 Gabe Newell, co-founder of online distribution company Valve, approached them in 2008 to release "Abe's Oddysee" and "Abe's Exoddus" on Valve's distribution software Steam.And in June 2009, they met with small-time UK game developers, Just Add Water at the 2009 Game Developers Conference.Gilray wanted Lanning to revisit the franchise for two reasons—firstly because he saw the Oddworld universe had so much scope within the environments they created, that he wanted to give life to the backgrounds the way "Ridge Racer" would have animation that didn't affect gameplay, but gave life to the environment and secondly, because he wanted Lanning to deliver on the promise of the full five games in the Oddworld Quintology.