Everyone has their favourite (and most hated) game developers. Sometimes a developer wins you over with the quality of their games alone, but sometimes it’s their attitude, approach or dealings with you as part of the community that makes you a fan.

Valve is a favourite for many as a company that does both. Frequently Valve does things that just make you go “that’s really cool”, and you can’t help but like the developer that much more.

Recently, two “protestors” showed up outside Valve HQ in Seattle, with witty cardboard signs demanding information about Half Life: Episode 3. Instead of being politely ushered away by security, they were greeted by none other than Valve big cheese Gabe Newell himself, given cooldrinks and pizza, and invited in for a tour of the place.

They ended up playing DOTA 2, and only left two days later. When asked about Episode 3 regarding the incident,  Gabe replied, “No, we don’t have anything,” he said. “If the the protesters couldn’t get it out of us…”
Gabe did however throw down the gauntlet when asked how many protestors it would take, saying, “I don’t know, but if they’d like to come out we could find out.”

Now you tell me Valve isn’t the coolest. Here’s a picture of Gabe and the guys, but we’re going to need a lot more before we can get our Episode 3 info. Come on people, I hear Seattle is lovely this time of year.