With advanced physics systems and an increased focus on story and characters, Half-Life 2 received critical acclaim and sold 12 million copies by 2011. In 2003, Valve launched Steam, followed by Half-Life 2 in 2004. Their debut game, the first-person shooter (FPS) Half-Life (1998), was a critical and commercial success with its realism, scripted sequences and seamless narrative, it had a lasting influence on the FPS genre. Valve was founded in 1996 by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington. It is the developer of the software distribution platform Steam and the franchises Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, Day of Defeat, Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead, and Dota. Valve Corporation, also known as Valve Software, is an American video game developer, publisher, and digital distribution company headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.
