Gabe Newell talks 'DOTA 2', 'Counter-Strike: GO's' beta and 'Half-Life'

Gabe Newell talks Valve.

We ran a couple of stories this morning drawn from SevenDayCooldown's wide-ranging interview with Valve head-honcho Gabe Newell in partnership with the podcast.

The nearly hour-long podcast is live now if you're interesting in hearing Newell talk through all of the details of how DOTA 2 will be free-to-play but different. He also chats quite a bit about their upcoming shooter Counter-Strike:Global Offensive, jokes (we think) about Ricochet 2 development and even answers some Half-Life questions.

Before you get too excited, the questions are more about narrative and character development across the series' games. Literature geeks like us love this stuff, but if you're just looking for Half-Life 3 details, don't get your hopes up.

7DCD's Jack Inacker also followed up with us to let us know that following the podcast interview Newell told them that the CS:GO SDK will be in beta in about a week.

Now go, listen, chuckle and stroke your chin thoughtfully.