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[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

...and instead allow releases on each other's platforms, Epic Games and Nintendo? I feel like Steam is going to become a full monopoly as consoles become more expensive and people head towards PC for high end gaming. If that's inevitable, then perhaps it wouldn't hurt for Sony to start focusing on Xbox/Nintendo ports over Steam ports?

Microsoft no longer really need Steam if they are doing PS5/Switch 2 releases now - their own store has massively improved since 2017. And perhaps Nintendo could open their own storefront if they decide to release games on PC.

Brain Rot is real.

Maybe ask Microsoft and Sony to improve their own storefront and ecosystem feature offerings, stop jacking prices up 500%, and the such so they can be more competitive with storefronts like Steam. Also hilarious you think Sony focusing on Xbox & Nintendo over Steam suddenly solves what you attribute as a brand dilution to PlayStation; Sony porting more of their games to ANY non-PlayStation platform already runs that risk.

And yes, Microsoft 1000% need Steam, because their games being on PS and Nintendo doesn't guarantee they'll sell. BO7 has been a disaster despite being on PS5; South of Midnight is most likely going to bomb massively despite being on PS5 & Switch 2 next year. And no one really gives two shits about Microsoft Store, its market share is still garbage compared to even EGS and GOG for PC game sales, let alone Steam.

Publishing: Does nothing
Game development: Does nothing
Discounts / Free Games / Rewards points: Does nothing
Investing in Game preservation: Does nothing
Lowering payments required for developers like Epic and MS Store: Does nothing
Using their vast wealth to open new studios, hire more developers, expand: Does nothing, barely employs a few hundred people
Game Engine Development: Does nothing

Valve have no legal obligation to do any of the things you're talking about. Also you're wrong on many of these: Valve make games, they offer discounts, Steam has emulator supports, they take lower royalty percentages for select publishers who hit certain sales milestones, they aren't hiring a bunch of people so they can just fire them later like certain $4 trillion companies that did that very thing, and they've been adding stuff to Source 2 of late (which IIRC is free to use).

Basically, you're wrong on just about everything you mentioned.

 

[Gilgalaad]

It will be totally stupid for MS…. So there is a chance they do it !

 

[Topher]

Often these corps don't think ahead.

I'll agree with you there. Their stock holders want quarterly growth and the corporate executives will do whatever it takes to deliver. Exactly the problem Valve doesn't have.

 

[dgrdsv]

Yeah. In fact they should stop releasing games at all, on their respective platforms specifically, as these are 100% monopolistic.

 

[memoryman3]

Brain Rot is real.

Maybe ask Microsoft and Sony to improve their own storefront and ecosystem feature offerings, stop jacking prices up 500%, and the such so they can be more competitive with storefronts like Steam. Also hilarious you think Sony focusing on Xbox & Nintendo over Steam suddenly solves what you attribute as a brand dilution to PlayStation; Sony porting more of their games to ANY non-PlayStation platform already runs that risk.

And yes, Microsoft 1000% need Steam, because their games being on PS and Nintendo doesn't guarantee they'll sell. BO7 has been a disaster despite being on PS5; South of Midnight is most likely going to bomb massively despite being on PS5 & Switch 2 next year. And no one really gives two shits about Microsoft Store, its market share is still garbage compared to even EGS and GOG for PC game sales, let alone Steam.

The Microsoft Store really isn't a bad option to buy games from in 2025, unless you have a exFAT formatted drive. You have no launcher requirement, you get the full Xbox Live feature-set, and low latency cloud gaming is included for a very low price, so you can continue where you left off on your phone or TV. Launching the games using Xbox FSE also saves a lot of VRAM - useful for 8GB cards. I would say they are the closest to Steam out of all the alternative storefronts.

Microsoft only charges a 12% commission fee vs. Valve's 30%, and Valve are preparing to launch a $800 PC-console with less power than Microsoft's 5 year old console.

 

[Braag]

Yes.
University of NeoGaffitus recently made a research that instead of releasing your game on a platform with almost 200 million active users, you could release it on a much newer platform with less than 10 million users where no one has a digital library, actually increases your game's sales by up to 600%.

 

[RoboFu]

It doesn't really matter now.. no one will have a gaming pc in 4 years.

 

[Topher]

The Microsoft Store really isn't a bad option to buy games from in 2025, unless you have a exFAT formatted drive. You have no launcher requirement, you get the full Xbox Live feature-set, and low latency cloud gaming is included for a very low price, so you can continue where you left off on your phone or TV. Launching the games using Xbox FSE also saves a lot of VRAM - useful for 8GB cards. I would say they are the closest to Steam out of all the alternative storefronts.

Microsoft only charges a 12% commission fee vs. Valve's 30%, and Valve are preparing to launch a $800 PC-console with less power than Microsoft's 5 year old console.

Microsoft's store is still shit compared to Valve. If games are not 18% cheaper on MS store then who cares?

What does Steam Machine have to do with any of this? Did you complain when Microsoft jacked up prices?

 

[JimmyRustler]

I just bought a PC so I'm inclined to say no.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Is this fan fiction?

 

[V2Tommy]

OP, we want the opposite. Everything on Steam. Windows Store on Steam. Apple App Store on Steam.

 

[Mayar]

Microsoft's store is still shit compared to Valve. If games are not 18% cheaper on MS store then who cares?

What does Steam Machine have to do with any of this? Did you complain when Microsoft jacked up prices?

I can literally see your blood pressure rising.

 

[Topher]

I can literally see your blood pressure rising.

 

[Mayar]

I hope you won't ring the bell here? I'm just asking out of curiosity, and I'll move away just in case.

 

[poppabk]

The competition can't compete with them no matter how hard they try. It's the PC equivalent of the Nintendo Gameboy vs. other handhelds like the Game Gear, Wonderswan, Neo Geo Pocket, ect.

The competition can't compete with them no matter how much money they throw around - but they have barely tried. People want to buy their games on Steam - but literally nothing stops them from buying elsewhere.

 

[Bonfires Down]

From a business perspective I think Sony should stop launching their single player games on Steam, yes. PCs are becoming too console-like to not be considered competition at this point.

From my own perspective, I want every game on every platform.

 

[Mayar]

The only downside to the whole Steam situation is that too many people have put their eggs in one basket. And if something goes wrong, the collapse will be monstrous. But that's the absolute worst-case scenario.

 

[DeepEnigma]

The only downside to the whole Steam situation is that too many people have put their eggs in one basket. And if something goes wrong, the collapse will be monstrous. But that's the absolute worst-case scenario.

Gaben,

Valve's founder, Gabe Newell, reportedly stated years ago that if Steam ever went out of business, they would release a patch to disable the DRM and allow users to play their games offline.

 

[Mayar]

The problem is that these are his words, not those of the leadership that will come after him.
As I wrote, this is a really bad scenario, which is unlikely.

P.S - If this happens, I have nothing to do with it.

 

[Fortress of Regrets]

Thanks for the laugh, OP. Most hilarious thing I've read today.

 

[Poppinfresh]

I'd really like to see Epic or GoG really invest in their storefronts and launchers to become real competition for Steam. Even a new company in the space would be great.

People love to glaze Valve and as such, it tends to get a free pass on stuff that other companies would be criticized for doing.

The big issue for me is Valve's continued complicity in online gambling, especially underage online gambling, via CounterStrike loot boxes and assets. It's a problem, and I'd like to see the public and large publishers really start to pressure Valve to end it.

Gambling ruins lives just as much as drugs or alcohol, and Valve just sits there and lets it happen.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I'd really like to see Epic or GoG really invest in their storefronts and launchers to become real competition for Steam. Even a new company in the space would be great.

People love to glaze Valve and as such, it tends to get a free pass on stuff that other companies would be criticized for doing.

The big issue for me is Valve's continued complicity in online gambling, especially underage online gambling, via CounterStrike loot boxes and assets. It's a problem, and I'd like to see the public and large publishers really start to pressure Valve to end it.

Gambling ruins lives just as much as drugs or alcohol, and Valve just sits there and lets it happen.

While I agree, other publishers would be more inclined to join in, rather the criticize that revenue stream.

 

[Topher]

I'd really like to see Epic or GoG really invest in their storefronts and launchers to become real competition for Steam. Even a new company in the space would be great.

People love to glaze Valve and as such, it tends to get a free pass on stuff that other companies would be criticized for doing.

The big issue for me is Valve's continued complicity in online gambling, especially underage online gambling, via CounterStrike loot boxes and assets. It's a problem, and I'd like to see the public and large publishers really start to pressure Valve to end it.

Gambling ruins lives just as much as drugs or alcohol, and Valve just sits there and lets it happen.

My only real issue is I do think Valve should make more games. This avoiding the number 3 thing never really made sense. Left 4 Dead, TF, Portal, etc. All deserve more entries.

I don't really understand much about the gambling stuff, but Valve has always been hands off with games on their platform unless forced to do something like with the payment processing stuff. Isn't this the same sort of thing that is on mobile?

 

[Valonquar]

If MS stopped releasing titles on PC they would lose 85% of their market. Sony would lose maybe 5%.

 

[Mayar]

My only real issue is I do think Valve should make more games. This avoiding the number 3 thing never really made sense. Left 4 Dead, TF, Portal, etc. All deserve more entries.

I don't really understand much about the gambling stuff, but Valve has always been hands off with games on their platform unless forced to do something like with the payment processing stuff. Isn't this the same sort of thing that is on mobile?

When you're literally sitting in a factory that's printing money for you, it's very difficult to motivate yourself to work. It's even harder to make risky decisions.

Gambling ruins lives just as much as drugs or alcohol, and Valve just sits there and lets it happen.

Well, the yacht won't buy itself.
But let's be honest, nothing will change, everything will continue as is. No one is going to remove something that brings in huge amounts of money, that would require at least significant pressure from users, and that simply isn't there.

 

[memoryman3]

If MS stopped releasing titles on PC they would lose 85% of their market. Sony would lose maybe 5%.

Microsoft are releasing on PS5 now.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Well, the yacht won't buy itself.

He owns the yacht company.

NEW CHAPTER - GABE NEWELL - Oceanco

www.oceancoyacht.com

 

[asdasdasdbb]

My only real issue is I do think Valve should make more games. This avoiding the number 3 thing never really made sense. Left 4 Dead, TF, Portal, etc. All deserve more entries.

Valve doesn't make SP games anymore. To me, everything Valve does with Steam is mainly to funnel more users to play their GAAS games. The store otherwise is a secondary thing.

 

[Topher]

Valve doesn't make SP games anymore. To me, everything Valve does with Steam is mainly to funnel more users to play their GAAS games. Selling games is a secondary thing.

Half-life 3 is supposedly coming, but yes, I'm saying they need to get back to creating games like they used to.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Valve doesn't make SP games anymore.

Alyx was single player.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

Half-life 3 is supposedly coming, but yes, I'm saying they need to get back to creating games like they used to.

I think the people who claim it is HL3 are assuming things that probably aren't true.

And why should they go back to making SP games?

 

[Mayar]

Alyx was single player.

Yes, but essentially it was a product to promote VR and their VR Headset. And it was a damn smart commercial move, since they needed a really good and strong product to gain a foothold in the market and make a name for themselves.

 

[Holammer]

Steam is not a monopoly.
If they were, Tim Sweeney would be crying about it on Twitter all the day long.

... imagine how things would look if they TRIED to compete seriously. Signing exclusives, giving away free games and plowing money into advertising.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Yes, but essentially it was a product to promote VR and their VR Headset. And it was a damn smart commercial move, since they needed a really good and strong product to gain a foothold in the market and make a name for themselves.

What if I told you there was a product coming that would be perfect for them to promote HL3 with.

 

[Mayar]

What if I told you there was a product coming that would be perfect for them to promote HL3 with.

What if I told you that we all need to calm down and get some fresh air?

 

[DeepEnigma]

What if I told you that we all need to calm down and get some fresh air?

 

[VeganElduderino]

exactly this!

 

[bender]

I hope you won't ring the bell here? I'm just asking out of curiosity, and I'll move away just in case.

Nah. Hug it out, bitch.

Topher , ring the fucking bell.

 

[xanaum]

For profit, sure, especially if they want to keep consoles as the priority. But if they're trying to earn space on PC players' desks, I don't think it's a good idea.

Personally, I prefer GOG, but my Steam library is bigger because I started using it as a kid, and Big Picture mode makes me launch a lot of games there.

 

[Topher]

I think the people who claim it is HL3 are assuming things that probably aren't true.

And why should they go back to making SP games?

HL3 is either the worst kept secret in gaming or the biggest hoax in gaming. Personally I think there is enough insider backing at this point that makes it not being true the least likely. But who knows?

Why shouldn't they go back to making SP games if that is what they want to do?

 

[Poppinfresh]

While I agree, other publishers would be more inclined to join in, rather the criticize that revenue stream.

Yeah, I agree fully.

I don't really understand much about the gambling stuff,

I don't fully understand it either, but I think the gist of it is that because you fan freely trade Counterstrike Lootboxes and gear, and because those items can be turned into the equivalent of real money, online gambling sites popped up that allowed you to use the items/lootboxes as currency, which essentially bypassed a lot of gambling laws, since technically "real" money wasn't being used.

I think it's a bit more complex than that, but suffice it to say, there were a lot of underage kids taking advantage of this.

Valve knows about the issue and essentially ignores it, likely because they get a small cut of every transaction on Steam, so they are indirectly making money off of the gambling.

As someone else said, the yacht won't buy itself.

 

[BlueManifest]

Steam is not a monopoly nor will it be...

Its just the best service provider in a free market and companies see money to be made on that service.

Steam are not doing anything to prevent competition

They prevent it by being too good

 

[Topher]

Yeah, I agree fully.



I don't fully understand it either, but I think the gist of it is that because you fan freely trade Counterstrike Lootboxes and gear, and because those items can be turned into the equivalent of real money, online gambling sites popped up that allowed you to use the items/lootboxes as currency, which essentially bypassed a lot of gambling laws, since technically "real" money wasn't being used.

I think it's a bit more complex than that, but suffice it to say, there were a lot of underage kids taking advantage of this.

Valve knows about the issue and essentially ignores it, likely because they get a small cut of every transaction on Steam, so they are indirectly making money off of the gambling.

As someone else said, the yacht won't buy itself.

Hmm, I'd say parents need to be parents. We see all the porn on Steam and that should be first indicator that some parental discretion is in order. You let loose a kid with a credit card on the internet and bad shit is going to happen. Time for some tough love.

I just found out in this thread, for the first time, that Gabe actually builds and sells yachts.

 

[Deerock71]

The before shot:

 

[yogaflame]

If the rumored HL3 will be steam machine and steam exclusive, it means shots fired, so PS or MS has to fight back. Make there games console exclusive.

I like it, if it will be the battle of exclusives.

 

[Poppinfresh]

They prevent it by being too good

Valve isn't doing anything that other storefronts couldn't do, if they wanted.

I'd argue that the 20+ year head start probably has more to do with their success than anything else.

It's hard for a company starting now to make up that kind of ground, and the companies with the capital to do it, like Amazon, have completely failed at making a customer-friendly portal to use to purchase and play games. It's like they took a look at what Valve was doing to be successful and decided to do the exact opposite.

Epic could probably be a real contender, but they would need to sink a lot of time, effort, and money into improving their storefront and launcher.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I just found out in this thread, for the first time, that Gabe actually builds and sells yachts.

 

[Joe Cool]

I wonder how many people didn't just answer the topic title? It is a fascinating philosophy to discuss as it relates to the body of the topic. I have thoughts...

 

[LordBlodgett]

Steam is nowhere close to a monopoly precisely because of consoles and phones. Microsoft's console userbase is far too small to support exclusives, and PC is probably a pretty big part of their income at this point so it would be short-term suicide to stop publishing their games on Steam. Sony is a little bit of a different question, but honestly, I don't think they are pushing their users off console and onto PC, but rather just opening themselves to a broader market.

 

[BlueManifest]

I never said it was I'm just saying that their competition has been so insignificant that Valve isn't threatened by them at all. Valve would always allow and welcome a new challenger, but who could possibly do anything to them at this point in time?

Steam is good but the other reason is they were first and early, people have been using it for a long time and built up their libraries, cloud saves, steam inventory, they are locked into the Steam eco system now

There's no reason for them to leave even if another service was just slightly better which there isn't any even