Steam Hardware Survey's Origin: How Half-Life 2 Changed PC Gaming Data Forever
• 1 min read
Discover how Valve's need for player hardware data during Half-Life 2's development led to the creation of the Steam Hardware Survey. This pioneering tool, launched in 2003, transformed from a development necessity into an industry-standard benchmark that continues to shape PC gaming.
The Summer Intern Who Saved Valve: A Near-Bankruptcy Tale Behind Half-Life 2
• 1 min read
Gaming giant Valve Corporation narrowly escaped bankruptcy in 2004 during a legal battle with Vivendi Games, thanks to a Korean-speaking summer intern. The intern's discovery of damaging evidence in Korean documents proved pivotal in preserving Valve's independence and enabling Steam's historic launch.