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Anthony Davis
CST 300 Writing Lab
9 September 2018

Video Game Development

In the modern age, technology continues to play as much of a role as it ever has in

medicine, research, communication, marketing, and entertainment. From its inception onward,

the impact of computer science can be seen in many places in the world because of the

advancements of these technologies. Another prominent example of these advancements can be

seen from the gaming industry.

Growing in popularity and demand, video games can be found on personal computers,

home game consoles, and handheld devices throughout the United States alone (U.S. Gamers

Reach, 2018). Some of the most prominent game developers and publishers have become

household names; companies such as Nintendo, Activision, Sony, Microsoft, Valve Corporation,

and Electronic Arts Inc. have become influential staples in the industry.

For most game developers, the creation of a new video game is a costly endeavor; the

work needed to complete one game within the span of a few years often requires hundreds of

hard-working talents (Maiberg, 2016). Well-financed companies (like the ones mentioned

beforehand) tend to hire artists, project managers, sound designers, voice actors, and all other

kinds of talents for their games. However, despite all of the enticing surface-level details (such as

the pleasing visuals) the root of any game is the code programmed by software engineers.

Ultimately, it is up the software engineers to take the graphics, sounds, and ideas of other

employees to create a fun and interactive product for anyone to enjoy. In essence, software

engineers provide the final steps needed to make art truly come to life.
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As a testimony to the accomplishments of software engineers in the gaming industry, it

should be noted that there exists a prolific game development company that was created by two

software engineers. Valve Corporation, which resides in Bellevue, Washington, was established

in 1996 by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington. To this day, the

employees at Valve develop not only games, but other products including client-based software

and virtual reality hardware (About Us - Valve Corporation, n.d.). The company continues to

expand its range of products, and has since increased its employee count to approximately 360

people as of 2016 (Chalk, 2016).

Valve is noteworthy for its unique employee structure compared to other companies in

the gaming industry. When Valve was first founded, it functioned like any other major game

developer by using publishers and deadlines to fund and release games. Now, Valve employees

have full control over which projects they choose to pursue (Valve Corporation, 2012). They

form teams on their own, with no deadlines or publishers dictating how and when their games

are to be released. There are no higher-ups in the company who manage the employees and their

projects. In fact, Gabe Newell himself, the president of the company, is not considered to be a

manager by the employees.

Newell may have no direct control over which games are managed by which teams (nor

does he have a say on their release dates), but his leadership and influence in Valve’s history is

substantial. Long before he founded Valve, Newell was a Harvard University student, where he

studied computer science and programming. Ultimately, he was not satisfied with the teachings

provided at Harvard, so he dropped out of the university and went to work for Microsoft instead.

As he rose in the ranks, he eventually acted as lead developer for Microsoft’s early operating

systems. Newell once claimed that he learned significantly more about software engineering
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during his experience with Microsoft than he did as a student at Harvard (Hernandez, 2013).

Eventually, after many years, he left Microsoft and used his computer science expertise to head

and establish Valve Corporation.

Valve’s finances are private, but its continued innovations have been highly indicative of

great financial success. For instance, unlike most video game developers, Valve developed its

own software distribution platform, called Steam, in order to make their games accessible for

digital download. These digital releases are available to those who have created their own Steam

accounts (About Us – Valve Corporation, n.d.). Steam caught on in the PC gaming market, and

over time, it began to provide games made by other publishers as well.

Newell’s established company structure, along with his philosophy to strive for

perfection, helped provide the means for Valve to release the breakout 1998 Windows computer

game, Half-Life. It was an enormous commercial success that received raving reviews which

launched the company’s reputation. Valve has since developed and self-published many more

games, such as the acclaimed sequel Half-Life 2. Valve is also responsible for the creation of

other successful franchises such as Portal and Left 4 Dead, along with online multiplayer

sensations Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2 (About Us – Valve Corporation, n.d.).

Valve has had great financial success by selling all of its PC games through the Steam

platform. Despite this, Valve has had its share of complaints and criticisms from customers and

employees. One complaint centers on Steam’s customer service for its lackluster refund policies.

Until 2015, games released through Steam could be refunded only in rare circumstances, to the

dismay of consumers. Before Valve enforced a proper refund policy, Valve’s Erik Johnson

admitted that their customer service wasn’t “where it [needed] to be” (Grayson, 2015). Johnson
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formulated his conclusion from feedback provided by users of community-based websites such

as Reddit.

Another major criticism toward Valve is the company’s employment structure,

specifically the repercussions of its intentional lack of management. In Valve’s employee

handbook, the company admitted that there may be potential shortcomings and dissatisfaction for

some employees working in such a structure (Valve Corporation, 2012). Jeri Ellsworth, an

engineer who was laid off by Valve in early 2015, stated that the lack of management allowed

hidden power struggles and social cliques to form among employee groups, thus impeding the

progress of projects. Ellsworth claims that her experiences were comparable to the social

structures of high schools. From her point of view, a flat structure (or “pseudo-flat” structure, as

she referred to Valve’s implementation) loses its ability to withstand these hurdles once the

employee count of a company rises from tens to hundreds (Sinclair, 2013).

Despite such criticisms and Valve’s attempts to address them over time, Valve has

continued to create and provide various kinds of software, as well as form partnerships with

other companies to create new hardware. One such piece of hardware is the HTC Vive, which is

a virtual reality headset that can be purchased through Steam. It can be used with some games in

order to provide a more immersive experience for the player (About Us – Valve Corporation,

n.d.). The idea of Valve manufacturing virtual reality hardware is a sensible one; virtual reality

games are growing prevalent in the gaming industry, as virtual reality headsets slowly become

more affordable (Consumer virtual reality market, n.d.).

In order to meet the company’s ambitions, and due to the prospect of expanded product

sales in software and hardware, Valve hires those with existing industry experience, whether in
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software engineering, hardware engineering, or any other specialty in which the skills required

are applicable and beneficial to its cause (Valve Corporation, n.d.).

Although game development companies and their products have grown in numbers, the

statistical outlook on video game developer employment is not easy to obtain. As a guideline,

however, the trend of software engineers as a whole can be observed. According to the US

Department of Labor on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, the job outlook for software

developers (as of 2016) is projected to grow nearly 25 percent for the next ten years (Bureau of

Labor Statistics, 2018). By accounting for the expansion and success of gaming products,

including those made by Valve, it appears that employment opportunities in the gaming industry

are not diminishing anytime soon. This makes the prospect of a career in the field as a software

engineer enticing and rewarding. However, by using Valve as an example of hiring practices, it

appears that a substantial amount of experience with software engineering is needed before a

company will hire someone seeking such a position (Valve Corporation, n.d.).

It is clear that a great amount of experience is needed in order to become a successful

software engineer in the gaming industry. Then again, there may very well be exceptions to this

claim. After all, Gabe Newell left Harvard University and was hired by Microsoft, so the idea of

skipping academics and going straight into the field may very well have some merit. Conversely,

there is no guarantee that this choice is viable for all students; it’s possible that it would be much

safer and more sensible to first gain industry knowledge and job education from an academic

path. This is the path that I decided to pursue.

I chose to obtain a bachelor’s degree in computer science so that I can learn what I need

to know in a guided setting, as opposed to trying to figure it out on my own. I believe it would be

beneficial to have experts and colleagues available to provide knowledge and help with problem-
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solving. By obtaining strong networking skills, collaborative projects can be seen to completion

with as few social hurdles as possible. School electives such as psychology and writing—which I

have pursued during my past years of academics—are also meant to help expand one’s thinking

skills and bring something unique to their work. These particular skills should serve anyone well,

as they help people understand human nature and how to express themselves clearly and

professionally.

I have enjoyed a variety of video games since my childhood, and I've always wanted to

learn how to create my own games. This passion expanded to my desire to create other kinds of

software as well. After having spent many years trying to learn software programming skills on

my own, I decided that I would gain more by studying at CSU Monterey Bay. The program is

inspiring, and I believe it will help me understand my capabilities and how I can overcome my

challenges. For instance, I sometimes procrastinate and don’t manage my time properly. The

structure of this online course will provide me the opportunity to follow a strict schedule.

Meanwhile, Gabe Newell’s success by being proactive has inspired me to apply for internships,

ask for help from experts and colleagues, and create my own software projects. These projects

could then be shown and detailed on a digital portfolio for employers and other users to examine.

Software engineering pays well, but the fulfillment I seek doesn’t come from money

alone; while financial stability would possibly make me feel safe and supported, what I really

want is to make a positive difference in the world. Whether by creating video games or other

types of software, I want to feel that I have brought joy to others and improved their livelihoods.

I also want to feel satisfied knowing that I have worked hard to learn as much as possible about

something I love to do. Therefore, computer science is my path to achieving happiness. My

journey has only begun, and I could not be more excited.


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References

About Us - Valve Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2018, April 13). Software Developers: Occupational Outlook

Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-

technology/software-developers.htm

Chalk, A. (2016, October 18). Valve denies wrongdoing in skin gambling legal rumblings: "no

factual or legal support for these accusations". PC Gamer. Retrieved from

https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-misses-deadline-to-respond-to-washington-state-

gambling-regulator-but-says-its-coming-soon/

Consumer virtual reality market size worldwide 2016-2021 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.statista.com/statistics/528779/virtual-reality-market-size-worldwide/

Grayson, N. (2015, March 13). Valve Is Not Psyched They Got An 'F' In Customer Service.

Kotaku. Retrieved from https://steamed.kotaku.com/valve-is-not-psyched-they-got-an-f-

in-customer-service-1691308332

Hernandez, P. (2013, December 11). Gabe Newell Learned Computers At Microsoft, Beer At

Harvard. Kotaku. Retrieved from https://kotaku.com/gabe-newell-learned-computers-at-

microsoft-beer-at-har-1481144493

Maiberg, E. (2016, October 03). Making a Big Budget Video Game Is Riskier and Harder Than

Ever. So Why Do It? Vice. Retrieved from

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/gv58z3/gears-of-war-4-aaa-games-are-hard-

so-why-make-them
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Sinclair, B. (2013, July 8). Valve's flat structure leads to cliques, says ex-employee.

GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved from https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-07-08-

valves-flat-structure-leads-to-cliques-say-ex-employee

U.S. gamers reach 2018 | Statistic. (2018). Retrieved from

https://www.statista.com/statistics/748835/us-gamers-penetration-rate/

Valve Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/

Valve Corporation. (2012). Valve New Employee Handbook. Retrieved from https://steamcdn-

a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/Valve_NewEmployeeHandbook.pdf

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