Editing Valve Corporation (section)

=== Source, Steam, and ''Half-Life 2'' (2003–2010) ===
In 2003, Valve moved to [[Bellevue, Washington]], and [[Incorporation (business)|reincorporated]] as Valve Corporation.<ref name="hist" /> In 2010, the office moved to a larger location in Bellevue. In 2016, Valve signed a nine-floor lease in the [[Lincoln Square (Bellevue)|Lincoln Square]] complex in downtown Bellevue, doubling the size of its offices.<ref name="Levy-2016">{{cite news |last=Levy |first=Nat |date=August 3, 2016 |title=Valve leases nine floors in planned skyscraper, more than doubling its headquarters size |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2016/valve-leases-nine-floors-downtown-bellevue-doubling-office-space/ |work=[[GeekWire]] |access-date=August 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804191933/http://www.geekwire.com/2016/valve-leases-nine-floors-downtown-bellevue-doubling-office-space/ |archive-date=August 4, 2016}}</ref>

Valve began developing ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' six months after the release of the first ''Half-Life'', using its new in-house engine, [[Source (game engine)|Source]].<ref name="Geoff">{{Cite web|last=Geoff|first=Keighley|author-link=Geoff Keighley|title=The Final Hours of Half-Life 2|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-final-hours-of-half-life-2/1100-6112889/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226173658/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-final-hours-of-half-life-2/1100-6112889/|archive-date=December 26, 2019|access-date=November 30, 2019|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> With advanced [[Physics engine|physics systems]] and an increased focus on story and characters, it received critical acclaim upon its release in 2004. By 2011, it had sold 12 million copies.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chiang|first=Oliver|date=February 28, 2011|title=The Master of Online Mayhem|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213025041/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html|archive-date=February 13, 2011}}</ref> 

In 2002, Valve launched [[Steam (service)|Steam]], a digital storefront and delivery platform.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,41291,00.asp |title=Valve Changes Online Gaming Rules |first=Loyd |last=Case |magazine=[[PC Magazine]] |date=March 22, 2002 |access-date=February 14, 2016 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302232150/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,41291,00.asp |archive-date=March 2, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=James |title=The Last of the Independents? |date=April 30, 2008 |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/the-last-of-the-independents- |publisher=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=July 9, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815031153/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/the-last-of-the-independents- |archive-date=August 15, 2017 }}</ref> Steam initially offered only Valve games, and was mandatory to install ''Half-Life 2'', but became a publisher of third-party games.<ref name="forbes-gnprofile">{{cite web |last=Chiang |first=Oliver |title=The Master of Online Mayhem |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=February 14, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213025041/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html |archive-date=February 13, 2011 }}</ref> As Valve became its own publisher via Steam, it transitioned to a [[flat organization]]. Outside of executive management, Valve does not have bosses and uses an [[open allocation]] system, allowing employees to move between departments at will.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Suddath|first=Claire|date=April 25, 2012|title=What Makes Valve Software the Best Office Ever?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-04-25/what-makes-valve-software-the-best-office-ever|url-status=live|magazine=Bloomberg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815155709/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-25/what-makes-valve-software-the-shangri-la-of-offices|archive-date=August 15, 2012|access-date=May 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Suddath|first=Claire|date=April 27, 2012|title=Why ThereAre No Bosses At Valve|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-04-27/why-there-are-no-bosses-at-valve|url-status=live|magazine=Bloomberg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904010143/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-27/why-there-are-no-bosses-at-valve|archive-date=September 4, 2013|access-date=May 1, 2022}}</ref>

After having taken five years to develop ''Half-Life 2'', Valve moved to [[Episodic video game|episodic development]], planning to release shorter games more frequently.<ref name="Crossley-2011">{{Cite magazine |last=Crossley |first=Rob |date=May 9, 2011 |title=The Valve manifesto |url=http://www.develop-online.net/features/1184/The-Valve-manifesto/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709213641/http://www.develop-online.net/features/1184/The-Valve-manifesto |archive-date=July 9, 2013 |access-date=July 19, 2020 |magazine=[[MCV/Develop]]}}</ref> ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]'', the first in a planned trilogy of episodic ''Half-Life 2'' sequels, was released in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dobson|first=Jason|title=Half-Life 2: Episode One Dated, Trilogy Confirmed|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/-i-half-life-2-episode-one-i-dated-trilogy-confirmed|access-date=May 1, 2022|website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]|date=May 25, 2006|archive-date=May 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516145404/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/-i-half-life-2-episode-one-i-dated-trilogy-confirmed|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode Two|Episode Two]]'' followed in 2007, alongside the multiplayer game ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' and the puzzle game ''[[Portal (video game)|Portal]]'', developed from the student project ''[[Narbacular Drop]]''.<ref name="seattletimes">{{cite web | url =https://www.seattletimes.com/business/backstory-to-blockbuster-game-portal-2-is-a-real-cinderella-tale/ | title = Backstory to blockbuster game 'Portal 2' is a real Cinderella tale | first = Breir | last = Dudley | date = April 17, 2011 | access-date = May 1, 2022 | work = [[The Seattle Times]] | archive-date = April 20, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110420135500/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014794592_brier18.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> In January 2008, Valve announced the acquisition of [[Turtle Rock Studios]],<ref name="Valve 2008-01-10">{{cite press release|title=Valve Acquires Turtle Rock Studios|url=http://store.steampowered.com/news/1401/|publisher=Valve|date=January 10, 2008|access-date=January 10, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071006/http://store.steampowered.com/news/1401/|archive-date=October 15, 2008}}</ref> which was renamed Valve South.<ref>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Martin|date=February 11, 2014|title=Why Turtle Rock left Valve|website=[[Eurogamer]]|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/why-turtle-rock-left-valve|access-date=May 1, 2022|archive-date=May 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502011646/https://www.eurogamer.net/why-turtle-rock-left-valve|url-status=live}}</ref> Turtle Rock developed ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' and ''[[Left 4 Dead 2]]'' while associated with Valve. Turtle Rock Studios spun out of Valve again in March 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bramwell|first=Tom|date=March 18, 2010|title=Turtle Rock Studios reforms|website=[[Eurogamer]]|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/turtle-rock-studios-reforms|access-date=May 1, 2022|archive-date=May 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502011649/https://www.eurogamer.net/turtle-rock-studios-reforms|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Forbes]]'' estimated that Valve had grossed $70 million in 2005.<ref name="Chiang-2011">{{Cite news |last=Chiang |first=Oliver |date=February 9, 2011 |title=The Master of Online Mayhem |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213025041/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0228/technology-gabe-newell-videogames-valve-online-mayhem.html |archive-date=February 13, 2011 |access-date=October 13, 2016 |newspaper=Forbes}}</ref>