I thought that massive layoffs was a sign that company was super healthy and doing great. Generally such news come with the announcement of shareholders officially pissing themselves with joy.

How does economy work, again ?

No shit, I learn more in 5 minutes in this forum than I do form an entire month of the WSJ. Add to that the fact that as of tomorrow SS2 will be available here and NOT the WSJ and I think we know who the winner is!

Isn't it already confirmed to come to Steam anyway?

They always seem to have a fair amount of things going for them at Valve, perhaps they're changing direction on something.

Indeed, the first article from FleshEatingZipper said SS2 would first come to GOG, then later to Steam. I was just making a bad joke.

I guess it's just odd given that the past few months we've been hearing about Steambox, other hardware, etc. I wouldn't know what to speculate is the reason behind the layoffs and what directions they're changing. The timing might be a bit unexpected, but it's not abnormal for a successful company to make changes like this.

They try to make smart business decisions by letting people that they don't need go?

Starting with the "Head of Business Development"?

No, something is pretty fucked up in Valve paradise. Maybe they realised, that they earn money with selling and making games, not with some hardware, not with unlimited free keys for developers and business comeptitors(!) and not with Linux ports of really old games.

They don't get things done in the last time. Half Life 3? Source Engine 2? DOTA? Far, far away. Every digital retailer offers better prices (GMG, Amazon.com) than Steam (even during sales) and they just sells Steam keys, so Valve has to handle the "delivery" and pay for the Infrastructure...

I can see why there were some layoffs.. I just hope that the layoff of Business Development doesn't hurt my business.

cool thanks for the inside scoop

Valve is a privately held company that doesn't disclose its business numbers. It is assumed to be financially healthy because it has been immensely successful. In the past, it has started to branch out into several new directions, and it was clear that not all of these projects could be successful. Layoffs are not an unusual occurrence, especially not in the video game business, but they are unusual Valve. However, I doubt that we can draw any conclusions except the obvious one: that Valve is a business like many others.

What does a 'head of business development' even do? More importantly, is such a person really needed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_development

I know what a 'business developer' does... wasn't really asking the questions to get an answer about them. :p

All these companies fire people all the time. I find it amusing that when Valve does it people feel like a friend pissed on the lawn.

Anyway, does sound mostly hardware related. Might be the Steam Box getting curtailed, or at least changed.

Wasn't there also rumors of Valve working on a portable/handheld device as well?