Valve: Fears Of Steam Monopoly 'Doesn't Make Sense'
Steam's popularity is good news for everyone.
Steam playing with rival digital download stores, yesterday.
Poor Steam, it’s taken quite the beating from fellow publishers and rival online stores alike, with fears of a digital market monopoly constantly in the news. Valve’s Business Development Director, Jason Holtman, has another take on the matter. He’ll have you know that Steam’s 70 per cent market share is a good thing for all PC businesses and consumers.
“In terms of whether we get too big or maybe our content shouldn't be on the platform, it's just doesn't make much sense. Because the content helps the platform grow,” Holtman said to GamesIndustry.
“There's nothing better in the world for anyone making an Xbox 360 game than the fact that Halo exists. It's awesome, there's nobody saying 'boy I wish Bungie hadn't made Halo' because it sold an awful lot of Xboxes that you can sell your games on.”
Essentially, the argument is that because Steam is a ‘killer app’ for PC consumers. Which is a statement that many gamers might agree with, but won’t exactly calm the fears of rival digital stores. Particularly since Holtman forgot to address how Steam’s popularity somehow benefits those wanting to compete with the service.
The Valve director did outline the beauty of the PC’s open platform nature, and said that as a result if the company screwed up on their customers, there are other avenues of digital retail that those customers can flock to.
“The thing about PC in general is that unlike a closed platform you can make your own. We have a force of openness on the PC that's always pushing on us. If we started doing things that were bad decisions for customers or developers, they can just move and go somewhere else,” concludes Holtman.
Valve, screwing up? How likely is that to happen, really? Place all bets in the comments space below!
“In terms of whether we get too big or maybe our content shouldn't be on the platform, it's just doesn't make much sense. Because the content helps the platform grow,” Holtman said to GamesIndustry.
“There's nothing better in the world for anyone making an Xbox 360 game than the fact that Halo exists. It's awesome, there's nobody saying 'boy I wish Bungie hadn't made Halo' because it sold an awful lot of Xboxes that you can sell your games on.”
Essentially, the argument is that because Steam is a ‘killer app’ for PC consumers. Which is a statement that many gamers might agree with, but won’t exactly calm the fears of rival digital stores. Particularly since Holtman forgot to address how Steam’s popularity somehow benefits those wanting to compete with the service.
The Valve director did outline the beauty of the PC’s open platform nature, and said that as a result if the company screwed up on their customers, there are other avenues of digital retail that those customers can flock to.
“The thing about PC in general is that unlike a closed platform you can make your own. We have a force of openness on the PC that's always pushing on us. If we started doing things that were bad decisions for customers or developers, they can just move and go somewhere else,” concludes Holtman.
Valve, screwing up? How likely is that to happen, really? Place all bets in the comments space below!
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Comments
way 3 Dec 2009 02:18
1/1
Really, how am I going to take my programs somewhere else, onto a replacement of the PC, emulator, valve program updates,etc?
I have the program on this PC, and I do not use it or valve software (just sitting there going to waste), it is that bad, and stupid. Eventually some "customers" are going to realize this and regret they went with it.
I have the program on this PC, and I do not use it or valve software (just sitting there going to waste), it is that bad, and stupid. Eventually some "customers" are going to realize this and regret they went with it.