Valve Corporation, the developer of Half-Life 2, was founded by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington.
Valve released the original Half-Life game, which set the stage for the development of Half-Life 2.
Valve publicly announced Half-Life 2 and began building anticipation for the sequel.
Valve launched Steam, an online platform for distribution of its games, including Half-Life 2.
Valve released Half-Life 2, receiving critical acclaim for its graphics, physics, and story.
The source code of Half-Life 2 was leaked, causing significant issues for its release schedule and security.
The alien Combine forces invade Earth, overwhelming humanity's defenses and initiating the occupation.
The Combine establish City 17 as the central administrative hub for Earth under their control.
Gordon Freeman is brought out of stasis by the mysterious G-Man and arrives in City 17 to begin resistance against the Combine.
Gordon Freeman reconnects with former allies and begins to actively oppose Combine forces, sparking hope among the citizens.
Gordon and allies destroy the Combine prison facility Nova Prospekt, liberating many prisoners and weakening Combine control.
With the Combine on the defensive, Gordon and the resistance fight to reclaim City 17, leading to a full-scale uprising.
