10 Most Influential Creators In Modern Video Games

4. Gabe Newell

You'd be hard-pressed to find any player in the PC community who doesn't love Valve's original games. Left 4 Dead was a 4-player co-op bloodbath that was a ton of fun, Portal was an inventive puzzler with hilarious wit and Half-Life remains one of the greatest single-player experiences of all time. It's safe to say the man who made all these superb titles is a phenomenal game designer, but he may also be one of the greatest business minds of the 21st century as well.

Whilst Gabe Newell's approach to PC gaming was monumentally influential in itself, whats also notable is that the developer created one of the biggest communities in the history of gaming.

Steam has quickly become the home of the PC enthusiast, and with Newell boasting both some of the greatest titles of the modern era as well as a platform that's quickly surpassing the likes of Microsoft and Sony, it's clear to see how influential he's become over recent years.

With many newer titles following the formulas he established in his prior games, it's clear to see that Newell will be a name remembered long into the future. The only thing that could make him more famous now is if he finally gave us Half-Life 3... come on Gabe. I asked nicely.

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Part-time freelance media journalist, full-time massive nerd. Hit me up on Twitter so I can systematically convince you that Shadow Of The Colossus is the greatest game ever made.