Valve layoffs?

[lart]

So Valve fired 25 people, which is about 5% of their actual workforce.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/186592/Several_out_of_work_as_Valve_makes_large_decisions_about_its_future.php#.URvvCKUqZ8F

Is Valve having financial trouble? Is it still safe to buy games on Steam? What happens to our games if Valve goes bankrupt and what are these challenges the article talks about?

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Woah, definitely didn't expect that.

[Tidefighter]

dont worry

[Quick!SaveTheChildren]

Steam disappearing is a concern for me since I have enough invested to be really pissed off if the subscriptions ended.

I had a hunch there would be a layoff. Or maybe just a fear. Article says it may be the hardware and android departments that were hit with the layoffs. If that's true, there might have been issues with their mobile client and any console they were planning.

My guess is Valve is trying to prioritize getting a stream of revenue, and I think they'll push the Market and work on that faster. If they can get bring into the system (and get a cut of) all the outside trading that's going on with TF2, Spiral Knights, Dota2, and partner with even more F2P games they'll have money and time to work on developing their own games.

[lart]

http://www.develop-online.net/news/43261/Jason-Holtman-leaves-Valve

"A reliable source has told us Valve's director of business has departed the company, [...]
Holtman acted as one of the company's primary points of contact for devs using Valve's digital distribution platform Steam, playing a key role in developer relations at the studio, and has worked at the development giant since 2005."

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Escrito originalmente por Quick!SaveTheChildren:

Steam disappearing is a concern for me since I have enough invested to be really pissed off if the subscriptions ended.

I had a hunch there would be a layoff. Or maybe just a fear. Article says it may be the hardware and android departments that were hit with the layoffs. If that's true, there might have been issues with their mobile client and any console they were planning.

My guess is Valve is trying to prioritize getting a stream of revenue, and I think they'll push the Market and work on that faster. If they can get bring into the system all the outside trading that's going on with TF2, Spiral Knights, Dota2, and partner with even more F2P games they'll have money and time to work on developing their own games.

What I don't understand is why the hardware branch was getting hit, I thought steam was focusing manpower on hardware to release steambox. I can completely understand android though, that app sucked across the board.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Escrito originalmente por lart:

http://www.develop-online.net/news/43261/Jason-Holtman-leaves-Valve

"Gamasutra has also reported up to 25 employees may have also been let go from the company, mainly in the hardware and Android development divisions."

[blah]

bankrupt? lol I think not.

[ManiacMal]

They were weeding out skill sets of people that just didn't work for the company. Many articles do not point this out so that the fear factor stays there. The original source from Newell's mouth himself said that all the employees let go was because their skill sets didn't work for the company's direction going forward and he was being lazy on layoffs with interns and statups that he is no longer going to sit hands on. Needless to say they are culling the ones they don't think have the best skills or lack there of to show it off, no need to worry.

[Tito Shivan]

Escrito originalmente por The Rolling Cheese:

What I don't understand is why the hardware branch was getting hit, I thought steam was focusing manpower on hardware to release steambox. I can completely understand android though, that app sucked across the board.

If you look at the 9 names on the Gamasutra article, at least 4 of them were animators
-Moby Francke: Character designer (HL2) Lead Designer (TF2)
-Keith Huggins: Ex-Weta Workshop Employee (One of Gollum Animators)
-Bay Raitt: Ex-Weta Workshop Employee (Lead of Source Filmaker)
-Matthew Russell: supervising animator on "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron"

[Spawn of Totoro]

Escrito originalmente por The Rolling Cheese:

What I don't understand is why the hardware branch was getting hit, I thought steam was focusing manpower on hardware to release steambox. I can completely understand android though, that app sucked across the board.

No, Valve invested in other companies for the hardware. I don't think they were working on their own, specific, hardware.