Post #1252411
2025-11-17 16:43 UTC
Replies (1)
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@ben@social.ben.ie 2025-11-17 17:00
@tbortels @preya @guenther new space is console games and gamers. I love my Steam Deck and I think I'll get a Steam Machine (depending on the price). This is a great idea, and I want them to do it. You're right, being on Steam isn't exclusive, but as a two-sided market they now function as both a monopsony and monopoly. If you want your PC game to make money, you need to sell it on Steam. They have cornered the markets for buying and selling PC games. They are, like I've said, relatively non-toxic, but they're also complacent because they don't compete with anybody in the PC space. Their backend tools are stale, support is non-existent, and they still charge an exorbitant 30% rent on all sales, which is ludicrous. The fact that it became industry standard in mobile doesn't make it less usurous. I was glad to see GOG and Epic join the market, and I think it's telling that despite Epic sinking an unimaginable fortune into increasing their share of the market, and GOG's laudable attempt at an "open" launcher, they have barely moved the needle. Valve is finally serious about hardware. I have their first steam controller and their little streaming box, and I've used the Index (it's good!). They failed and Valve moved on, because they can afford to, because tens of millions of dollars drop into their bank account every day whether they work that day or not. Eventually it would run dry if they literally stopped development, but nobody is out there making them sweat, making them compete for our money as game buyers, or our products as game developers. Not to compare them to pure evil, but Amazon, Meta, Apple and Google all used to be generous, open and competitive as well, but once they had their power consolidated, they could abuse their business customers and end users all they liked. Valve haven't really done that, but they could if they wanted to, and that's the problem. What happens if Gabe decides to retire and sells Valve to Amazon or Microsoft? Or a consortium of private equity funds? Nobody could stop him. A newly, suddenly enshittified Valve could stipulate exclusivity in new obligitory contracts. And then could double or triple the rents. Long way of saying that I hope that Valve does to Sony and Nintendo (lol and Microsoft) what I've been hoping anybody would do to Valve. These Steam Machines are an awesome idea and they look great.