10 Video Game Developer In-Jokes You Totally Missed
1. Gabe Newell Room - Half-Life (1998)
From both a gameplay and a storytelling perspective, Valve's magnum opus, Half-Life, was an unprecedented step forward for the entire world of gaming. When you think about it, there was always going to be more to this masterpiece than meets the eye.
Those familiar with Valve will no doubt also be familiar with its CEO, Gabe Newell, as the two names are practically interchangeable. The man the gaming community has dubbed Gaben is responsible for some of the most influential games of the 21st century, including Portal, Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2.
So, then, wouldn't it be fitting to have a secret pitch-black room tiled with a repeated image of his face hidden away in the original Half-Life? ...Yeah, I'm not sure either.
It's there, though, and all it takes is a handy noclip cheat to reach. Once in there, you'll have to use the torch to see anything, and even then, all you'll see, in every direction, is an endless, grinning Gaben...
Clearly, it must have been a slow day for someone at Valve. But as elusive of an in-joke it is, we thank you, bored developer, for giving us both a hearty laugh and the fright of our lives.