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[Fabieter]

It's easy. Valve doesn't do shit. They were the first, they enjoy their position. They have the same structure for 10+ years. Lame, old ass, non usable recommendation system, inbred curators, an ancient webpage straight from early 2000s, and the list goes on.

And almost no investment in the actual elephant in the room. Fucking games. Valve don't care.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

And almost no investment in the actual elephant in the room. Fucking games. Valve don't care.

They're taking a different role, it seems to me: supporting gaming both as an example and as a platform.

They built Alyx to prove that it's possible to have a top-tier, full gaming experience in VR. It's still the reference point for that entire medium, and the hardware they built for Index was also a part of the equation of showing how well it can all work. They carried all of this over into the SteamVR interface, which is still by far the best VR shop and way to dive into tons of VR content, and easy to publish on.

They pushed hard on Linux side to build fantastic tooling & middleware that helps gaming be able to split from the proprietary stranglehold that is Microsoft's software and operating systems. And that's hardly a simple move, nor a safe one for a studio that makes its cash off of PC gaming. By making the Steam Deck so successful, devs now will want to support the linux-based stack by default in order to reach a wider audience.

On the store side, they still have a strong orientation towards free expression which is endangered elsewhere. I can guarantee that every other major platform would have already killed the SweetBabyDetected curator group for political reasons by now, but Valve generally has a much better policy towards users and granting them freedom in the platform.

And that's not to mention things like Steam Workshop, which is absolutely brilliant in opening up modding to everyone. I've played so many Portal and Alyx mods over the years from a simple one-click in the interface. They give the platform and the tools, and the results are incredible. I probably have more hours logged on community-build workshop content for each of their main series games than the originals, just because there is so much to experience.

It's lunacy to act like Valve sits around instead of being one of the biggest forces shaping gaming. The entire landscape of games would be radically different if they ceased to exist.

 

[Fabieter]

They're taking a different role, it seems to me: supporting gaming both as an example and as a platform.

They built Alyx to prove that it's possible to have a top-tier, full gaming experience in VR. It's still the reference point for that entire medium, and the hardware they built for Index was also a part of the equation of showing how well it can all work. They carried all of this over into the SteamVR interface, which is still by far the best VR shop and way to dive into tons of VR content, and easy to publish on.

They pushed hard on Linux side to build fantastic tooling & middleware that helps gaming be able to split from the proprietary stranglehold that is Microsoft's software and operating systems. And that's hardly a simple move, nor a safe one for a studio that makes its cash off of PC gaming. By making the Steam Deck so successful, devs now will want to support the linux-based stack by default in order to reach a wider audience.

On the store side, they still have a strong orientation towards free expression which is endangered elsewhere. I can guarantee that every other major platform would have already killed the SweetBabyDetected curator group for political reasons by now, but Valve generally has a much better policy towards users and granting them freedom in the platform.

And that's not to mention things like Steam Workshop, which is absolutely brilliant in opening up modding to everyone. I've played so many Portal and Alyx mods over the years from a simple one-click in the interface. They give the platform and the tools, and the results are incredible. I probably have more hours logged on community-build workshop content for each of their main series games than the originals, just because there is so much to experience.

It's lunacy to act like Valve sits around instead of being one of the biggest forces shaping gaming. The entire landscape of games would be radically different if they ceased to exist.

The real risk is on making games which they rarely do and most of those they made the last 15 years were gaas games which people seemingly hate to death. They make billions upon billions. They could invest more in indie games, modding team (like they did when steam wasn't as big and they actually had to care) and actual aaa games. They perfected do as little as possible for the most profit for sure and people love them to do basically nothing.

 

[Topher]

They're taking a different role, it seems to me: supporting gaming both as an example and as a platform.

They built Alyx to prove that it's possible to have a top-tier, full gaming experience in VR. It's still the reference point for that entire medium, and the hardware they built for Index was also a part of the equation of showing how well it can all work. They carried all of this over into the SteamVR interface, which is still by far the best VR shop and way to dive into tons of VR content, and easy to publish on.

They pushed hard on Linux side to build fantastic tooling & middleware that helps gaming be able to split from the proprietary stranglehold that is Microsoft's software and operating systems. And that's hardly a simple move, nor a safe one for a studio that makes its cash off of PC gaming. By making the Steam Deck so successful, devs now will want to support the linux-based stack by default in order to reach a wider audience.

On the store side, they still have a strong orientation towards free expression which is endangered elsewhere. I can guarantee that every other major platform would have already killed the SweetBabyDetected curator group for political reasons by now, but Valve generally has a much better policy towards users and granting them freedom in the platform.

And that's not to mention things like Steam Workshop, which is absolutely brilliant in opening up modding to everyone. I've played so many Portal and Alyx mods over the years from a simple one-click in the interface. They give the platform and the tools, and the results are incredible. I probably have more hours logged on community-build workshop content for each of their main series games than the originals, just because there is so much to experience.

It's lunacy to act like Valve sits around instead of being one of the biggest forces shaping gaming. The entire landscape of games would be radically different if they ceased to exist.

Great post. Too bad it falls on deaf ears.

 

[StereoVsn]

Still more developing than Valve. And they make Unreal engine

Valve develops and maintains multiple online titles, improves Linux for gaming, works on VR and Steam Deck hardware, does fairly extensive work on Big Picture Mode and Steamworks development, provides best in class input support, has by far best discovery support out of any store and much more.

Again, what the heck are you talking about?

 

[StereoVsn]

They're taking a different role, it seems to me: supporting gaming both as an example and as a platform.

They built Alyx to prove that it's possible to have a top-tier, full gaming experience in VR. It's still the reference point for that entire medium, and the hardware they built for Index was also a part of the equation of showing how well it can all work. They carried all of this over into the SteamVR interface, which is still by far the best VR shop and way to dive into tons of VR content, and easy to publish on.

They pushed hard on Linux side to build fantastic tooling & middleware that helps gaming be able to split from the proprietary stranglehold that is Microsoft's software and operating systems. And that's hardly a simple move, nor a safe one for a studio that makes its cash off of PC gaming. By making the Steam Deck so successful, devs now will want to support the linux-based stack by default in order to reach a wider audience.

On the store side, they still have a strong orientation towards free expression which is endangered elsewhere. I can guarantee that every other major platform would have already killed the SweetBabyDetected curator group for political reasons by now, but Valve generally has a much better policy towards users and granting them freedom in the platform.

And that's not to mention things like Steam Workshop, which is absolutely brilliant in opening up modding to everyone. I've played so many Portal and Alyx mods over the years from a simple one-click in the interface. They give the platform and the tools, and the results are incredible. I probably have more hours logged on community-build workshop content for each of their main series games than the originals, just because there is so much to experience.

It's lunacy to act like Valve sits around instead of being one of the biggest forces shaping gaming. The entire landscape of games would be radically different if they ceased to exist.

No, no, you must be crazy, and all of that is irrelevant. If only Valve made amazing games like Redfall instead of dragging whole PC ecosystem forward, it would be all better.

 

[th4tguy]

Than it's even more concerning to me that they've become so complicit; and barely shipped any games between all these years of making bank with Steam.

While I appreciate the focus on research and development they seem to be heavily investing in, I'd love to experience an ambitious game from them—even if it's not perfect or even rough around the edges. But they seem more inclined to scrap it altogether if it's not perfect or pushing boundaries, than to give it the extra push needed to ship it just to get it out there. There should be enough 'fuck you' money at Valve to at least invest in shipping a game.

It's one of the reasons Marc Laidlaw got fed up of developing and not shipping anything there.

Valve is no longer a video game company. They are a video game industry company. Steam is the worst thing that could have happened to valve as a video game developer and the best thing that could have happened from a company perspective.

 

[Topher]

Valve is no longer a video game company. They are a video game industry company.

They are both

 

[Topher]

No, no, you must be crazy, and all of that is irrelevant. If only Valve made amazing games like Redfall instead of dragging whole PC ecosystem forward, it would be all better.

Think we have a lot of folks conditioned to that corporate console mindset. While these corporations lay people off while making massive profits, Valve keeps people employed and are then criticized for not taking enough risks. Backward thinking on display, imo. Meanwhile Valve's own games are atop the "most played" list and they release hardware that they know full well won't sell 10s of millions units.......and yet they do it anyway while freely handing over their system software to other manufacturers. They are not following that console script and I guess people are having a hard time grasping it.

 

[Fabieter]

Valve develops and maintains multiple online titles, improves Linux for gaming, works on VR and Steam Deck hardware, does fairly extensive work on Big Picture Mode and Steamworks development, provides best in class input support, has by far best discovery support out of any store and much more.

Again, what the heck are you talking about?

Valve manages everything with just 300 people, while traditional AAA games often require 1000 to 2000 developers over several years. If other big developers stopped making games, they could potentially replicate what Valve does, but they lack the fanboys to excuse everything.

I recall waiting for years for the new UI to arrive on Steam, and fans would excuse the delays with the term "Valve time." Despite criticisms, the one aspect deserving respect is Valve's ability to run their business with far fewer work than other companies.

I cant wait for the day gaben finally steps down and we get a CEO that actually cares about gaming.

 

[Topher]

If other big developers stopped making games, they could potentially replicate what Valve does, but they lack the fanboys to excuse everything.

 

[WitchHunter]

It's lunacy to act like Valve sits around instead of being one of the biggest forces shaping gaming. The entire landscape of games would be radically different if they ceased to exist.

Yeah, they have a store. That store brings in a shitton of money. And instead of creating miniscule qol changes to that frontend to heighten your experience, they do weeding in the flower garden, which is nice, but nobody cares about. Linux gaming has around 1-2% market share, and will remain around that percentage until big apps (Photoshop, video editing etc etc) migrate into the web completely. After that a change might come, and people no longer will care what the base system is, until the system inside a system, the web browser, runs without a hitch on that.

So Linux support is more like a long term strategic move, if god forbid something happens with Windows, but their main source of income is tied to their store. And that store is a fucking DINOSAUR. I don't care how much money they pocket, what I hate is that a company with that much resources doesn't give a fuck about its main source of income. Why? Because they have no competitors (well, what epic does is plain brute force). In 3 months a team of 4 can replicate the whole fucking Steam store, with much better options, it's not a miracle thing. The "miracle" is the akamai partnership, the infrastructure etc. But in the very beginning when Steam had shitty revenue they used user supplied servers to serve content IIRC...

The saddest thing is that people don't see that they get only the very minimum for what Steam provides. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not mad, I'm mad about idiots who wave the flag for someone that shits on their heads. Well, ignorance is bliss. Let Jabba eat out your fridge, and create tiktok movies about it: Look, Jabba was here and ate up everything in my fridge, dis issa miracel!!

 

[th4tguy]

They are both

Their business decisions are 99% not about developing their own games.

 

[Topher]

Their business decisions are 99% not about developing their own games.

Pretty much no way for you to know that, but sure......

 

[DragonNCM]

Half-Life Alyx is excellent, why haven't you played it?
Jokes aside, I do wish Valve shipped more games.

Easy money is better then bang your head to make AAA games.

 

[StereoVsn]

Valve manages everything with just 300 people, while traditional AAA games often require 1000 to 2000 developers over several years. If other big developers stopped making games, they could potentially replicate what Valve does, but they lack the fanboys to excuse everything.

I recall waiting for years for the new UI to arrive on Steam, and fans would excuse the delays with the term "Valve time." Despite criticisms, the one aspect deserving respect is Valve's ability to run their business with far fewer work than other companies.

I cant wait for the day gaben finally steps down and we get a CEO that actually cares about gaming.

Care about gaming like Ubisoft, EA or 2K? I really hope Gaben is into age extension or gets Elon to upload him to a robot body or something.

 

[PSYGN]

Who knew being the middleman in a lucrative business with less employees than big tech would create so much profit?

 

[zeroluck]

That is why you don't want any devs to make big bucks, I mean look at Valve, when you rich you have no motivation to do any work. At least I can get cheap steam keys, that is their only contribution to PC gaming.

 

[ClosBSAS]

U mad bro? Lmfao get fucked everyone else and screw 12%, long live 30%

 

[Unknown Soldier]

It's easier to make more money per head when you have way fewer heads.

Valve - 400 employees

Apple - 161,000 employees
Meta (Facebook) - 67,000 employees
Microsoft - 221,000 employees (!!)
Amazon - 1,525,000 employees (!!!!!!)
Alphabet (Google) - 140,000 employees (!)

Most of big tech is FUCKING BLOATED in terms of headcount so of course they make fuck-all per head compared to Valve which is orders of magnitude smaller by comparison. Which is why this comparison is actually stupid and you should feel stupid for comparing them like that.

 

[AmuroChan]

This is the benefit of being a private company. There's no imperative to have to continuously grow forever. Valve is happy with what they have and Gabe gets to call all the shots. Publicly traded companies like Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, etc cannot stay still and just be happy with making their billions every year. They have a fiduciary duty to their stockholders to grow their revenue every year. So they have no choice but to spend billions on R&D in order to come up with the next big product to sell. And anyone who's worked in this space knows that most products in R&D don't actually make it to market. For every successful product, there were dozens of others that failed in the discovery, prototype, testing stages of the R&D process. All of that is just sunk cost.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

This is the benefit of being a private company. There's no imperative to have to continuously grow forever. Valve is happy with what they have and Gabe gets to call all the shots. Publicly traded companies like Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, etc cannot stay still and just be happy with making their billions every year. They have a fiduciary duty to their stockholders to grow their revenue every year. So they have no choice but to spend billions on R&D in order to come up with the next big product to sell. And anyone who's worked in this space knows that most products in R&D don't actually make it to market. For every successful product, there were dozens of others that failed in the discovery, prototype, testing stages of the R&D process. All of that is just sunk cost.

There's pros and cons to publicly traded and private companies.

Whereas publicly traded companies have the usual monthly and quarterly grind to hit numbers, there's a benefit to this. It leads to well oiled machines, lots of innovation and scope, and that all comes from striving for eternal growth. A you said, you'll get a lot of products that miss, but also a lot of products that are homeruns which the public likes.

Private companies can be a mess. Most of the biggest companies in the world are publicly traded, and going by my friends and ex-coworkers who went to private companies, you get great perks like no monthly grind (the bosses dont care, have targets to hit, or they dont give a shit if you hit your numbers in December), but there's downsides like sketchy processes, family founders who can t be found as they are always golfing or worst of all family founders who are the biggest micromanagers ever because the family has owned the company for 100 years and every son and daughter gets exec jobs handed to them and they watch workers like vultures because the company is their baby for generations.

One of my best buddies is an account manager at a private company and he has no growth targets. The bosses simply tell him to at least match last year and thats good enough. He doesn't even have annual performance evaluations to sit through. Thats great and all and he can wing it and keep a job. But the downside is all the higher ups are hard to get hold of as they dont even show up as they are golfing or doing whatever shit during the day. Its a very modest "just hum along" kind of place since as long as the family members owning it are happy enough, thats good enough. No innovation or anything. Just do the same shit every year with the same products.

 

[AmuroChan]

There's pros and cons to publicly traded and private companies.

Whereas publicly traded companies have the usual monthly and quarterly grind to hit numbers, there's a benefit to this. It leads to well oiled machines, lots of innovation and scope, and that all comes from striving for eternal growth. A you said, you'll get a lot of products that miss, but also a lot of products that are homeruns which the public likes.

Private companies can be a mess. Most of the biggest companies in the world are publicly traded, and going by my friends and ex-coworkers who went to private companies, you get great perks like no monthly grind (the bosses dont care, have targets to hit, or they dont give a shit if you hit your numbers in December), but there's downsides like sketchy processes, family founders who can t be found as they are always golfing or worst of all family founders who are the biggest micromanagers ever because the family has owned the company for 100 years and every son and daughter gets exec jobs handed to them and they watch workers like vultures because the company is their baby for generations.

One of my best buddies is an account manager at a private company and he has no growth targets. The bosses simply tell him to at least match last year and thats good enough. He doesn't even have annual performance evaluations to sit through. Thats great and all and he can wing it and keep a job. But the downside is all the higher ups are hard to get hold of as they dont even show up as they are golfing or doing whatever shit during the day. Its a very modest "just hum along" kind of place since as long as the family members owning it are happy enough, thats good enough. No innovation or anything. Just do the same shit every year with the same products.

Yes, certainly. Just like with most things in life, there are pros and cons. I've worked in both spaces. In my 20s and early 30s I worked for publicly traded companies. The grind was real, but I didn't mind it as I was young and had the energy. Now I'm in a private company and that's great for the life stage I'm in with a family and kids. Much less pressure and I can actually sign off at a reasonable time. It's afforded me a much healthier work/life balance.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Valve develops and maintains multiple online titles, improves Linux for gaming, works on VR and Steam Deck hardware, does fairly extensive work on Big Picture Mode and Steamworks development, provides best in class input support, has by far best discovery support out of any store and much more.

Again, what the heck are you talking about?

Im talking about game developement. Big picture mode and inPut support lol. What are you talking about, stop being defensive over a launcher lol.
They make less games then any other platform despite starting out as a developer, simple

 

[DryvBy]

I'd be interested to know what they considered to be a superior alternative.

They're just stupid.

 

[StereoVsn]

They're just stupid.

Witness above. They don’t make games (even though they do), and they don’t do anything else useful. Controller input and BOM is easy which is why every other “launcher” has those options.

Not to mention much much more.

 

[Tams]

But running a store isn't all they do. They ran headfirst into the VR market. Steam Deck wasn't a no-risk proposition either. Particularly using Linux as the basis for their device in a PC industry dominated by Windows. In some ways, much riskier than new games as you are stuck with a ton of hardware if it flops.

So I don't think it is remotely truthful for Valve to be characterized as justing running a store.

Because they had the money spare to throw around.

Anyway, HTC did most of the work in the Vive, and the hardest part of the Steam Deck was AMD's. It's not that hard, just expensive, to get plastic molds.

While Vaove have contributed to Linux (Arch), and WINE, the vast majority of both have still been created by others.

 

[64bitmodels]

Valve doesn't make games anymore because their 20+ year old games and GaaS are still top sellers years after their release.

 

[YCoCg]

I cant wait for the day gaben finally steps down and we get a CEO that actually cares about gaming

Oh piss off, you know for sure that when Gabe steps down whoever takes over will immediately get Valve into the stock market so it can become another shareholder squeeze.

 

[simpatico]

Chances are we will never see a company as cool as Valve for as long as we live. Almost anyone else would have sold to a giant corpo robot machine by now and ground it down to dust. Race to the bottom shit. My greatest fear is Gabe getting bored and selling, but I think he's spiteful enough to keep going just to stick his thumb in the eye of the competition.

 

[Denton]

Yep, you just keep confirming it. Thank you!

You keep confirming you are a moron, so thank you too.

 

[Topher]

They're just stupid.

Witness above. They don’t make games (even though they do), and they don’t do anything else useful. Controller input and BOM is easy which is why every other “launcher” has those options.

Not to mention much much more.

It is sad to see what Valve factually has done in gaming being diminished so greatly because the "just run a store" and "they don't make games" bullshit narratives didn't work. When arguments shifts like that, you know everything being said is completely contrived. Not much point in engaging in disingenous discussions.

 

[64bitmodels]

It is sad to see what Valve factually has done in gaming being diminished so greatly because the "just run a store" and "they don't make games" bullshit narratives didn't work. When arguments shifts like that, you know everything being said is completely contrived. Not much point in engaging in disingenous discussions.

To be fair... it is the driving force of the hobby at the end of the day- games. I think valve's lackluster output is a totally OK and fair thing to criticize

There's some console guys out here who switched from PC way back when because Valve alone wasn't making enough games for PC

 

[killatopak]

Does Gabe have a daughter?

I’m not against whoring myself out.

 

[StereoVsn]

It is sad to see what Valve factually has done in gaming being diminished so greatly because the "just run a store" and "they don't make games" bullshit narratives didn't work. When arguments shifts like that, you know everything being said is completely contrived. Not much point in engaging in disingenous discussions.

Yep, it’s all basically trolling, disingenuous bs or just sheer stupidity. There is no actual legitimate conversation taking place .

 

[Topher]

To be fair... it is the driving force of the hobby at the end of the day- games. I think valve's lackluster output is a totally OK and fair thing to criticize

There's some console guys out here who switched from PC way back when because Valve alone wasn't making enough games for PC

Sure......and I've said that is a legit criticism several times. If the takes here amounted to "I wish they would use that money to make more games" then I'd just like the post and move on. But now we are at warrior levels of downplaying everything Valve has done, including everything they have done with Steam Deck and Linux. Intellectual dishonesty at its finest.

Yep, it’s all basically trolling, disingenuous bs or just sheer stupidity. There is no actual legitimate conversation taking place .

 

[64bitmodels]

But now we are at warrior levels of downplaying everything Valve has done, including everything they have done with Steam Deck and Linux. Intellectual dishonesty at its finest.

This might be grasping at straws, but I think that a lot of that animosity towards their other projects and contributions stems from people mad at the lack of games. It could also be console war trolling for all i know but I feel like at least for some of the people here, the new projects dont compensates for the lack of games

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Valve makes PC gaming tolerable. Credit where credit is due.

 

[Sorcerer]

Oh piss off, you know for sure that when Gabe steps down whoever takes over will immediately get Valve into the stock market so it can become another shareholder squeeze.

Valve manages everything with just 300 people, while traditional AAA games often require 1000 to 2000 developers over several years. If other big developers stopped making games, they could potentially replicate what Valve does, but they lack the fanboys to excuse everything.

I recall waiting for years for the new UI to arrive on Steam, and fans would excuse the delays with the term "Valve time." Despite criticisms, the one aspect deserving respect is Valve's ability to run their business with far fewer work than other companies.

I cant wait for the day gaben finally steps down and we get a CEO that actually cares about gaming.

Who's to say that Valve would have been wildly successful if they strictly continued on a path of making games? Every game company falls flat on its face at one point or another.
What would the PC landscape be like at this moment without Steam? Sure discovery on the store is the not the best, but you kind of know if you want a pc game to go to Steam and at least look there. The PC gaming landscape would have been a fragmented mess without Valve at this point it time, I can only assume. Would every publisher have games available on their own website portals? Sounds very messy.
I kind of hope Valve/Steam in it's current form outlives me because I fear Valve is the last of the good guys and I might hate gaming if they go. I really have no love for MS, Sony, or Nintendo anymore after all these years, some of their games sure, but not as corporations. But that's strictly subjective and a matter of personal perception of course. I would rather play in a system that includes most everybody rather than systems that try to be locked in.

 

[64bitmodels]

Valve makes PC gaming tolerable. Credit where credit is due.

you make ps5 gaming intolerable

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

you make ps5 gaming intolerable

Then i've done my job

 

[Topher]

This might be grasping at straws, but I think that a lot of that animosity towards their other projects and contributions stems from people mad at the lack of games. It could also be console war trolling for all i know but I feel like at least for some of the people here, the new projects dont compensates for the lack of games

I don't thinks so, but even if true, it is a bit petty for one specific gripe to bleed over to the entirety of Valve's activites.

 

[Hudo]

Valve makes PC gaming tolerable. Credit where credit is due.

If by "tolerable" you mean the least worst DRM, then yeah.

I still remember how fucking annoyed I was when I had to deal with Steam just to play Half-Life 2. And truth be told, I am still kinda annoyed that Steam doesn't fuck off entirely after I've bought a game.

 

[manfestival]

You keep confirming you are a moron, so thank you too.

Struck a nerve somehow. Consider walking away from that keyboard. That way you won't let irrelevant posts get you so angry.

 

[StereoVsn]

Who's to say that Valve would have been wildly successful if they strictly continued on a path of making games? Every game company falls flat on its face at one point or another.
What would the PC landscape be like at this moment without Steam? Sure discovery on the store is the not the best, but you kind of know if you want a pc game to go to Steam and at least look there. The PC gaming landscape would have been a fragmented mess without Valve at this point it time, I can only assume. Would every publisher have games available on their own website portals? Sounds very messy.
I kind of hope Valve/Steam in it's current form outlives me because I fear Valve is the last of the good guys and I might hate gaming if they go. I really have no love for MS, Sony, or Nintendo anymore after all these years, some of their games sure, but not as corporations. But that's strictly subjective and a matter of personal perception of course. I would rather play in a system that includes most everybody rather than systems that try to be locked in.

I am tired of hearing people saying that Steam’s Discovery functionality is bad. This is a ridiculous statement.

You can put in filters ranging from custom tags to language and much more. There are Steam discovery labs which have additional functionality including AI based search. There are discovery queues they are somewhat tailored based on your wishlist, views and purchases .

You can filter reviews extensively. You can do discovery based on Devs and Publishers with further filters.

Name one gaming storefront that does a better job.

 

[StereoVsn]

If by "tolerable" you mean the least worst DRM, then yeah.

I still remember how fucking annoyed I was when I had to deal with Steam just to play Half-Life 2. And truth be told, I am still kinda annoyed that Steam doesn't fuck off entirely after I've bought a game.

You are confusing developers/publishers, Valve, and Steamworks. A publisher or developer can absolute publish a DRM free game on Steam and some do.

However, considering PC gaming landscape before Steam, other DRM solutions and basic almost hackable Steamworks DRM (again, not required), I know what I would take.

 

[BennyBlanco]

The real risk is on making games which they rarely do and most of those they made the last 15 years were gaas games which people seemingly hate to death. They make billions upon billions. They could invest more in indie games, modding team (like they did when steam wasn't as big and they actually had to care) and actual aaa games. They perfected do as little as possible for the most profit for sure and people love them to do basically nothing.

 

[Sorcerer]

I am tired of hearing people saying that Steam’s Discovery functionality is bad. This is a ridiculous statement.

You can put in filters ranging from custom tags to language and much more. There are Steam discovery labs which have additional functionality including AI based search. There are discovery queues they are somewhat tailored based on your wishlist, views and purchases .

You can filter reviews extensively. You can do discovery based on Devs and Publishers with further filters.

Name one gaming storefront that does a better job.

Sorry for the confusion, I meant it more on the developers/publisher's side than the customer side. You make good points, nonetheless.

 

[Fabieter]

Who's to say that Valve would have been wildly successful if they strictly continued on a path of making games? Every game company falls flat on its face at one point or another.
What would the PC landscape be like at this moment without Steam? Sure discovery on the store is the not the best, but you kind of know if you want a pc game to go to Steam and at least look there. The PC gaming landscape would have been a fragmented mess without Valve at this point it time, I can only assume. Would every publisher have games available on their own website portals? Sounds very messy.
I kind of hope Valve/Steam in it's current form outlives me because I fear Valve is the last of the good guys and I might hate gaming if they go. I really have no love for MS, Sony, or Nintendo anymore after all these years, some of their games sure, but not as corporations. But that's strictly subjective and a matter of personal perception of course. I would rather play in a system that includes most everybody rather than systems that try to be locked in.

They last of the good guys. Boy the fandom is just as bad as with consoles for sure. Big oof!!

 

[Fabieter]

You are confusing developers/publishers, Valve, and Steamworks. A publisher or developer can absolute publish a DRM free game on Steam and some do.

However, considering PC gaming landscape before Steam, other DRM solutions and basic almost hackable Steamworks DRM (again, not required), I know what I would take.

Steam drm is the main reason pubs choose Steam in the early days and it's the reason it got the foothold it has today. I also use Steam but the only reason it's because it has the games. I don't use most of their features because most of them are half assed and better in third party software.

Nexus mods, discord, reddit. Everything is better than their equivalents.