GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Former Valve Economist Resigns as Greece's Finance Minister After Just Six Months

Yanis Varoufakis steps down from his post amid the Greek debt crisis.

100 Comments

The esteemed economics theory professor that PC gaming giant Valve hired in 2012, who later left to become Greece's Finance Minister, has resigned from his post amid the country's economic plight.

No Caption Provided

Yanis Varoufakis announced his resignation from his position on Monday in a blog post titled "Minister No More!" His departure comes amid the financial crisis in Greece. Varoufakis became Greece's Finance Minister just six months ago; at the time, he vowed to enact "genuine reforms" to repair the country's situation.

CNNMoney reports that Varoufakis had a style all his own, one that might not have served him well.

"During his time in government, Varoufakis refused to adopt the mannerisms of a conventional European politician," the site wrote. "Instead, he dressed informally and loudly. He frequently appeared in media, launching biting rhetorical attacks against rival negotiators and governments."

In his farewell blog post, Varoufakis said his departure from Greece's government might help Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras come to an agreement with creditors. His resignation comes less than a day after Greece rejected Europe's bailout offer.

"Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants, and assorted ‘partners', for my… 'absence' from its meetings; an idea that the Prime Minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement," he explained. "For this reason I am leaving the Ministry of Finance today."

Varoufakis was personally headhunted by Valve boss Gabe Newell and was officially hired by the gaming company in June 2012. A self-proclaimed "ignoramus" about video games, Varoufakis worked with Valve to analyze the in-game economies that surround its franchises. He went on to publish articles on the nature of digital economies.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are 100 comments about this story