ESA to honour Valve’s Gabe Newell at charity event

Valve MD Gabe Newell is to be named the 2012 Entertainment Software Association Champion Honouree at a charity event later this month.

Newell is to be recognised at Nite to Unite for using his “technological creativity in interactive entertainment” to help teachers access new learning software and supporting the development of problem-solving skills in students.

Areas Newell and Valve are credited with enhancing skills includie physics, mathematics and language arts – which partly came about from a partnership with the US Department of Education to bring Portal into the classroom.

“Gabe is a visionary innovator for our industry, and his success has broadened the industry for gamers and game creators alike,” said ESA CEO Mike Gallagher.

“He has brought that same tenacity to working with schools and students, expanding access to digital learning while demonstrating that a commitment to positive social impact and leadership in business go hand-in-hand.”

Nite to Unite is an annual event hosted by the Entertainment Software Association Foundation – a US trade organisation representing the games industry – and is designed to raise money for charity.

Previous honourees at the event include Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime, former Microsoft Entertainment and devices division president Robbie Bach and Star Wars creator George Lucas.