> But Valve is (a) fanatical about hiring, and (b) rolling in so much money that they won't have to make any tough decisions in the near future, e.g. laying off

> But Valve is (a) fanatical about hiring, and (b) rolling in so much money that they won't have to make any tough decisions in the near future, e.g. laying off part of the staff to keep their company afloat (which can destroy the sort of culture necessary to sustain the model you're describing). Several out of work as Valve makes 'large decisions' about its future (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5215891 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5215891)