How a summer intern saved Valve from bankruptcy and shaped the future of gaming

Valve, the Half-Life developer, faced a major legal battle with Vivendi in the early 2000s over Counter-Strike licensing rights. The dispute nearly bankrupted Valve until a Korean-speaking intern discovered evidence of document destruction in Vivendi's files. This led to a favorable settlement for Valve, allowing them to launch Steam and release Half-Life 2. The outcome preserved Valve's future and enabled the creation of popular titles like Portal and Left 4 Dead, significantly impacting the gaming industry.