Valve

Valve, also known as Valve Software, is an American video game developer, publisher, hardware, and digital distribution company. It develops game franchises including Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead and Dota. Its hardware includes the Steam Deck, Valve Index, Steam Machine and Steam Frame. Steam is a platform where thousands of creators and publishers deliver content to customers.

Valve is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. It was founded in 1996 by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington. Harrington sold his stake in Valve to Newell in 2000. Valve created Steam in 2003 as a digital content distribution channel. By 2011, Valve employed 250 people.

Valve has a flat organizational structure, and outside of executive management it does not have bosses. Most of its revenue comes from Steam.