Counter-Strike Co-Creator Says Gabe Newell Got So Obsessed With Mongolian Throat Singing at Valve HQ That Staff Started Closing Their Office Doors to Escape the Noise
Counter-Strike co-creator Minh Le shared an amusing anecdote during an interview with game consultant Indie Game Joe about Gabe Newell’s peculiar workplace behavior at Valve. According to Le, Newell became so fascinated with Mongolian throat singing that he repeatedly practiced the vocal technique throughout Valve’s corporate offices, indulging his interest to an extent that disrupted the working environment.
Mongolian throat singing, known as Khöömei, is a vocal technique traditionally associated with the Tuvan people of a region in Russia located northwest of Mongolia. The practice involves producing multiple distinct pitches simultaneously, creating a distinctive, otherworldly sound characteristic of the region’s musical heritage.
Newell’s enthusiasm for the technique apparently became such a persistent distraction that Valve employees began proactively closing their office doors to escape the constant noise emanating from their CEO’s improvised practice sessions. The anecdote has since gone viral on social media, delighting the gaming community for its sheer absurdity and providing an entertaining glimpse into the eccentric personality of the Valve founder and the notably unusual culture that exists within one of gaming’s most influential companies.