Writer of Valve games, like Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Half-Life 2: Episode 1 and 2, Erik Wolpaw has left the company according to several sources talking to Gamasutra. Sources noticed a few Facebook and Twitter posts from Wolpaw and other Valve employees clearly stating Wolpaw has left Valve. This would be more big talent leaving, and only a year after the departure of another of Valve’s lead writers Marc Laidlaw. Valve hasn’t commented on Wolpaw’s exit, and Wolpaw hasn’t announced where he is going, or which island he’ll be vacationing on for the next few months.
This continues to mark a transition for Valve away from story-based games like Half-Life or Portal, and more towards titles like Dota 2. Neither side in this will be hurting however, Valve continues to make money and collect knives and Wolpaw can go wherever he chooses. It’ll be interesting to see what games Valve creates in a post-Wolpaw world, and if they’ll ever be able to recapture those wonderful, story driven, moments from their past.
