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[IbizaPocholo]

Former Employees Explain Reasons Why Valve Releases Games So Rarely

In an interview, Valve employees provide insight into the reasons behind the company's infrequent release schedule for video games.

gamerant.com

Recently, the YouTube channel People Make Games delved into the inner workings of Valve through interviews with former and current employees. The video highlights the unique working environment at Valve, which allows for ad-hoc team formation through the use of wheeled desks. However, this approach has also led to issues, with some employees comparing the workplace to the chaos and lack of structure in William Golding's novel The Lord of the Flies.



One of the key issues raised in the video is the use of stack ranking, a system in which employees are evaluated and ranked by their peers, with these rankings determining salary increases for the following year. Without clear guidelines or oversight, this process has led to negative effects on employee behavior and morale. Valve employees also highlighted a significant lack of diversity within the company, pointing to the flat organizational structure as a contributing factor. While the videogame industry as a whole struggle with diversity, the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

During the interview, Valve employees also provided several examples to illustrate how the flat organizational structure of the company is a significant contributing factor to the majority of the problems currently being faced. They emphasized that the lack of a clear hierarchy and defined roles within the company has led to difficulty in decision-making and a lack of accountability, resulting in various issues, including the limited number of games released by the company. Valve Corporation, should most definitely listen to its employees, and make changes that they feel are appropriate. After all, they are the experts in their field, and they know what the company needs in order to improve.

 

[The Cockatrice]

the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

Talent > Diversity.

 

[DeepEnigma]

the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

This is where you can toss the article in the trash. Congrats!

 

[diffusionx]

Valve currently has 2 of the most popular video games on planet Earth, released a groundbreaking game that is still the best example of VR, and oh yea changed PC gaming with the Steam Deck.

If that is failure then what does that say about the rest of the industry?

 

[TheMan]

Also contributing I’m sure is the fact they don’t need to release a goddamn thing thanks to money they make through steam

 

[Lasha]

Valve currently has 2 of the most popular video games on planet Earth, released a groundbreaking game that is still the best example of VR, and oh yea changed PC gaming with the Steam Deck.

If that is failure then what does that say about the rest of the industry?

That they should probably have less management and hire more white guys!

 

[daveonezero]

Valve set out with a goal a decade ago to change Linux gaming. I think they succeeded.

Next Windows Laptop or mini PC j buy with all AMD will get Steam OS.

They have release bigger projects than just games.

How is it this crowd screams about equality and diversity yet at the same time think Valve lacks accountability.

Those two things literally don’t go together.

You can’t say you crave accountability yet force a company to hire people who don’t possess the skills needed or the productivity.

Valve could probably fire all these people hire a skeleton crew to run Steam and literally do nothing making tons of money.

But people like Gaben like to actually creat fun stuff that doesn’t make sense all the time.

 

[Kilau]

Volvo pls why so white?

 

[mansoor1980]

quick someone cancel valve

 

[Mephisto40]

Whats the point in risking huge amount of money making games when you can just sit on your store front cash cow laughing at the peons buying everything they plan on playing and never get round to

 

[Guilty_AI]

....with the majority of employees being white and male.

 

[Germuso]

Why dont release games?

Because they are White, the Evil.

 

[daveonezero]

Whats the point in risking huge amount of money making games when you can just sit on your store front cash cow laughing at the peons buying everything they plan on playing and never get round to

I think the VR and Steamdeck are bigger risks than a game. Also just developing open source software for no gain it literally all risk with little to no return.

They are playing the long game and fighting against MS and Apple.

 

[Punished Miku]

This is where you can toss the article in the trash. Congrats!

Normally I'd say yes, but if you have to literally get evaluated by everyone in the company and everyone is voting on your salary, the demographics actually do come into play in bias and advancement.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

Valve is a unicorn company that is both privately-owned and has a steady (and HUGE) revenue stream that subsidizies what is essentially an experimental org structure.

If it didn't have both of those characteristics, it would collapse or be quickly restructured. Fascinating stuff.

 

[RoadHazard]

I wonder what Gabe does all day. Mostly nothing, I would guess.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Normally I'd say yes, but if you have to literally get evaluated by everyone in the company and everyone is voting on your salary, the demographics actually do come into play in bias and advancement.

What do immutable characteristics have to do with voting based on your skillset?

 

[Punished Miku]

What do immutable characteristics have to do with voting based on your skillset?

Because you'd have to assume that every single employee is 100% bias free, implicitly and subconsciously, and voting only based purely on merit. I think that's incredibly naïve. Racism can often be overblown, but this voting system will of course alienate minorities who are outnumbered. Probably a large part of why they leave the company. Cliques literally decide the promotions and salary. I can't imagine anything more toxic.

 

[Interfectum]

What do immutable characteristics have to do with voting based on your skillset?

Tribalism.

 

[Spukc]

While the videogame industry as a whole struggle with diversity, the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

 

[Three]

Hustling for exclusive content only makes sense when you don't happen to already have 70% of the market. Before steam was a place to play exclusive source games like TF, HL, and Dota, now it's a juggernaut that doesn't need anything to attract people there over other stores.

 

[The Lunch Legend]

the majority of employees being white and male.

This is basically the same problem I have with the NBA

 

[DeepEnigma]

Because you'd have to assume that every single employee is 100% bias free, implicitly and subconsciously, and voting only based purely on merit. I think that's incredibly naïve. Racism can often be overblown, but this voting system will of course alienate minorities who are outnumbered. Probably a large part of why they leave the company.

Voting based on immutable characteristics is racism 101. Assuming that white people are racist and/or bias, is racism 101. "Monitories" are outnumbered in general in game development. Why are people afraid of logistical facts?

 

[Del_X]

The diversity complaint is coming directly from former employees, so idk - maybe they have a little more insight than GAF?

That said, Valve doesn't ship many games anymore and they don't need to because they can sit on their asses making money off steam.

 

[Punished Miku]

Voting based on immutable characteristics is racism 101. Assuming that white people are racist and/or bias, is racism 101. "Monitories" are outnumbered in general in game development. Why are people afraid of logistical facts?

The article literally says that the voting system and the flat structure is toxic, and is not functioning correctly. You have to literally make cliques to do anything. The employees aren't robots that analyze logic and metrics only. It sounds like a total shitshow over there.

 

[DeepEnigma]

The article literally says that the voting system and the flat structure is toxic, and is not functioning correctly. You have to literally make cliques to do anything. The employees aren't robots that analyze logic and metrics only. It sounds like a total shitshow over there.

"I'm sorry, we can't vote or promote you. Yes, you check all the talent boxes, your skillset is second to none, beyond most even... you're just, you're just too white and we have to have artificial quotas for those who project their own perceived bigotry."

This voting system happens in Whole Foods as well. Many large corporations do it, with cliques. In Whole Foods case, it's monthly bonus sharing amongst a select few employees. Most being blue hair cliques with their HR patsy on the take.

 

[Arsic]

Worker smarter not harder . Valve doesn’t want to make a half life 3. They do want to make millions of user generated skins in dota 2.

It isn’t rocket science.

 

[diffusionx]

It sounds like a total shitshow over there.

If Valve is a shitshow then what is Ubisoft, which is in full collapse? what is Blizzard where every game is just a findom paypig simulator? What is Microsoft that can’t release a game on time? All three of those companies loudly and proudly proclaimed their diversity metrics and efforts the past five years.

 

[Kataploom]

Well, once we reach "lack of diversity" and stuff like that, it makes me think that the article was created as a trojan horse to accuse the company of things, be it true or not. Also, almost nobody care about diversity, it's such a complex "issue" that looking at it with an "equalitarian" glass is never a good idea.

 

[HTK]

Washington Demographics​

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Washington was:

• White: 73.53%
• Asian: 8.82%
• Two or more races: 7.08%
• Other race: 4.80%
• Black or African American: 3.86%
• Native American: 1.22%
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.68%

 

[DeepEnigma]

Washington Demographics​

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Washington was:

• White: 73.53%
• Asian: 8.82%
• Two or more races: 7.08%
• Other race: 4.80%
• Black or African American: 3.86%
• Native American: 1.22%
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.68%

Washington is bias.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

While the videogame industry as a whole struggle with diversity, the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

Who knew a country like the US which has lots of white people, and an industry (anything techie) which skews to males would have an employee pool that's both white and male.

I would had never guessed.

I thought Valve was mostly Inuit women working there.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I wonder what Gabe does all day. Mostly nothing, I would guess.

I heard a rumor he used to respond to every email sent to him. Maybe he still does that and he's lost in a backlog from like 2010

 

[Denton]

While the videogame industry as a whole struggle with diversity, the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

Very surprising. I thought most senior "best of the best" engineers in US were black and eskymo. Valve must be racist.

edit: lmao StreetsofBeige posting the same thing, dammit

 

[Punished Miku]

If Valve is a shitshow then what is Ubisoft, which is in full collapse? what is Blizzard where every game is just a findom paypig simulator? What is Microsoft that can’t release a game on time? All three of those companies loudly and proudly proclaimed their diversity metrics and efforts the past five years.

This is literally an article discussing the merits of organizational structures. I get that most people have probably never read it, but sociologists broke down the massive benefits of bureaucracy since the 1800s, namely increased specialization and efficiency, clarity of roles. All of that is lacking at Valve. In its place is a "Lord of the Flies" voting system. Lord of the Flies is a reference for full breakdown of team structure, constant suspicion and animosity, constant jockeying for rank over trivial and inconsequential things, and the loudest and most popular rising to the top, not necessarily the most qualitied. It's the total breakdown of merit-based assessment. It's raw tribalism.

Other companies have different flaws.

 

[The_Mike]

While the videogame industry as a whole struggle with diversity, the homogeneity at Valve is particularly striking, with the majority of employees being white and male.

This went from an insider to source trust me from some sorry soul from Era.

 

[Kataploom]

"I'm sorry, we can't vote or promote you. Yes, you check all the talent boxes, your skillset is second to none, beyond most even... you're just, you're just too white and we have to have artificial quotas for those who project their own perceived bigotry."

This voting system happens in Whole Foods as well. Many large corporations do it, with cliques. In Whole Foods case, it's monthly bonus sharing amongst a select few employees. Most being blue hair cliques with their HR patsy on the take.

I think, even if it's not perfect, it's better than leaving your closest manager to decide whether you get a promotion or not, most probably based on if he/she likes you or not for whatever reason

 

[ungalo]

Valve is a distributor first, we've known that for 10 years now. They don't care if they fuck up a game.

The flat organization doesn't seem very efficient but they don't give a fuck i guess. The other points raised seem irrelevant.

 

[Interfectum]

The person who wrote the article is an idiot and missed the mark. There is a point to be made there but the second they say "white male" it's missed. Tribalism, not racism, is the problem with the merit system Valve has. It could be based on race or the neighborhood the employees live in or the smoke breaks they take, etc. It's a scary system to have if it's not overseen correctly. Since Valve seems to be running pretty great I'm not sure there's a problem.

The reason why Valve doesn't kill itself making AAA single player games anymore is simple. They don't have to.

 

[rushgore]

Both white and male? Atrocious

 

[StreetsofBeige]

During the interview, Valve employees also provided several examples to illustrate how the flat organizational structure of the company is a significant contributing factor to the majority of the problems currently being faced. They emphasized that the lack of a clear hierarchy and defined roles within the company has led to difficulty in decision-making and a lack of accountability, resulting in various issues, including the limited number of games released by the company. Valve Corporation, should most definitely listen to its employees, and make changes that they feel are appropriate. After all, they are the experts in their field, and they know what the company needs in order to improve.

There you go modern day drama queens. Who knew sometimes you need clear hierarchy of leadership roles to move things along.

Valve is a distributor first, we've known that for 10 years now. They don't care if they fuck up a game.

The flat organization don't seem very efficient but they don't give a fuck i guess. The other points raised seem irrelevant.

So true.

No pointing risking money and people resources making games when you can sit back and let the games come to them at 30% royalty cuts.

 

[Denton]

This is literally an article discussing the merits of organizational structures. I get that most people have probably never read it, but sociologists broke down the massive benefits of bureaucracy since the 1800s, namely increased specialization and efficiency, clarity of roles. All of that is lacking at Valve. In its place is a "Lord of the Flies" voting system. Lord of the Flies is a reference for full breakdown of team structure, constant suspicion and animosity, constant jockeying for rank over trivial and inconsequential things, and the loudest and most popular rising to the top, not necessarily the most qualitied. It's the total breakdown of merit-based assessment. It's raw tribalism.

Valve does not pretend their way of working is for everyone. If you can't stand the heat, gtfo the kitchen. Whatever flaws their structure may have as perceived by some people, it brings them quite incredible results, so I doubt they will be changing it anytime soon.

 

[Salz01]

So a couple of white guys made Alyx, one of the most recognizable Non white protagonists in gaming, that’s the daughter of Eli Vance, who is one of the smartest Drs in the gaming world thats non white, Several years like two decades now, ago, when people really didn’t focus on diversity in games.… but are today extremely recognizable by everybody. Where is the credit they are due for that?

 

[diffusionx]

This is literally an article discussing the merits of organizational structures. I get that most people have probably never read it, but sociologists broke down the massive benefits of bureaucracy since the 1800s, namely increased specialization and efficiency, clarity of roles. All of that is lacking at Valve. In its place is a "Lord of the Flies" voting system. Lord of the Flies is a reference for full breakdown of team structure, constant suspicion and animosity, constant jockeying for rank over trivial and inconsequential things, and the loudest and most popular rising to the top, not necessarily the most qualitied. It's the total breakdown of merit-based assessment. It's raw tribalism.

Other companies have different flaws.

Who cares what a sociologist says, lol. This is the classic trap that academia falls into, because academia has little to no accountability. We are talking about business here, what matters is success. Valve is and continues to be one of the most successful and profitable companies in videogame history, in spite of what this article says and some butthurt ex-employees say, they continue to be. I will take what they are actually doing over what some nerd professor who never held a job in his life says they should be doing. Valve has been run this way since the beginning and they’ve outlasted dozens of companies (at least) that did things “the right way” and not just made better games, but influenced the industry positively (imo) and continue to grow.

 

[cormack12]

This is where you can toss the article in the trash. Congrats!

It's a cryptic release of their new title

Half White

 

[Interfectum]

Who cares what a sociologist says, lol. This is the classic trap that academia falls into, because academia has little to no accountability. We are talking about business here, what matters is success. Valve is and continues to be one of the most successful and profitable companies in videogame history, in spite of what this article says and some butthurt ex-employees say, they continue to be. I will take what they are actually doing over what some nerd professor who never held a job in his life says they should be doing. Valve has been run this way since the beginning and they’ve outlasted dozens of companies (at least) that did things “the right way” and not just made better games, but influenced the industry positively (imo) and continue to grow.

They also have a relatively low headcount for the amount of money they bring in. They will outlive most gaming companies besides maybe Nintendo.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I’m all for hiring who’s best for the job regardless of race/sex, versus ticking off diversity boxes.

I recall a photo of some Microsoft head honchos circulating around that was full of diversity. All we hear about are the problems they’re experiencing as of late.

Thank God Valve is privately owned.

 

[DeepEnigma]

So a couple of white guys made Alyx, one of the most recognizable Non white protagonists in gaming, that’s the daughter of Eli Vance, who is one of the smartest Drs in the gaming world thats non white, Several years like two decades now, ago, when people really didn’t focus on diversity in games.… but are today extremely recognizable by everybody. Where is the credit they are due for that?

That's just "digital blackface"

 

[Punished Miku]

Who cares what a sociologist says, lol. This is the classic trap that academia falls into, because academia has little to no accountability. We are talking about business here, what matters is success. Valve is and continues to be one of the most successful and profitable companies in videogame history, in spite of what this article says and some butthurt ex-employees say, they continue to be. I will take what they are actually doing over what some nerd professor who never held a job in his life says they should be doing. Valve has been run this way since the beginning and they’ve outlasted dozens of companies (at least) that did things “the right way” and not just made better games, but influenced the industry positively (imo) and continue to grow.

They're barely functioning as a company. They're literally coasting on having a storefront. They barely make anything.

I guess we're in Valve kool-aid land over here.

 

[DeepEnigma]

They're barely functioning as a company.