390°

Half-Life 2 art director finally reveals why he left Valve

To many gamers, Valve is the epitome of good in the gaming industry. They produce great games, they’re heavily involved with and support their community, and Gabe Newell is one of the nicest guys you’ll find in the industry. So one has to wonder, why would anyone leave a company with such a good reputation? The former art director on Half-Life 2 did, and now he’s finally revealed why.

Read Full Story >>
weeabooswithcontrollers.com
rufusman914283d ago

Valve becoming bigger and bigger = better and better games and sales on steam.

nveenio4283d ago

Yeah, I can definitely see too big being a problem. Things start to become a bureaucracy, and that begins to limit creative freedom.

BlackPrince 424283d ago

Not quite, many studios get worse when they get larger because too many voices dulls the creative edge of the studio.

Insomniac Games is a victim of this.

nveenio4283d ago

I agree. Sony is one company that is good at finding a balance between these things. Valve hasn't yet been affected, I don't think...so maybe they'll do okay, too. But this dude that left definitely knows their inner workings better than any of us, and it just didn't suit him anymore. I can respect that.

Primalfear4282d ago

Fanboys always find a way to bring Sony into every Article. *sigh*

nveenio4282d ago

Actually, I brought up Sony because my first thought was, "Sony is big, and it doesn't hurt their first party creativity." It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a fanboy, though I totally admit to being one. Sony games are awesome. I was countering my earlier claim that big could = bad. Obviously, it's not always true. So I gave an example.

Emo children call out fanboys in every comment.

iNFAMOUZ14282d ago

are you kiddin primal, this site is 80% sony fanboys, xbox gets treated like shit on a daily basis, the nerve of your blind hidden trolling.

coolman2294282d ago

@Inveni0 Sony doesn't develop games. What they do is buy studios to make games exclusively for their consoles. Valve is a software company as opposed to Sony, which is mostly a hardware company. The comparison is a little off.

nveenio4281d ago (Edited 4281d ago )

Sony has so many studios, it's ridiculous...and they're all SCE studios. Let me show you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4281d ago
mananimal4283d ago (Edited 4283d ago )

@ rufuseman91

spoken like a politician, nice.

khan_saab4283d ago

"Valve becoming bigger and bigger" = I want more money

plain and simple. he wanted a bigger paycheck and he did not get it so he left. plain and simple

HardCover4282d ago

That's the dumbest shit I've heard all month.

Time to go unplug my internet and check if the sun still exists.

Crazay4282d ago

All the people I know in the industry especially on the artistic side, are in it for the love of the art and they want to be pushed to new limits with their craft.

If Valve started to do too many cookie cutter products, then i can see why someone as well respected as him would want to go elsewhere. somewhere they can use their imagination and create new and interesting things instead of the limitless garbage.

ATi_Elite4282d ago

1. Valve is The Best! They are passionate about their games and fans so no worries from them. They remain a Private company to keep the "Suits from screwing things up".

2. Dishonored seems like a Bioshock clone, sorry but it does but that may be a good thing.

3. He went with the money and power so no complaints about leaving.

4. your next game or any thing you make will not be better than Half Life 2. HL2 was the result of great minds working together and not one individual.

strauser3604282d ago

Wow. You are a pure Valve fanboy. congrats.

Crazay4282d ago (Edited 4282d ago )

Gabe probably ate his lunch one too many days.

"GABE WANTS MOOOOOOAAAAAAAAR"

Jazz41084282d ago (Edited 4282d ago )

Is there ever a time that a valve article can be written without some a hole commenting on Gabes weight. Everyone has problems and issues and we as humans should not stoop to the level of making fun of people for there issues. Grow up.

Crazay4282d ago (Edited 4282d ago )

Shhhhh Jazz...No one was talking to you. it was said as a joke. I don't care that he looks like the stereo typical overweight nerd. Just that he's a loud mouth Dbag who runs a company that yes, has made some great games but fails to meet deadlines AND that he allows it like its some sort joke. "Valve Time"

Bathyj4282d ago

Lighten up Jazz, fat people are the last group we're still allowed to make fun of.

Might as well enjoy it until thats gone too.

Bathyj4282d ago

Oh yeah, I forgot about red headed step children.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4282d ago
RXL4282d ago

"Not sure if fan boy...or just delusional"

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 4281d ago
MeatAbstract4283d ago

Fair enough, really. Can't argue with his reasoning. The guy wants to work and create. Since Valve have unlimited resources they can pump into games, they can just sit back and take their time. Lord knows when we'll see anything new from Valve in terms of a new game, a new world, a new IP. That's what this guy wants to do.

BlackPrince 424283d ago

So in other words, this guy left Valve because he's actually interested in making games, not piddling around for years at a time buying small studios, appropriating their in development games, and then publishing it as if Valve had been working on it all along.

I understand that......................and this explains why Dishonored gives me the HL2 feel.

chukamachine4282d ago

HL3 has already taken too long.

HL2 sold 12million on PC.

Vladplaya4282d ago

I feel Antonov, it's one thing to work for a big and successful company, but its another thing to be stagnated as an artists with nothing much to do.

He is an artist, and I respect the guys for going with his heart and taking a risk on working with new people in smaller company just so he can bring out something new out of his talent. Good luck to him, Dishonored looks great so far too!

Show all comments (31)
230°

All the Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Given the medium's wild diversity, this primer of the essential video games everyone should try is a good place to start.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com
thorstein34d ago

.... from the 2000s (mostly).

shinoff218334d ago

I can't fk with this list. They missed on alot of games probably before the writers times. Also I know people loved some portal but I was never a fan.

Cacabunga34d ago

Tomb Raider 1
Driver 1
Abe’s Odyssey
FF6
King of Fighters 94
Mortal Kombat OG
LINK 2 the past
Street Fighter 2
Resident Evil 1

Inverno34d ago

Infinite but not the first two games? Witcher 3 but not the first two games?? GTA V but not literally any of the games before it??? Portal 2 but not the first? Also if you're going to play Shadow of The Colossus play the remaster and not the remake. Can't say I disagree with the list but my man it's all over the place.

Name Last Name34d ago

I mean some sequels are objectively better and you don’t need to play the whole series.

Inverno34d ago

But most of these games have a story to follow, sure you can catch up with a YouTube vid but where's the fun in that?

LucasRuinedChildhood34d ago (Edited 34d ago )

A list like this isn't telling you not to play the previous games if you want to. It's just giving you legendary games to play.

But tbh, you don't always have to force yourself to play every entry in a franchise to get to the better ones.

- The vast majority of Witcher 3 players never played the first 2 and had a great time. The first 2 games aren't in the same league.
- The GTA games are self-contained with the odd fun reference. You can easily jump into any of them.
- The Shadow Of The Colossus remake looks and controls better than the original (plus it has a 60fps option while the remaster is just 30fps). New players will enjoy it more.
- Portal 2 is a lot better than Portal 1 and takes the concept much further gameplay-wise. Storywise, Portal 1 is fairly light too. Not that you shouldn't play it but realistically ... you'd love Portal 2 whether you play it or not (at lot of Portal 2 players have never played 1).

Bioshock 1 is the only one I agree with you on simply because it's one the best games of all time and arguably better than Infinite. No other setting like Rapture.

Looking at the list, I'd recommend playing Uncharted 1 before 2 but no doubt, 2 is the legendary one you have to play.

Inverno34d ago

I get it, but that's just my opinion on his opinion. I just think that before you play a sequel you should still play what came before it. Maybe it's just me but i find it fascinating playing through the first game in a series and seeing how it has evolved through its sequels. Like I said I don't disagree with the list, other than SoTC which I strongly believe the remaster of the original should be played above the remake.

AuraAbjure34d ago

Awesome list! Hot take on Fear (and it's hard af expansion Persaus Mandate!) Bioshock Infinite is stellar, so is the Witcher 3 and you nailed it by having Ocarina of Time. So many fantastic games! Gotta play 'em all! Next one on my list is Prey after I beat Dead Space 2 and Splinter Cell Conviction.

Show all comments (11)
80°

All The Major 2024 Game Anniversaries Worth Celebrating

The 2024 Game Anniversaries include some major titles including Half-Life 2, Uncharted 2, and Minecraft.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com
90°

Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 Fan Projects Shut Down by Valve Takedowns

Fan projects Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 have shut down after Valve intervened in their development.

-Foxtrot96d ago

First they open Steam up to more AI, now they are shutting down fan projects when at one time they used to support or even give the fans jobs.

Wonder what's going on with Valve at the minute.

rlow196d ago

@Foxtrot
It’s called money plain and simple.

JEECE95d ago

I mean, that might explain the Team Fortress 2 thing, because Valve might bring that to Source 2 (though I'm not sure I'd bet on that), but I can't see how Portal 64 hurts them. If anything, it's more attention to the Portal and therefore Valve/Steam.

Giblet_Head95d ago (Edited 95d ago )

There's potential that Valve had already planned to bring Source 2 to TF2 officially after Counter Strike 2. It's been getting some renewed attention lately.

Inverno95d ago

You got Nintendo to thank for Portal64 being taken down. As for TF2, most likely it's due to the probability of Valve working on a source 2 port themselves. It's sucks but Nintendo are the biggest pricks in the business and not letting this drag out into a huge court drama is the best decision.