Valve’s Gabe Newell prefers Xbox Series X over PlayStation 5

There are few game developers that are as mythical and legendary as Valve’s Gabe Newell. The man heads the company responsible for Steam, Half-Life, Portal, and Left 4 Dead. They’ve always chased exciting new hardware and software, pushing boundaries further and further. So when Newell gives his opinions on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, it’s worth listening to.

Newell went on New Zealand’s TV show, The Project, and revealed his take on the console war. When asked which he prefers, Gabe Newell answered Xbox Series X without question. When pressed for the reason why, it’s better he simply said: “Because it is.” The console is notably more powerful in the horsepower department, likely a big deciding factor for Newell.

“I don’t have a stake in that race, we do most of our development on personal computers but of the two, I would definitely go with the Xbox [Series X],” said Newell.

While the Xbox Series X had its big showcase last, it didn’t impress everyone. Many criticized Halo Infinite, the console’s marquee title, for having some dated visuals across the board. Others noted there just wasn’t enough to push them to buy the console at launch later this year.

Gabe Newell has been on lockdown in New Zealand since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While traveling around the time of Half-Life: Alyx’s launch in March, Newell made the choice to stay in New Zealand instead of travel all the way home. To thank the country for its hospitality, Newell has arranged for a free concert in August.

Speaking of Half-Life: Alyx, Valve also recently gave a behind-the-scenes look at the VR title which includes details of scrapped versions of Left 4 Dead 3 and Half-Life 3. On top of that, there’s hope inside Valve that they’ll be able to return to the beloved sci-fi series and finally make the fabled Half-Life 3 once and for all.