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VALVE’S EMPLOYEE COUNT REVEALED
Have you ever wondered about the inner workings of Valve, the company behind the popular gaming platform Steam? Well, recent leaks have shed some light on Valve’s employee count, revealing that as of 2021, the company employed just 336 staff members. This may come as a surprise given Valve’s significant impact on the gaming industry.
INSIGHTS FROM WOLFIRE’S LAWSUIT
The leaked data, which was part of an antitrust lawsuit filed by Wolfire against Valve, provides a glimpse into Valve’s headcount and payroll across different departments from 2003 to 2021. The data shows that Valve categorizes its employees into groups such as “Admin,” “Games,” “Steam,” and “Hardware,” with varying levels of staffing and payroll expenses.
VALVE’S FOCUS ON GAMING AND HARDWARE
Interestingly, Valve’s spending on game development peaked in 2017, despite not releasing any new games that year. The company also had a small team dedicated to its hardware division, with the success of products like the Steam Deck likely prompting an increase in hardware-focused staffing. This shift reflects Valve’s evolution into a full-fledged hardware company, as stated by Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais.
CHALLENGES FACED BY VALVE
Despite its limited staff numbers, Valve remains a dominant player in the gaming industry. The company has collaborated with external partners to create hardware and software products, compensating for its small workforce. Wolfire has raised concerns about Valve’s allocation of revenue towards improving the Steam Store, highlighting a potential area for improvement.
VALVE’S EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY
Valve’s profitability per employee reportedly surpasses that of tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, showcasing the company’s efficiency. While specific profit figures remain undisclosed, the leaked data offers a more detailed look at Valve’s spending on its workforce. Despite its small team, Valve continues to generate substantial revenue from Steam.
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
As Valve remains tight-lipped about its operations, the leaked data provides valuable insights into the company’s structure and financials. The figures paint a clearer picture of how Valve manages its resources and maintains its position in the gaming market. While the court has removed the leaked document from public access, the revelations about Valve’s employee count and payroll remain noteworthy.
Sources:
- Wolfire’s antitrust lawsuit against Valve
- Pavel Djundik’s findings on Valve’s employee data
- Valve’s public employee handbook
Author: Sean Hollister
