Support us on Patreon to keep GamingOnLinux alive. This ensures all of our main content remains free for everyone. Just good, fresh content! Alternatively, you can donate through PayPal. You can also buy games using our partner links for GOG and Humble Store.
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

As we mentioned earlier this month, Valve president Gabe Newell teamed up with Rocket Lab and Weta Workshop to attach Half-Life gaming icon Gnome Chompski to a rocket. Why the Gnome? It's Valve being playful with a famous Half-Life 2: Episode Two Steam Achievement "Little Rocket Man" where you send a garden gnome into space.

Valve mentioned that everyone who watched it live or within 24 hours of launch, Newell would be donating one dollar to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Starship following his time spent in New Zealand as he was looking for "a way to help the economy and the community that sheltered him".

The launch happened at around 02:22 UTC today (November 20, 2020) which you can watch below if you're interested. If you want to just see the launch, it's at around 30 minutes into the video.

YouTube Thumbnail
YouTube videos require cookies, you must accept their cookies to view. View cookie preferences.
Accept Cookies & Show   Direct Link

You have until November 21, 02:20 UTC to watch it and make Newell hand over some cash. Why not? It's for a good cause and Newell likely has a ridiculous amount of monies considering how lucrative Steam is as a platform with it practically printing money. The little achievement pop ups on the video was a nice touch.

Additionally, as an idea to commemorate the occasion Left 4 Dead 2, Half-Life 2 and Half-Life: Alyx all gained a "Gnome Alone" achievement.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Charity, Misc, Valve, Video
21 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
5 comments

dpanter Nov 20, 2020
The original Little Rocket Man.
scaine Nov 20, 2020
View PC info
  • Contributing Editor
  • Mega Supporter
Loved the achievement pop up at 8:55. I'm surprised that Rocket Lab didn't spring for professional presenters though! They did a good enough job, but it's weird seeing such a cool space launch marred with long silences and little speech errors when clearly reading from a script! Night and day from the SpaceX launches!

Very cool though.
logge Nov 20, 2020
Quoting: scaineLoved the achievement pop up at 8:55. I'm surprised that Rocket Lab didn't spring for professional presenters though! They did a good enough job, but it's weird seeing such a cool space launch marred with long silences and little speech errors when clearly reading from a script! Night and day from the SpaceX launches!

Very cool though.
I loved it. Makes it so authentic, nerdy and cool
WorMzy Nov 20, 2020
Now I only have 96% of HL2:E2 achievements. :P
Jollt Nov 20, 2020
Hahah the Gnome camera on space was cool to see
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.