Confirmed: Marc Laidlaw Retires From Valve

[Hectic Glenn]

Update: Marc has directly confirmed his retirement with us and many others. The future of Half-life will be with someone else.

Although unconfirmed, user @TeddyWolf posted an email exchange with Valve writers Marc Laidlaw which states Marc as having retired from Valve and that "My time working on the series [Half-life] is behind me"

The email comes from an address known to be Marc's personal gmail and is listed on his personal website. The content in the email come across as very genuine however it is a little strange how Marc has decided to reveal this news.

I am no longer a full or part time Valve employee, no longer involved in day-to-day decisions or operations, no longer a spokesperson for the company, no longer privy to most types of confidential information, no longer working on Valve games in any capacity

You can read the full email here however we are still awaiting confirmation from Valve whether this is legitimate.

 

[Clan Wolf 2]

well true or not, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, if a Valve employee decides to retire/leave from it. including gabe newell. They should freely do so. Valve for many years have been this teacher of many respects, you don't go back on your respect for academic teachers

wait and see

 

[Ennui]

Sad day, but in the immortal words of the G-Man, "Nobody is more deserving of a rest..."

Thank you Marc Laidlaw for all you've done to make Half-Life the most compelling video game series in history. Cheers!

Edit: I sent Marc a brief email thanking him for all he's done and he confirmed to me personally that it's true... so Glenn if you trust me you can change the headline to confirmed

 

[UndeadScottsman]

Gamasutra say they have independently confirmed with Laidlaw that this is true.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/..._Marc_Laidlaw_leaves_Valve_after_18_years.php

 

[WEL$H_GANGSTA_99]

Its true fellas I just emailed him. But always be positive there are still plenty of great writers that work at valve. Even though I don't think they can bring the same experience as Marc did so just be positive.

 

[TeddyWolf]

PCgamer has also confirmed it: http://www.pcgamer.com/rumour-marc-...facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pcgfb

 

[Ennui]

Its true fellas I just emailed him. But always be positive there are still plenty of great writers that work at valve. Even though I don't think they can bring the same experience as Marc did so just be positive.

lol I recognize you from r/HalfLife too

 

[WEL$H_GANGSTA_99]

lol I recognize you from r/HalfLife too

yep

 

[WEL$H_GANGSTA_99]

PCgamer has also confirmed it: http://www.pcgamer.com/rumour-marc-...facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pcgfb

I just read the comments on that page and its awful. Everyone is just jumping to conclusions. Its poppycock.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

I've been away a few hours, I also got the confirmation from Marc. End of an era however Half-life will continue I'm sure with influences from Marc and others.

 

[WEL$H_GANGSTA_99]

I've been away a few hours, I also got the confirmation from Marc. End of an era however Half-life will continue I'm sure with influences from Marc and others.

There we go. Don't feel down fellas. Valve can simply reuse the ideas that Marc had.

 

[AYKO]

I'm happy for him. He should've gotten bored of doing useless stuff for Dota.
Bon voyage and best of luck for Mr. Laidlaw.

 

[Spamming Tanks]

I wish Mark the best... this should be a given... but I am sure many would like to know: How will this impact the Half-Life series?

 

[WEL$H_GANGSTA_99]

I wish Mark the best... this should be a given... but I am sure many would like to know: How will this impact the Half-Life series?

It would impact in some way. I don't know how. But in no way this proves that HL3 will never come out.

 

[MOnster Sandvich]

 

[Clan Wolf 2]

The greats are leaving us.

The more i read about him, the more i come to respect marc laidlaw. searching for emails of his back n forth with a journalist about hl3, he mentions a series of books by american author. But all i can find atm is reports of his retirement from Valve. Its out there. And if we're reminiscing, all i can suggest is
Half life snacks

extract from http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Marc_Laidlaw

Erik Wolpaw and Chet Faliszek, whom he shares an office with at Valve. All three also co-wrote the story for Portal. He states about Wolpaw and Faliszek on his personal blog that "for years, Chet and Erik were legendary figures of mythic status to me. They still are, except now I can throw things over my shoulder and hit them.

All the best Marc, we will be interested to see what you do next.

 

[Spamming Tanks]

Call me a crank if you wish, but this kind of trite from Valve n' Crew is no longer funny. I wish they would just understand that.

 

[MFL]

Thanks for the dreams, Marc.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I would have retired too being bored from doing jack shit.

 

[Ennui]

Call me a crank if you wish, but this kind of trite from Valve n' Crew is no longer funny. I wish they would just understand that.

What are you even talking about? Him being a friendly normal person in his response to that email? You can't possibly think he's being coy or intentionally referencing HL because he said "half-eaten"...

 

[Spamming Tanks]

What are you even talking about? Him being a friendly normal person in his response to that email? You can't possibly think he's being coy or intentionally referencing HL because he said "half-eaten"...

OK, maybe that is reading too much into it. I don't know though, this happens a lot ("leaks", "special announcement in 3,2,1....", how do you expect people not to read into things like that?)

To be fair though, I was not the first one to imply that he was being coy. But whatever.