheld PC was officially launched on February 25. So Valve still has plenty of time to roll out promotional content related to the deck. 

According to one person, the Valve CEO gave a few decks away for free when he was recognized. It’s worth noting that the Steam Deck is priced at $399, which is a hefty price tag. There’s no other reason to explain the camera crew and Gaben driving to people’s homes to distribute pricey Steam Deck beyond a promotional opportunity. Fans now eagerly await the presumed video, or even Gabe Newell knocking on their doors with an expensive package in hand. 

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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