We Have Steam Today Thanks To A Korean-Speaking Intern

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2003 finds me on tenterhooks as Valve stands at the precipice of bankruptcy. Half-Life 2, a highly anticipated sequel, seems stuck in development limbo. The company has fallen victim to hacking, with their source code leaked and now they’re embroiled in a fierce legal battle with Vivendi. The fate of one of gaming’s most cherished franchises teeters on the edge, and Steam, the platform we’d later come to love, appears threatened by mounting legal costs.

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In a YouTube documentary marking the 10-year anniversary of Half-Life 2, Valve disclosed the challenges they faced in the game’s production, delving into the internal struggles that transpired. Remarkably, an intern ended up being the unlikely hero who saved the entire company.

The Legal Nightmare Between Valve & Vivendi

In the early 2000s, game publishers held most of the control. Developers found themselves in a submissive position, with Vivendi (who had taken over Sierra Entertainment) knowing just how to wield that power. They possessed distribution rights for Valve’s games worldwide, but they started licensing Counter-Strike to internet cafes in Asia without Valve’s consent. Eventually, Valve asserted their own rights.

As a passionate fan, I’d rephrase it like this: A straightforward discussion about a contract became an unexpected battlefield. Vivendi aimed to terminate their entire deal with Valve, seize control of the Half-Life intellectual property, and halt the launch of Steam – a platform that has since become a gaming giant.

Vivendi’s approach was strikingly straightforward: drain Valve of its resources. Being a global conglomerate with nearly unlimited funds, they could prolong the legal proceedings indefinitely. On the other hand, Valve found itself in a precarious financial situation, burning through cash at an alarming rate. Gabe Newell was even contemplating selling his house to cover basic expenses like electricity.

How Valve Was Saved From Bankruptcy

In a candid admission later, Newell revealed that the company was on the brink of financial collapse, and he himself was precariously close to personal bankruptcy. He stated that they had staked everything they had in the venture. Simultaneously, during this critical period, Half-Life 2 was being developed, the team was working overtime, and there was uncertainty about whether they would still have jobs the following month.

In response to Valve’s request for documents regarding their Korean operations, Vivendi submitted a vast amount (millions) of documents written entirely in Korean, intending that Valve would either have to incur substantial translation costs or abandon the request.

But here is where our hero comes in.



One of Valve’s lawyers had an intern named Andrew who was fluent in Korean. He spent a tedious day sifting through countless Korean documents pertaining to the Valve case. Eventually, he struck gold – an email from Vivendi’s Korean manager stating, “I have destroyed the documents relevant to the Valve case, as instructed.

That was Game Over for Vivendi.

The damning proof of document deletion, which fundamentally changed the course of the case, was deemed by the judge as overwhelming evidence that Vivendi had essentially waived their ability to challenge any aspect.

Without Andrew discovering that document, it’s possible that we would never have had Half-Life 2, Steam, Portal, or Left 4 Dead. Valve might not have survived as an independent company and instead could have been taken over by Vivendi’s corporate structure.

One summer intern’s diligent efforts played a pivotal role in preserving one of gaming’s leading companies. Whenever you use Steam or manipulate a physics object within a game, you’re witnessing the impact of Andrew’s exceptional work. Therefore, wherever you are, let me extend my gratitude on behalf of all gamers: Thank you, Andrew!

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2025-06-24 22:09