[meowface]

I don't really think so. If I was working on a game for years, only to find out someone broke into my network, planted keyloggers on lots of my computers, and stole all of the source code for my game, I'd be interested in arresting the perpetrator as well. The game was practically Gabe's second baby.

Plus, there was no way Gabe could have known that Axel was 1) truly apologetic or 2) wasn't the one who also published the code publicly. And even if it was known, the fact that he shared it with friends showed that he didn't seem to care that much about protecting it.

That being said, I do work in the security industry and understand that Axel's motivations weren't evil or anything. Gabe still did what he should have done.

[Fuxy]

Well the damage was already there wasn't much he or anybody else could do about that so giving the guy a chance to make up for his mistake wouldn't have hurt.

Then again I'm sure he was really pissed so I can't blame him for doing what he did.

[CocaKoala]

I can definitely think of at least one way that hiring the guy who hacked into your company's computers, planted keyloggers, and stole the source code of your project could hurt. I thought of another while I was typing that sentence.

Maybe the kid who did it wasn't actually sorry; maybe he was hoping to get more access so he could steal more stuff. That's a way it could hurt.

Maybe bringing the kid who stole your team's work and demoralized everybody isn't going to do great things for the company morale; that's another way it could hurt.

Giving people second chances is great and all, but it seems silly to say "[it] wouldn't have hurt"; it could have very easily gone wrong.

[munificent]

> giving the guy a chance to make up for his mistake wouldn't have hurt.

That presumes you are 100% confident that the guy is completely remorseful and will no longer do anything wrong. Given past behavior, why should Valve have had that confidence?