In 2004, Wolpaw was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Expecting his condition to require a departure from the company, he spoke with managing director Gabe Newell, who surprised him by offering an extended leave with pay. "Your job is to get better," Newell said. "That is your job description at Valve. So go home to your wife and come back when you are better."

Gabe Newell isn't some kind of saint, but he does at least treat his employees like human beings, unlike Musk who famously berates his employees and treats them incredibly badly, especially if they have to (gasp!) miss work for any reason.

So while people shouldn't be praising Valve as some kind of panacea in the world, because they're still just a company, the reality is things like this have endeared Newell to the gaming community and made them believe he did care about a quality work environment.

A reminder, 2004 was before Wolpaw had written for multiple hit games from Valve. Portal came out in 2007 with Wolpaw as one half of the writing team. A few years later he would be head writer on Portal 2.

Those games would not have been the same if he had been let go from Valve when he was sick with ulcerative colitis.

Just a different perspective, I think it's unfair to compare Newell to a fucking slave drive apartheid fuckhead like Musk.

[–] ShortN0te@lemmy.ml 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The problem is not Gabe. As far as i can tell, Gabe actually cares.

The problem is the CEO that comes after Gabe. Will your games still be available then?

[–] SeekPie@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I bet when that happens, piracy will skyrocket.

[–] shneancy@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

that's exactly what will happen. Valve is a gaming giant because their services offer a paid experience tenfold better than the free piracy, if said exerience becomes shit, well, no reason to keep hanging around is there?

[–] rwhitisissle@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Valve has been compared to Lord of the Flies because of its corporate structure by multiple people who worked for them. The company has an internal ranking system that determines compensation. It's also one of the least diverse workplaces in its industry, being overwhelmingly white and male.

https://www.pcgamer.com/valves-unusual-corporate-structure-causes-its-problems-report-suggests/

https://www.pcgamer.com/ex-valve-employee-describes-ruthless-industry-politics/

So, while I'm glad that Gabe was nice to one of his direct reports, the reality is that the president of the company being nice to one specific person doesn't make the company good or ethically ran.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Yeah but it's typical to spew negativity without having any solution

You really prefer amazon's meat grinder policies?

No Corp has ever been good we can still hope and try

[–] rwhitisissle@lemmy.ml -1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This is a genuinely awful set of takes.

Yeah but it’s typical to spew negativity without having any solution

Here's a solution: wholesale reject capitalism as an economic system.

You really prefer amazon’s meat grinder policies?

Because that's literally the only two options here: Valve's way of doing things and Amazon's. Really? Try again.

No Corp has ever been good we can still hope and try

I think you misspelled cope and cry.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 1 points 10 months ago

Haha your soliton is another idea to dismantle instead of what should replace it?

Yes the options are what we are discussing, provide your better idea

No I did not misspell