Gaming's Mystery Man: Who Is "The Valve Guy"? | Bronze

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[@JustinLesamiz]

I can help with some of this. The newer logo (since 2012) is not the same guy as the previous bald guy they found on the street. The head that turns was a Valve employee named Arsenio Navarro. We worked in the same office for years and even played music together a time or two. My understanding is the he got the gig specifically because they couldn't find the previous guy. I think he had a number of roles at Valve, but I primarily recall him running the merch store and making arrangements with licensees, etc. His head is just as gloriously bald is it seems to be. I am 100% sure it was him and have heard him mention it. I think he was/is very proud of it. As for my credentials, I was a Valve employee from 2007 to 2018. Arsenio has also since moved on from Valve as well.

[@BronzeShow]

This is great information, thank you for sharing it! I had seen Arsenio's name a couple times during research, but it was always a pet theory that wasn't corroborated until now.

[@emmetkunzle897]

Damn that's amazing.

[@enriquedutra2790]

that's incredible!

[@TheRadioactiveMaster]

when is half life 3 coming out?

[@-DeeKay-]

Cool that part of the puzzle was solved 12 hours ago and I get this video suggested right away. :)

[@glmedsf]

Valve's aesthetic is so early 2000's, I love it.

[@andre1dewilbert]

Cause it began in the early 2000s

[@REXae86]

@@andre1dewilbert 90s

[@andre1dewilbert]

@@REXae86 late 90's i believe

[@JiyakuBuraku]

@@andre1dewilbert late early 90s 2000s

[@ykwtfgo]

thats because 90 percent of all their games are from 1998 to 2012, basically just 10 out of 14 of those years in the 2000s

[@jamesortiz6312]

The Valve logo never really struck me as unnerving or creepy, rather, I just felt it was cool and mysterious. Back when I was about 12 and Portal 2 came out I don't recall the head turning logo doing much to disturb me either. Either way it sticks in your mind for sure, they created an iconic logo and you don't always find that with developers.

[@bl4ckrabb1t]

If you played older Valve games you'd know it was originally a still image, and seeing it move would scare you, well, at least most people were

[@UnturnedClips41]

when i was 8 i used a windows 10 laptop to run portal 2 on my brothers account and the logo tramatized me for about 2 years

[@UntalentedBrick]

Daniel Diaz maybe that was your brothers way to stop you from touching his damn PC again.

[@Ale-kc9pq]

For me it is a sign of quality

[@Charlie86RC]

it’s coach

[@purplehaze2358]

I wonder if whoever Mr. Valve was played by is even aware that he’s one of the biggest mysteries in gaming brand iconography.

[@Autumn_GS]

Dr. Bright what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at [REDACTED]?

[@hehehaa839]

@@Autumn_GS wate yah what are you doing here?

[@idoscoveredbass9729]

secure contain protect

[@EndlessChaosWasTaken]

Can we have a staring contest with scp 173

[@idoscoveredbass9729]

@@EndlessChaosWasTaken no thanks I don't want my neck snapped by a peanut 🥜

[@yurikovRUKR762]

Black Homeless guy: *Exist* Black Bald guy: *also exist* Valve: Today's the day, your career starts here

[@McBeren66]

bruh

[@cementchewer]

bruh

[@Flamer3]

Bruh

[@BonnieBunny118]

Bro

[@Kazperh]

Bro

[@Virtual_C_]

I think this is kinda sad. Forever immortalized yet forgotten. I'd really like to know who these guys were. They are so iconic. Valve's intros have always given me chills especially the Bald Guy turning around. This why you should always tie images, on the front or back, with fine print filled with the names and year...Or in the Meta data of a digital image

[@solar9137]

i agree

[@woolchipmunk]

the bald guy turning around was apparently a valve employee named Arsenio according to the top comment

[@content_static]

@@woolchipmunk i thought it was heavy or coach

[@CrashHeadroom]

So sad that you have even forgotten he isn't the first valve guy, but a lump of mass installed later for "modern audiences" lol Original valve guy looked like gordon freeman and the valve was in his eye, the FAYT one sucks, sucked back then and it still sucks now. bring back original valve guy.

[@FallenLight0]

Arsenio Navarro

[@joezcool]

this guy is like a bronze-tier Scott the Woz, and I mean that in the best way possible. cool video, underrated

[@BronzeShow]

Bronze tier is the best tier

[@dehydrated1]

@@BronzeShow what is your accent

[@UntalentedBrick]

2:20 this is something that Scott -might- will say

[@crazisaturn2274]

@@UntalentedBrick Yo! It does!

[@ZOMLUVER]

Bronze Age was kept Humans on top

[@carlosmartinezdelasen105]

fun fact, the demoman has a patch in his left eye, Mr. Valve has a valve in his left eye

[@Bloxed]

A Valve in the eye should be a Demo cosmetic.

[@DunceDude]

@@Bloxed Good idea

[@maxbjork9787]

OH MY GOD DEMOMAN IS MR.VALVE!

[@egeparlak8004]

*Right Behind You plays*

[@SonicMaster519]

@@egeparlak8004 Valve Guy could be in this very room! It could be you, it could be me, it could even be De-

[@distortedjams]

When I first saw that logo move in Portal 2 I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I had been used to seeing it still for YEARS. You captured describing the feeling perfectly.

[@bland9876]

I want to say that I have seen it not move before but I'm so used to it now that I don't remember. I think that it moving fits the creepy vibe of the half-life and portal games. Left 4 dead is not scary like the first Doom games before 64 kinda was scary and Doom 3 definitely was.

[@SleepyFreesia]

This guy is very underrated

[@BronzeShow]

I know right

[@tttbone8216]

69 likes

[@SleepyFreesia]

@@tttbone8216 yes very funny number

[@tttbone8216]

Dahm I its 70 now

[@SleepyFreesia]

@@tttbone8216 rip

[@concretel10n]

I always kinda pictured the valve as turning on the tap for ideas to come out instead of water

[@BEACH.LUVER101]

Same, opening the Valve of ideas.

[@urbainleverrier1]

The concept for the two valve guys are named "Open Your Eyes" and "Open Your Mind" so you're right

[@bipinnambiar]

Red valves are rated for steam

[@NecroBurt]

Man, Eli can’t catch a break. From being killed to his voice actor dying to his model being a literal homeless man.

[@gaybowser4522]

G-Man: “I’m the most mysterious figure in Valve’s games!” Valve Guy: (Hazardous Environments, Half Life OST)

[@32KZ]

watched this video, and assumed it was the run of the mill, deep dive video with like 100k+ views, safe to say my faith in all content creator's video quality has been revived. good job.

[@solar9137]

i must agree

[@snaykeoffline3726]

Dude you need to be seen more you put a lot of effort into these videos

[@buffruff7872]

COLENEL, IVE INFILTRATED SHADOW MOSES

[@lordofmemes6535]

This guy gives me 2009-2013 KZbin vibes, imma stay here

[@luckyperga]

Awesome video man. I found u through reddit.

[@BronzeShow]

My target demographic, thank you

[@denrico777]

Same

[@user-ir4zw1zc1g]

got jumpscared by the face💀

[@jod422]

I played a really old version of portal 2 when I was a kid, and the logo didn’t move on it, so when I repurchased it on steam a couple years ago I got the shit scared out of me lol

[@1Subversion1]

Really great video! Well edited, and well put together! I didn't know that much about the valve guy until this vid, thanks! It's probably the coolest logo ever in my opinion.

[@johnthemannn]

ikr its a great logo

[@G0tenk0enig]

this is such an amazing essay. keep it up bro

[@aaronholmes8568]

I was 15 when Half Life came out and it was the turning point for me as far as gaming is concerned. It is still one of my favourite games. That image and the music from the startup are engrained in my memory.

[@1ch0r41]

The lack of comments insulting your speech impediment is actually surprising for the internet. Nice video dude keep it up and hopefully you get big.

[@BronzeShow]

You haven't scrolled down far enough lol

[@TheRealKaYnE]

@@BronzeShow 😂

[@mrosskne]

@@BronzeShow They're just jealous that your voice is way more interesting than theirs

[@jtonthatrack3984]

@@BronzeShow the dope content far outweighs that one small thing 🤘🏻

[@sumansaha295]

what the.. i didn’t even notice it until you pointed it out.

[@terrylodge4846]

This scared the crap outta me in VR at the start of half life Alyx. The way he turns ever so slightly then it fades just as you are on the verge of seeing facial features.

[@3000deaths1]

It's edp, mystery solved. He only wanted a cupcake, but got a photo shoot instead. Some may say, he got a mug shot...

[@acolossalangrybook3169]

no, it is hank schrader

[@yazidefirenze]

@@acolossalangrybook3169 My friends call me Coach.

[@TheEpicFlyer]

Definitely EDP!!1😊

[@Squiggy1000]

Found you through tiktok, love the video man. Keep up the great work.

[@ajedd]

Bro you used a Ratchet & Clank soundtrack while talking about interesting stuff about half life and valve while mentionning fight or flight response, I'm subbing, periodt.

[@xtb8569]

I could just remember those times where I would be loading up L4D2 and just see the valve guy and it always gave the creeps

[@dominozaur98]

Now imagine seeing this logo in VR (Half Life Alyx) for the first time. but that gut is the size of the building. It's even more creepy.

[@Kazperh]

@@dominozaur98 IIRC there is a half life 2 mod called Half Life: Update or something around that name, but in the bootup screen the valve man turns his head all the way.

[@xtb8569]

@@WarHelmetCombine The one man cheeseburger apocalypse was behind it all along.

[@Iregretjellydonnaslayer1391]

I have l4d2 in right now!

[@troxical3341]

@@WarHelmetCombine maybe

[@menzoberranzam]

The valve intro logo always gave me that sensation that... You are going into something special. This is not just a regular game. This is an epic game.

[@taurusdengaming4586]

Love it. Subbed! One of the best part of going back to play the half life games is viewing the intro 👌👌

[@gevelegian]

Awesome video, it feels so surreal to finally get an explanation for this. I love these types of videos!

[@ThatOneGuyTaylor]

Amazing video, your channel deserves more views!

[@Cj02002]

Even though coach from lfd2 wasn't there at that time it kind of looks like him. There are most of the same attributes as they are both black and bald and also have the same shaped head.

[@raultodor9227]

I really liked your video! This was a mystery to me too. I always wondered who those guys were in the logo. Thank you for taking your time to investigate and explain everything. Thumbs up!

[@victoryguard]

That was a good video. Informative, and I found your sentencing to be calm and concise. Keep it up!

[@cgbreeki849]

So the bald guy is just a picture... how did they make him turn his head later on? That would be ridiculously good CGI for 2011

[@lm9029]

I guess they originally took more angles and didnt use them untill Portal 2

[@JustinLesamiz]

It's a different guy. The second one is a guy named Arsenio. Source: I worked at Valve for 11 years and knew Arsenio pretty well.

[@KIgaming.]

@@JustinLesamiz Been wondering this for ages, thanks!

[@shredz3327]

@@JustinLesamiz always knew it was a different guy, headshape & skin tone are different

[@theinventiveidiot]

The only way I could possibly see these getting solved would be if the models came forward, which is incredibly unlikely as we don't know if they are even alive anymore, and proving such claim aoukd be difficult unless the entire full photoshoot sets were released into the public. (I assume they took a couple photos each during the photoshoot.)

[@jestonxi6391]

Seeing as valve literally put their face/body with valves own logo which legally speak they would have given consent to valve somehow id imagine, some contract with their names to keep valve from being sued in the future, if they didn't do that then both, probably died before valve got big thus escaping having to compensate the two. So either they died or valves has old paperwork with consent to use their likeness

[@SummonerArthur]

Nah, you just have to look around for a bald guy with a valve on its head, there shouldnt be many of these around /j

[@ericpeterson2960]

It also really set the tone for the games with a simple sounds of a plucked (guitar string) with a lot of reverb and an eerie character

[@antontribelgorn3641]

This is my first time watching one of your videos, you straight up became a different person when the light was turned on

[@Alorand]

I bet they just grabbed the first guy off the street who had a valve coming out of their head...

[@aaronarraez1618]

Kinda crazy that one of the most iconic company’s logo ever in gaming history is from a random guy they’ve found on the streets

[@skipperc4967]

This really well done, I like the deep dive, great video man!

[@grey1185]

I was genuinely surprised by this video. Very well done on it. As a kid i was always curious on valve guy. As it always made these games stand out. Especially going from console for the first time, onto TF2 when it was new. Seeing the valve guy was ominous, and hooked me on oc gaming.

[@EddyOver9000]

I remember when I was 11 when I first saw the valve bald guy logo I wasn’t disturbed but rather thought it was hilarious and was laughing so bad lmao. I thought it was funny that there was a valve on a bald head for no apparent reason 😂

[@Mono_Might]

Great video! I love how you were referencing The Gamer From Mars at the beginning with the flashlight.

[@MattVidPro]

Great video! This exactly how I would attack creating a video like this. Good work!!!!!!

[@Shahzad-Khan]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one. This was probably one of the first times in my life I truly witnessed fight or flight associated with the "uncanny valley effect" and I think that's why it's rooted in my core memory.

[@ryanoberfranc9664]

I had a dream one night that i booted up half life and the man was lying on the ground with a hole where the valve was, then after rebooting the game there was only a blood trail and scrape marks from a metal object being drug across the ground. Valve should use this because it scared the shit out of me pretty good.

[@F0ski]

When the Valve guy would turn his head, I'd normally alt tab to hide it cause it used to scare me 😂

[@ORIONVIIXI]

I think u could skip it with the launch options or just pressing enter

[@ed-uh9sh]

how the fuck did you managed to alt tab off a source game?

[@superalt513]

@@ORIONVIIXI yeah, I do that with every valve game I have.

[@noahtuttle9007]

Used to do that when I was 10

[@Terracosm]

alt tabbing out of a source game is even scarier

[@buyableending9564]

I remember seeing the moving valve logo for the first time, i had seen the still valve guy many MANY times, but the first time he turned towards the camera, my hair litterally stood up and shook me. Great times lol

[@lutfinest]

this video is narratively well written, im glad to discovered your channel.

[@AG5_]

I cant tell if this guy is the perfect irl nerd or doing one of the best personas I’ve ever seen without it being annoying and instead being fully endearing in it

[@jameswatson5807]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 he does look and sound like your steotypical nerd.

[@pudinkeviar4151]

he rly said: 👁️👄👁️

[@JoBot__]

True, I really like him ^-^

[@valzalel5203]

🥸

[@TheMultiGamerOfficial]

He deadass has the most cartoonish-looking glasses, my god.

[@teemou9703]

Imagine valve actually putted a valve in this guy’s head

[@yourcordialvermillionchapw2398]

Unwinding it might trigger something like you trigger one of the old fashioned toys that has a 🔑 in the back and you turn it... ... 💡 You know that actually gives me an idea.

[@kovacthesaggy4014]

Engie probably had a hand in that.

[@kitsunekurisumusic]

They did

[@theinventiveidiot]

That might make it easier to find them if they really stuck a whole ass valve in em

[@LieseFury]

imagine opening up the valve and marmalade comes out

[@isaac-xm6kf]

This was an awesome video man. I’m glad I came across your channel :)

[@Slipvayne1]

Awesome awesome video man, very well done! You deserve so many more views and subscribers, glad I found your channel!

[@cyconical]

"Hah, you got traumatized by a logo idiot!" Me being scared of the THX logo as a kid.

[@Kyrbi0]

Good stuff! You get right to the point, and you're not afraid to put yourself out there.

[@skeptic_lemon]

Hi mister archon

[@Apathy474]

Valves branding is unique, definitely more interesting than other game studios which have pretty forgettable logos or intros

[@Sethilliano]

W + Underrated + Top Tier Editing Seriously! Keep up the work, you will achieve success!

[@akiharuse825]

I thought for sure you had like 250k subs cause this was a really well-made video with good pacing. I hope you become successful this year.

[@lynxovski]

I always found the Valve in the eye to be the better logo in all honesty. Theres just way more detail to it, aswell as a cool placement for said Valve.

[@SummonerArthur]

The past tense of "find" is "found", not "finded". You're welcome.

[@pontashi2650]

Everybody: where is portal 3 and half life 3 Me: Who is Valve Guy?

[@hardbass4u369]

Bro what are you seeing with those glasses? Pluto?

[@imadrummer6494]

If the KZbin community tries hard enough we can get that one bald guy to see this video and reveal himself.

[@JustinLesamiz]

The newer one is a dude named Arsenio. I was a Valve employee for 11 years.

[@markusgross9024]

On the topic of valve using real people to make the models, the burnt corpse in half life 2 was based on a real deceased human body

[@everbloom6660]

okay we get it already

[@gabeanddave7904]

yeah we know

[@leifrasmussen1306]

One year Chistmas my brother got VR headset and that night we booted up 'The Lab" and when my sister turned it on and the loading screen appeared my sister started freaking out and I think started crying.

[@MemTMCR]

more jumpscare because you forgot to turn down the volume

[@arvendekoh2266]

Thanks for sharing this. Every since the first time I saw the valve guy in HL1 when I was a wee lad.... it's always gave me this dope creepy vibe like.... you knew that noise meant shits fixing to get real ;)

[@howtoguidesandgameplay7435]

For the first guy, a neural network could easily be made to come up with a value for how similar a photo of a persons face is to the face of the person in the photo. The hard part would be getting those photos, something like scouring Facebook profiles would just be brute forcing it and unlikely to find anything. Not least because over 20 years have passed.

[@ixcutamp8059]

Would be cool, but very hard

[@wheezybackports6444]

You can use an algorithm to age or de-age the photos and compare them with that. Take valve photo, age it, pull data from Facebook, compare for similarity, flag if it fits within range. Take valve photo, pull data from Facebook, de-age Facebook photo, compare for similarity, flag if it fits within range. There's your design.

[@yanikotavov385]

2:23 No, but I got traumatized when u turned on the lights.

[@laccelo]

METROPOLIS SOUNDTRACK!!! holy shit thought I was trippin. Nice video man!

[@paraplonk7269]

I always thought the Valve guy was just Coach from L4D2 lol

[@SAG.Animation]

Same

[@cyberneticzombie6660]

Same here dude 🤔

[@lopww]

Scott’s long lost brother 💀

[@midwaygamer-ou3my]

i missed out on the half life craze i first experienced the logo through left 4 dead 1 but my first time seeing half life was through lost cause they have a episode in season 1 referring to it.

[@MadameSomnambule]

I really REALLY missed the Half Life craze because I first saw this logo on Portal. Very recently mind you. So, I'm pretty late to the party. :p

[@theJCanimations]

In Half-Life: Alyx there's also the logo with the guy turning his head to you but it's way creepier because it's very dark and you're in VR

[@lexito4621]

Great video! Also, I love your glasses! They look really cool. :)

[@biggietothex]

ok justin bieber backstage pass

[@BlackOps78321]

I always felt it was Morpheous from the Matrix. He just wanted to put a valve on the back of his head.

[@joshuagentry-1388]

Those glasses 💀 weally cwazy

[@dinosharttt]

He’s definitely better than all of us in every way but he is wheelie cwazie

[@pikertin5523]

when he turned on the light i thought he was going to say: hey yall scott here!

[@egeparlak8004]

I saw valve guy in tf2 and he really scared the pingas out of me BUT HE TURNS HIS HEAD AROUND IN PORTAL 2?

[@ItsOnlyAlex]

The first game I ever played from Valve was Left for Dead 2 and I just thought it was Coach with a valve in his head hahaha.

[@ccaattss]

I always thought it was CeeLo Green 😂😂

[@sebastianaliandkulche]

1:07 Im the only one that miss this intro? A shame that we lost it in Half Life 1 and 2 with the updates...

[@ruixwastaken]

To be honest the newest valve logo of the guy moving his head never scared me it just went right through my brain and out

[@banana_man_101]

the valve went through his brain

[@FormanSosa]

Because you were scared of it lol

[@noreenjenanotaalberto729]

its coach from left 4 dead 2

[@KIEZ117]

i thought that too

[@akihikosakurai4013]

"Ok so you want me to glue this valve to the back of my head and just sit there?" "Yep"

[@rokasb9441]

When you expect a valve to turn but the whole head starts turning instead

[@peterdean653]

Bros glasses are so thick, he can see into the future 💀

[@Mohamed_Amine10]

nah bro that's not funny

[@darkzcaptabloodedgeurufugo1889]

You need way more subscribers than you have actually, hope you'll be famous soon.

[@makthemaniac1]

The first valve game I played with this intro was l4d2, which had made me believe at first that it was coach, then I saw it was used for portal 2 and then I got curious who it was

[@allanbejarano9075]

jesus man, did someone put a valve in one of your eyes?

[@Krystalost]

i think this guy is uncle gregory?

[@PotatoObliteratorGD]

i like the valve guy because he takes his epic music with him

[@Reanplayzz]

such a good video, keep your work up!

[@Xxkxkdkkskxxk]

I remember my heart dropping when I first saw the logo where the guy turns around

[@TristanPetsch]

mans glasses are jus 2 magnifying glasses Good video tho

[@cywionek1663]

I cant be the only one that thinks that the latest valve guy looks like Coach from L4D2

[@yazidefirenze]

My friends call me Coach. I guess y'all can do the same.

[@IRQ1Conflict]

I always just assumed it was simply a rendering.

[@DoC3Y]

When you hear CORE in the background: V I B I N G

[@BronzeShow]

Toby Fox inadvertently made the greatest video essay background music