I mean, the big factor that really makes a difference there is: Valve is not a publicly traded company. They make more than enough money to function on their own, so there is no investor pressure to lower their standards for the sake of profit. Essentially, what Gabe Newell says is the final word, and it seems like he’s just generally a pretty okay guy, so as long as he’s alive and he doesn’t leave the company, things will probably be okay? And let’s be clear: the guy is 62, he could retire whenever. But it means that up to now, Valve has never had to lower their standards just because a stakeholder wanted a fifth yacht, which is a problem MANY other games companies buckle under, even if their leaders want to deliver good products.
