James Sawyer Ford
Member
Yeah it’s easy if you don’t grow your headcount and try and make ambitious projects work…
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Valve was making more money per head than Apple, Facebook, and nearly every tech giant out there
Yeah it’s easy if you don’t grow your headcount and try and make ambitious projects work…
Little Chicken
Member
So just buy it on the Epic store? The incessant need to have everything on the one storefront is ludicrous. Literally on the same platform a few clicks away.
Topher
Gold Member
lol....better store front, friend lists, just a superior experience all around from a support standpoint. This isn't just about where you click to start the game.
Do you game on PC at all?
Kind of like Steam Deck.
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IFireflyl
Gold Member
The issue here is forced fragmentation. I want to have my games in one place. I have, in the past, been willing to go outside of Steam for my games. I will not do that with Epic Games because the only reason I have to go outside of Steam for the games I want is because they forced people to do that. I won't be bullied or strong-armed. If Epic Games didn't have exclusivity, I wouldn't hate them. Just like I don't hate GoG. While I don't like buying a game on Steam and still being required to use the Uplay/Origin/EA app to play it, that's at least understandable since the content is owned by the companies running those launchers. Epic Games just shafted a ton of people to try to grow its storefront. That's not okay.
Sentenza
Member
Better controller support, family sharing co-op, seamless integration of Vulkan/Linux support, effortless transition between desktop and Steamdeck, better integration of community-driven features like reviews, discussion boards and guides, etc.
The list goes on and on.
People who think it’s just about clicking a different launcher don’t have a fucking clue and probably don’t play that much on PC (or spend all their time on a single game with 12,000 hours on that LOL/Fortnite bullshit).
kiphalfton
Member
His belly has a story.
Dacvak
No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Let me be clear that I don’t actually hope this happens, but I hope Valve suffers another huge leak and all of the thrown away concepts and work towards projects like HL3 and Portal 3 end up becoming public. They’ve stated that they’ve worked on and shelved both projects multiple times in multiple states of development, and at this point I just want to see what they were cooking. I have no faith that we’ll ever actually see the third game for either franchise.
Hudo
Member
I am interested in the space game they were supposedly working on...
Zathalus
Member
I always laugh when I see people stating that Steam hasn't evolved, or barely improves, or that Steam has the worst feature set.
Man if that was the case it wouldn't be utterly dominating PC gaming and having such a devoted following. If it was so bad it would be trivial to compete with and yet every single storefront that goes up against it (even console ones) are utterly lacking in comparison.
Man if that was the case it wouldn't be utterly dominating PC gaming and having such a devoted following. If it was so bad it would be trivial to compete with and yet every single storefront that goes up against it (even console ones) are utterly lacking in comparison.
Dacvak
No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Anyone who says that Steam hasn’t evolved clearly has never used a Steam Deck.
Power Pro
Member
I always think the most amazing thing about Valve, is that they're not a publicly traded company. It's so common practice that well, if we want to continue to grow, they all think they gotta go public...which more often than not leads to companies thinking of their shareholders, rather than their customers. Valve can do what they want because they're not trying to please a room full of assholes with money, but no interest in what they're actually selling, just how much more money they can make. They are the exception that disproves the rule. While they may have been complacent in their dominance, they still provide better services than all the competition.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
The biggest pro to private companies is they can do what they want. Biggest drawback is complacent owners who dont give a shit, or they are those micromanager family founders who run the place like slavemasters
OmegaSupreme
advanced basic bitch
Good. Steam is great.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
why?
jakinov
Member
So is and so do Facebook, Apple, and other big tech And crunch is not a thing outside of game devs. Apple and Facebook for example give new grads entry level jobs with compensation worth $150-$200k for higher impact fields like engineering, data and product roles.. If you have more experience your compensation is around $500K, then there's people in those fields at higher levels who make much more than that. There's also all kinds of perks working at big tech.
One interesting thing about Valve though is that they give uncapped bonuses based on performance which entitles them a certain share of the profit. So if you are a high performer and the company did really well one year you can make a bunch of money. Big tech give you mostly equity instead so you make more when the company is worth more. YMMV which system gives you the better bonus in the end but with cash profit bases bonuses, some level of profits are almost garunteed but stock growth is not.
64bitmodels
Reverse groomer.
it would be real funny if hl3 was just titled alyx 2 and exclusive 2 vr
Holammer
Member
They do make games, but some of the recent ones were such trash fires everyone try to forget about them.
Artifact & Dota Underlords? Never heard of them!
They could use their dragon's hoard to fund/invest in games from reliable old studios like People Can Fly or some spunky start-ups.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
Meaningless without understanding server costs
{insert code here}
Member
Guess I should send them my resume and GAF tag. They eating good over there.
WitchHunter
Banned
I mean making that fucking video preview site wide... that's an unsolvable problem by Valve : DDD. For 10+ years. Even a hardcore monkey with an axe lodged in its skull can do it in like 3 minutes. Have you ever wondered why Youtube has 3 options for that fucking video viewer on their site, hm?
And when people hunt for some game amongst 100s of new indies... that might pose a problem. And you can't follow, just a limited number of game developers. They literally wank all day and do nothing. Well, they have unlimited money.
It's the same attitude they did with Half Life 3. Fooling all the gamers for 10+ years. And people still suck them off whatever they do and also have anger management issues when someone dares to point out some idiocy within Valve's "perfect system". People really are so attached to Mr. Jabba they would even allow him to munch out the food from their own fridge and then would ask for a selfie : DDD.
manfestival
Member
Thank you confirming that they don't do anything anymore.
I guess the Steam Deck, SteamOS, etc are just an illusion then.
Kokoloko85
Member
Smart. They just sit back and make money off every game developer.
Out of all the platforms, Nintendo, Xbox, PS, Epic, they make the least games despite being a game developer only at first
Out of all the platforms, Nintendo, Xbox, PS, Epic, they make the least games despite being a game developer only at first
ResurrectedContrarian
Suffers with mild autism
I'd say that pushing so hard to have a fully working linux-backed steam OS on their Deck--and therefore giving huge incentive to devs to build for it--is one of the most important moves being made anywhere in gaming right now.
Valve is the biggest force fighting to make it possible to remove Microsoft's strangehold on PC gaming. That's huge, and I consider few things to be more crucial for the future of the medium.
manfestival
Member
Yep, you just keep confirming it. Thank you!
Cyberpunkd
Member
DaGwaphics
Member
Obviously very lucrative to run a store when you don't need to buy inventory up front, which basically eliminates all risk for them. Doesn't hurt being the most popular by a country mile also.
Topher
Gold Member
Obviously very lucrative to run a store when you don't need to buy inventory up front, which basically eliminates all risk for them. Doesn't hurt being the most popular by a country mile also.
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.
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Buggy Loop
Member
StereoVsn
Member
Linux gaming is super easy. This is why it was so amazing before Valve put in the hours with their Proton work.
Also, having best in class input setup is easy, this is why all the stores have that!
Oh, and VR support, anyone can do it. This is why EGS VR is awesome…
StereoVsn
Member
StereoVsn
Member
Topher
Gold Member
Epic makes games besides Fortnite? That’s pretty exciting news. So, what are they?
Not sure why folks are pretending Valve didn't make Counter-strike 2 or Half-Life Alyx. Would love to see more, but that ain't nothing.
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poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
What is actually super easy is letting others benefit and piggy back on your hard work yet basically every other company fails to do it.Linux gaming is super easy. This is why it was so amazing before Valve put in the hours with their Proton work.
Also, having best in class input setup is easy, this is why all the stores have that!
Oh, and VR support, anyone can do it. This is why EGS VR is awesome…
ReBurn
Gold Member
That's what happens when you keep a strong, narrow focus on the right things and you become very good at them. Valve doesn't really try to expand into areas outside of Steam. They invest in complimentary products like Index, Steam Deck and SteamOS that serve to drive revenue to their core business, the storefront that drives their profit.
DryvBy
Member
Simple fact of the matter is that Steam still offers the most comprehensive storefront, support and community in PC gaming. Like you said.....the template is there and it really isn't hard. So why is it that no other company has come in and beat Steam in everything they do? Epic is barely even trying. Microsoft? lol....no.
I could understand all this rubbish about Steam and Valve if there were a better option and we were all fools sticking with the lesser product. Just isn't the case. Steam beats them all.
I know people who believe Steam is atrocious on all fronts.
Topher
Gold Member
I'd be interested to know what they considered to be a superior alternative.
SlimySnake
Flashless at the Golden Globes
Well, Valve has made a total of 2 games in the last 17 years. They are as irrelevant to me as Walmart or Gamestop.
I remember watching the HL2 reveal and rushing to go out and building a PC. Those days are long gone. The hardware they have made doesnt appeal to me as a PC gamer who wants the latest and greatest. playing games at ps3 era resolutions with ps4 era graphics on a handheld is not why i became a PC gamer in the first place. Their VR headset has a total of 1 game im interested in. They are somehow even worse than Sony is when it comes to supporting their VR hardware.
I hated apple for a good 10 years. I bought Sony Xperia phones. Samsung android phones. and even fucking zune instead of the ipod. I detest the mac, and still do. But they kept innovating and making products that are simply too good to ignore. And they support those products with good software. I think Microsoft has had their issues with xbox and yet, id rank MS over Valve when it comes to pushing gaming. Same goes for EA, Ubisoft and all the other third party publisers we love to hate. At least they are making games and trying to move the industry forward instead of lining their pockets with free cash from the work of other devs, and buying 6 fucking yachts.
I remember watching the HL2 reveal and rushing to go out and building a PC. Those days are long gone. The hardware they have made doesnt appeal to me as a PC gamer who wants the latest and greatest. playing games at ps3 era resolutions with ps4 era graphics on a handheld is not why i became a PC gamer in the first place. Their VR headset has a total of 1 game im interested in. They are somehow even worse than Sony is when it comes to supporting their VR hardware.
I hated apple for a good 10 years. I bought Sony Xperia phones. Samsung android phones. and even fucking zune instead of the ipod. I detest the mac, and still do. But they kept innovating and making products that are simply too good to ignore. And they support those products with good software. I think Microsoft has had their issues with xbox and yet, id rank MS over Valve when it comes to pushing gaming. Same goes for EA, Ubisoft and all the other third party publisers we love to hate. At least they are making games and trying to move the industry forward instead of lining their pockets with free cash from the work of other devs, and buying 6 fucking yachts.
Kokoloko85
Member
Still more developing than Valve. And they make Unreal engineEpic makes games besides Fortnite? That’s pretty exciting news. So, what are they?
Guilty_AI
Member
7 games in the last 17 years (there were more but i'm only counting the relevant ones)
SlimySnake
Flashless at the Golden Globes
portal 2 and half life alyx are the only ones i can think of since Orange box released in 2007.
Guilty_AI
Member
+Left 4 Dead 1, Left 4 Dead 2, CS GO, Dota 2, CS 2
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SlimySnake
Flashless at the Golden Globes
i forgot about L4D. i stand corrected.
Thick Thighs Save Lives
Gold Member
Not the poster you've replied to, butWhy you think that, elaborate please
MDSLKTR
just made a humorous reference to an email that was posted in a recent PCGamer article in which a Valve employee responded on an internal email chain with "You mad bro?". 
Tim Sweeney emailed Gabe Newell calling Valve 'you assholes' over Steam policies, to which Valve's COO replied internally 'you mad bro?'
Newell remained magisterially above the fray.
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