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[Pixieking]

Just because people think a Western company is monopolistic, does not mean that a Chinese company acting super aggressively and money-hatting games is 1) competition, or 2) a good thing for us.

It's certainly a good business move by Tencent, but that don't mean it's good for gamers, or good for the industry.

 

[Kayant]

ITT: People saying competition is good loool.

This is the opposite of competition paying to be the sole distributor of a product isn't competing it's just limiting options to one sole source.

This doesn't effect me but i don't like this kind of deals because it basically becomes like the console space where in one ecosystem you don't have multiple stores competing on things like price, customer service etc

 

[SmartWaffles]

I'm not defending Tencent since I'm definitely not their biggest fan. But in Rocket League's case it is overblown.

 

[BigEmil]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

The fascination with steam and the "steam or bust" mentality is why Steam is such hot garbage now

Right on, the Steam defence force fanboys needs to think straight sometimes thinking so much for the company than consumers

and still you'lll be able to play the moneyhatted games on weplay account, that you can make for free (if they ever moneyhat games in the west)

Exactly!

 

[Dirk Benedict]

It's just business.

Valve could try competing with Tencent and offer those companies/devs a better deal.

Tencent is massive. They are a force to be reckoned with. I highly doubt Valve would be able to compete with their warchest.

Been watching this company for awhile.

 

[Armaros]

Gaffers cheering on Tencent as a way to fight the 'steam monopoly' show how ignorant and uninformed they are about the nature of Tencent and other Chinese monolith companies.

 

[MGrant]

Yeah, stay out of Taiwan.
Here you go

Thank you my friend.

 

[Lister]

Asia is THE emerging market. If Steam wants to remain successful in the PC space they need to not be the beamdog/GOG of Asia.

And it's going to be tough, there is a lot of backroom dealing in China that could have even the government showing preferential treatment to tencent.

They need to do what they've been refusing to do: Promote their platform in Asia AND here. Promote PC gaming, sign exclusivity deals, invest in exclusive PC titles.

If they don't, I'm guessing in 10 years we'll be singing on to WeGame instead of Steam.

 

[tim_pkmn89]

ITT: People saying competition is good loool.

This is the opposite of competition paying to be the sole distributor of a product isn't competing it's just limiting options to one sole source.

This doesn't effect me but i don't like this kind of deals because it basically becomes like the console space where in one ecosystem you don't have multiple stores competing on things like price, customer service etc

It's competition at a different level, giving the publisher different options on how to sell the game.

 

[spiritfox]

Removing games that were previously available in another platform to make it exclusive is not healthy competition.

 

[Armaros]

Asia is THE emerging market. If Steam wants to remain successful in the PC space they need to not be the beamdog/GOG of Asia.

And it's going to be tough, there is a lot of backroom dealing in China that could have even the government showing preferential treatment to tencent.

They need to do what they've bene refusing to do: Promote their paltform in Asia AND here. Promote PC gaming, sigg exlcusivity deals invest in exclusive titles.

If they don't, I'm guessing in 10 years we'll be singing on to WeGame instead of Steam.

If the Chinese government says they don't want you to succeed in China, you won't, bigger companies with more clout have tried and lost.

And Tencent will have massive government backing.

 

[MUnited83]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

The fascination with steam and the "steam or bust" mentality is why Steam is such hot garbage now

Consumers will get exactly zero of those. There is nothing Tencent is doing that is actual benefitial competition.

I do love how steam is "hot garbage" yet it is the best PC platform in the business by far, and all Tencent can do apparently is just throw money around instead of investing in a actual better client with better features that actually does some actual competition.

 

[Kayant]

It's competition at a different level, giving the publisher different options on how to sell the game.

Sure it is on that level but at the same time it's also a move to block competition once they have placed their offer because options would exist for the publisher/Dev after.

 

[Pixieking]

Right on, the Steam defence force fanboys needs to think straight sometimes

Can we not have cries of "fanboy", please? Not like it helps the conversation. And it boils down opposing viewpoints to the most basic tribal level, which is pretty disrespectful to those of us arguing actual points.

 

[Chobel]

To "competition is good" people, good for who

Spoiler

m

? How does removing games from a webstore benefit gamers?

There other divisions like security software and casual gaming sections have A TON of anti-consumer strategies like installing their "system security tools" on users' PCs without explicit consent and/or are hard to uninstall without technical knowledge. And a lot of their F2P games are widely regarded as rip offs and have A TON of unfair microtransactions.

Shit, I hope this doesn't carry on to their new webstore service.

 

[BigEmil]

Can we not have cries of "fanboy", please? Not like it helps the conversation.

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

 

[chillybright]

How will this harm PC gamers other than installing another piece of software?

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Then Tencent should not be fucking over consumers if they can't bother to even try to compete legitimately

I'd rather not replace steam with a company that's willing to do something like this. Competition is good but this is too great a cost.

I was not commenting on Tencent. I know nothing about them. I was responding directly to that poster's statement that the "right" way to compete with Steam was to build a better platform than Steam instead of having exclusive games (he specifically referred to EA/Origin). My argument is that in reality it would be near impossible to pry users out of Steam's ecosystem WITHOUT exclusives. Building a platform without them would be a total waste of time and money. If you want Steam to have competition, there are going to be exclusive games on the competitor's services.

 

[sirap]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

wut.

Durante is no shill.

 

[Armaros]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

Oh yes now we go down the 'paid to shill for steam' rabbit hole.

Would you like some tinfoil with that as well?

 

[Pixieking]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

A pro-Steam viewpoint doesn't mean fanboy, and doesn't mean that we're ignorant. And when Durante says something is bad for the consumer (like being unable to mod games) maybe it's just truthful.

 

[Kayant]

How will this harm PC gamers other than installing another piece of software?

Well instead of Tecent competing with otherstores on price, services, features now etc you don't have an option but to buy from them.

 

[Finaika]

Uh is this only in China or all of Asia?

 

[patapuf]

Right on, the Steam defence force fanboys needs to think straight sometimes thinking so much for the company than consumers

I'm sorry but saying the Tencent, in China is going to prevent a monopoly and enhance competiton.... i mean what?

 

[Tagyhag]

Good stuff, more competition the better. Not thrilled with valve having absolute monopoly over the pc gaming space.

How is this competition lol.

This is HORRIBLE for consumers who want to have choices.

 

[BigEmil]

Oh yes now we go down the 'paid to shill for steam' rabbit hole.

Would you like some tinfoil with that as well?

Whatever you make of it my views are im very pro-consumer so I'm all for this so let's not get derailed and get back on topic

 

[Chobel]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

Huh? You have no fucking idea about you're talking about, do you?

 

[Armaros]

I was not commenting on Tencent. I know nothing about them. I was responding directly to that poster's statement that the "right" way to compete with Steam was to build a better platform than Steam instead of having exclusive games (he specifically referred to EA/Origin). My argument is that in reality it would be near impossible to pry users out of Steam's ecosystem WITHOUT exclusives. Building a platform without them would be a total waste of time and money. If you want Steam to have competition, there are going to be exclusive games on the competitor's services.

If the only competition one can muster up is to buy exclusivity.

Maybe the compeitition isn't bringing anything worthwhile?

 

[MUnited83]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

Ah, i see you are one of the dudes that is so insanely anti Steam you start making shit up as you go along.

 

[Kayant]

If the only competition one can muster up is to buy exclusivity.

Maybe the compeitition isn't bringing anything worthwhile?

.
Also yikes at the shill accusations.

 

[MUnited83]

Whatever you make of it my views are im very pro-consumer so I'm all for this so let's not get derailed and get back on topic

"Very pro consumer" when literally defending a company literally paying to get a game removed from other service and so making so the consumer has less choice, less price options, less everything. That's fucking hilarious.

 

[Chobel]

I was not commenting on Tencent. I know nothing about them. I was responding directly to that poster's statement that the "right" way to compete with Steam was to build a better platform than Steam instead of having exclusive games (he specifically referred to EA/Origin). My argument is that in reality it would be near impossible to pry users out of Steam's ecosystem WITHOUT exclusives. Building a platform without them would be a total waste of time and money. If you want Steam to have competition, there are going to be exclusive games on the competitor's services.

Funding games and signing exclusives is one thing, removing games from other webstores to artificially gain that "exclusive" is something way more different.

 

[GhostTrick]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

The fascination with steam and the "steam or bust" mentality is why Steam is such hot garbage now

Not really.
Exclusivity doesn't mesh well with "price wars".
On top of that, price wars is already happening because Valve allowed for keys to be generated at no fees for developpers, with no limit.
What it means is that stores can sell these keys with better prices. This is why we get games 20% cheaper or more depending on the site.

Exclusivity doesn't mesh well with the concept of "upgraded services" either.

You still didn't explained though why it's hot garbage.

Whatever you make of it my views are im very pro-consumer so I'm all for this so let's not get derailed and get back on topic

Very pro-consumer in a thread about a company paying to get exclusive games on their services, up to remove them from another one ? C'mon. I'm all for competition, but is that competition ?

 

[Tagyhag]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

The fascination with steam and the "steam or bust" mentality is why Steam is such hot garbage now

No they won't. Why would they when you can ONLY get those games on WeGame...

I'm convinced some of you either don't know who Tencent actually is or you hate Valve so much that you don't care.

Yes, Valve having an outright monopoly isn't good. Having TENCENT outright purchase exclusivity and have the games be taken out of Steam isn't good either!!

 

[sprinkles]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

The fascination with steam and the "steam or bust" mentality is why Steam is such hot garbage now

I buy 80% of my Steam games outside of Steam because Steam allows competition and many games are cheaper (outside of the big sales) on other storefronts. I use Steam features like In-Home-Streaming and Big Picture mode for most of my time playing PC games, both features do not exist on Origin, UPlay etc. Aside from the actual Steam frontpage being not that great (which I have not visited in maybe 5 years except for the sales periods) I did not get the memo that Steam is "hot garbage" right now.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Consumers will get price wars, upgraded services, better features/support, etc

Which part of this exclusivity deal lowers prices, upgrades services, or creates better features?

 

[Dark Metamorphosis]

The future of the gaming industry is going to be fought in Asia I feel. If valve has its stuff together (lol) I would think they'd be gearing up to hit back pretty hard.

I mean when you look at stats like China having more people in their middle income Group than the US has people period, as their economy keeps growing and that section of the economy starts demanding more and more services I don't think any industry with a worldwide outlook can afford to be caught with their pants down over there.

Perfectly put, Valve definitely want a piece of that pie.

 

[Usobuko]

I honestly don't see how either Valve or Tencent threatens each other core gaming markets in the short / mid term.

I see it as an impossible task for either company.

Long term as in how mobile gaming will shape generation Z and so fro etc., I have no idea.

 

[sirap]

Whatever you make of it my views are im very pro-consumer so I'm all for this so let's not get derailed and get back on topic

Shitposts and tries to derail a thread. Also accuses a well-respected member of this board of shilling.

Gets called out on it.

"Guys pls don't derail this thread"

 

[SmartWaffles]

Oh if I remember correct, Don't Starve sold over 1 million copies on TGP (predecessor or WeGame) without advertising to its Steam crowd.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Maybe the compeitition isn't bringing anything worthwhile?

I don't think EA is "buying" it's exclusives for Origin, which is the example cited in the original post. The poster I was responding to didn't seem to care, he hates ANY digital storefront exclusives.

 

[GhostTrick]

Sure but you'll see alot of them like they were paid to stand up for and very Pro-Steam to the end like Durante for example same ones who's really against other western storefronts on PC like Origin, GOG, UWP and that Steam should be the only one taking control of the PC gaming market

Or maybe, just maybe, there are reasons to have this kind of reasoning ?

 

[Evolution of Metal]

Consumers will get exactly zero of those. There is nothing Tencent is doing that is actual benefitial competition.

I do love how steam is "hot garbage" yet it is the best PC platform in the business by far, and all Tencent can do apparently is just throw money around instead of investing in a actual better client with better features that actually does some actual competition.

Tencent could bring the most wanted Asian games to the western markets. That is an upside and it would help their client compete with Steam.

Origin has better features: games support partial download, sleeker and faster UI, chatbox which doesn't color both parties blue and lump them in the same corner, better voice chat, preview for game keys, trials, free games on the house... Tencent would hit the same brick wall without a massive amount of the exclusive content regardless of the quality of the launcher.

There can be no better platform selling point because Steam has all core features and most importantly everyone is on it, it is like suggesting making a facebook or twitter competitor with improvement.

 

[Armaros]

We want Tencent to do anti-consumer things to whip Valve into shape and do what, somehow be more pro-consumer while we just supported a company doing anti-consumer things in the name of 'competition'?

This logic doesn't work.

 

[4Tran]

In a fight between companies, Tencent is never the little guy. Is it the name that makes people underestimate them? Tencent is one of the biggest players in video games and social, and it's literally the most valuable company (by market cap) in Asia!

As for this development, it's pretty much to be expected that Tencent is going to throw their weight around in the domestic market. It's how things are done in China, and Tencent has been one of the most successful players. I don't think that it's an indication of how things will play out if WeGame expands to the rest of the world, but I'm taking a "wait and see" position on whether it's going to be good news for the rest of us.

Tencent could bring the most wanted Asian games to the western markets. That is an upside and it would help their client compete with Steam.

I wouldn't count on that. Tencent is barely making an effort to bring their own software to the rest of the world, so it might be a long time before they start distributing other companies' games.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I-I... I can't with all these fucking hot takes.

Steam has been sitting on their laurels for years?

Their biggest problem in years has been doing too much random shit like experimenting with Steam machines and Steam controller. That's not exactly just sitting around and being docile.

Most of their experiments have ended with lackluster results but they have still ran a stable and successful platform during that time.

I would have preferred that they just iterate on their core platform during that time but they weren't being challenged so I can't really blame them for attempting new ventures.

 

[pretty done]

I don't even get it man...as bad as EA and MS are, altleast they only secure their own games for Origin and Windows Live.

Already forgot about Dead Rising being W10 store timed exclusive eh?

MS is not exempt. They are awful as well when it comes to this anti-consumer bs.

 

[dave is ok]

Honestly, compare Tencent's League of Legends F2P model with Valve's Dota 2 F2P model.

Tens of thousands of hours required to unlock all champions vs. all unlocked from the moment you install.

Why would you want more Tencent in your life?

 

[jono51]

Reason #4692 to hate communism.

 

[Pixieking]

Honestly, compare Tencent's League of Legends F2P model with Valve's Dota 2 F2P model.

Tens of thousands of hours required to unlock all champions vs. all unlocked from the moment you install.

Why would you want more Tencent in your life?

Grass is always greener syndrome. Valve sucks because they're the establishment, and are known. Tencent are new and shiny, so they must be better, right?

Shades of US politics?