2025 is poised to be the year of colossal superyachts, a much-needed follow-up to 2024, which only saw Sergey Brin’s 488-foot Dragonfly emerge as the largest vessel in the United States. This year, yacht enthusiasts have more to look forward to, with multiple megayachts expected to make their debut. Among them is Oceanco Y722, owned by maverick billionaire Gabe Newell. The 364-foot-long yacht, shrouded in secrecy, underwent a major outfitting phase earlier this week, positioning itself as one of the shipyard’s most significant deliveries.
I like to think of Y722 as Jeff Bezos’s $500 million superyacht Koru’s sister, sharing the same pedigree of excellence as one of Oceanco’s largest projects, yet bringing its own unique purpose to the spotlight. A “superyacht with a soul,” the vessel is designed to advance scientific research and exploration. While its name remains confidential, details about its unique mission have surfaced.
Unlike conventional luxury yachts brimming with dance floors, spas, and extravagant suites, Y722 prioritizes group education and scientific discovery. Oceanco has revealed hints of its radical interior layout, such as a combined dining room and crew mess designed to accommodate 22 guests and 33 crew members. Additional features include well-appointed cabins, separate gyms, and wellness areas exclusively for the crew.
The five-deck megayacht boasts a rounded bow, an elongated aft deck, twin staircases leading to a spacious swim platform, and advanced sound and vibration reduction systems. Dan Morgan, managing director of YTMC, and the owners’ technical representative accurately described the vessel as “something to be seen… but not heard.”
With sea trials and delivery scheduled for 2025, the wait should be easy for Newell, who already commands a fleet of luxury vessels valued at around $1 billion. His collection includes the $50 million research vessel Pressure Drop, the 365-foot-long Tranquility worth $250 million, the $100 million Rocinante, and a former hospital ship, Dapple, now serving as Mark Zuckerberg’s support vessel, Wingman.
The 62-year-old Harvard dropout, who once indulged in hobbies like knife collecting, race cars, and Tuvan throat singing, now spends most of his time aboard his fleet. Rarely seen at Valve’s offices or corporate events, Newell lives a quiet life at sea, detached from the chaos of his thriving ventures. As the owner of 50.1% of Valve and its digital distribution platform, Steam, he continues to rake in billions while staying far from the spotlight. Social media, TED Talks, and other public engagements don’t interest him; instead, he prefers the serenity of the ocean. With a current net worth of $9.5 billion, according to Forbes, Gabe Newell is living proof that success doesn’t have to come at the cost of personal peace.
