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Former Steam boss Jason Holtman lands at Microsoft | Update: Left Microsoft.

statham

Member
Valve veteran will be focused on "making Windows a great platform for gaming"

Jason Holtman, who spearheaded Valve's Steam business for eight years before leaving the company in February, has a new job.

"Yes, I have joined Microsoft where I will be focusing on making Windows a great platform for gaming and interactive entertainment," he said. "I think there is a lot of opportunity for Microsoft to deliver the games and entertainment customers want and to work with developers to make that happen, so I'm excited to be here."
At Valve, Holtman was the primary point of contact for developers that distributed games on Steam - and, to many in the gaming world, was the service's driving force. While he certainly wasn't the sole reason for its success, he was its biggest cheerleader and an even bigger proponent of digital distribution.
He's also credited with steering Steam through the DRM controversies it encountered and calming publisher fears that the annual Steam Summer and holiday sales would devalue their intellectual properties.
It's not just his relationship with publishers and developers that's valuable, though. Holtman also knows how to connect with customers - something Microsoft has been lacking so far in its digital distribution efforts.
more at link
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-08-14-former-steam-boss-lands-at-microsoft
 

StiLt

Member
Wow that's a substantial pickup MS has made. Best move I've seen them make in ages actually. Will be really interesting to see how this plays out.
 

Killthee

helped a brotha out on multiple separate occasions!
He's also credited with steering Steam through the DRM controversies it encountered and calming publisher fears that the annual Steam Summer and holiday sales would devalue their intellectual properties.
Shame he's not a part of the Xbox group. I would love to see Steam like holiday sales hit consoles.
 

Mesoian

Member
It sounds like they know their digital marketplace needs a fresh prospective.

Good, what they have now is pretty junky. (not really but it could be a lot better)
 
Heard this PC gaming narrative before from Microsoft. I trust Hotlman can do great things but I will always question Microsoft's long term vision after Games for Windows initiative wilted in particular the Live service. They basically bull dozed everything because the corporate structure was so focused on Xbox.

This PC initiative needs to not be accountable to the Xbox people for it to succeed.
 

statham

Member
Shame he's not a part of the Xbox group. I would love to see Steam like holiday sales hit consoles.

articles talks a little about it

Of course, Holtman's duties could expand beyond just PC gaming as well. Digital distribution is expected to be a major component of the eighth generation of consoles. And while his experience so far has been on the PC side, Microsoft may be looking for Holtman to drive adoption and consumer loyalty of online purchases on the Xbox One in the years to come.
 

saelz8

Member
This means nothing.

People still want to give MS the benefit of the doubt? The hell out of here.

One guy isn't going to change things, when a companies entire philosophy is the reverse. MS will throw PC Gamers under the bus, if it helps the XBONE. This is the company that wants to put ads in OS search results.

Nothing will change, except maybe another go-around of the hell that is GFWL. I don't want anymore.
 
And what happens when they move on from Metro? Is that really the new paradigm in computing for the next 20 years?

I don't know. What I do know is that people who have been reporting everything about Microsoft for many years, like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley, have stated multiple times that Microsoft wants the desktop to go away. Maybe they're wrong, but it still worries me.
 
Yeah . but not to the same extent as steam sales go (-50% -75% etc)

I could be wrong though .

They've had at least two great sales this year with a bunch of games as cheap as they've ever been on Steam, and there was some DLC cheaper than Steam too. Look up the GAF threads on the ultimate game sale.
 

MCD

Junior Member
I have seen MS axe a lot of products and services but to this day, I don't know why GFWL is still alive.

Maybe this guy can integrate it into Windows and make it better.
 

IlludiumQ36

Member
Heard this PC gaming narrative before from Microsoft. I trust Hotlman can do great things but I will always question Microsoft's long term vision after Games for Windows initiative wilted in particular the Live service. They basically bull dozed everything because the corporate structure was so focused on Xbox.

This PC initiative needs to not be accountable to the Xbox people for it to succeed.

Remember that THIS is Microsoft's vision for PC gaming.
 
I expect him to leave in 1-2 years after realising that he can't get anything significant done. IMO if Microsoft was malleable by a single good employee then they wouldn't be making misstep after misstep.
 
You are wrong.

Not necessarily. The prices are fairly close (though still aren't as good), however the Xbox sales aren't NEARLY as extensive in selection as the big Steam sales.

When Steam has a big sale, almost the entire catalogue goes on sale. Literally hundreds (thousands?) of games, with even deeper discounts with the special sales. With XBL, what they feature on sale is it, and nothing more.

But still, Live's sales have been much better in the past year or so.
 

Bsigg12

Member
Hopefully this will clean up the Windows 8 app store and make it a better overall marketplace. Set it up as a full storefront that offers full games and apps but make it viable.
 

Crawl

Member
Oh fuck, microsoft please stay out of PC gaming. We are still fighting off the Malware that is GFWL. Just focus on Xbox and all will be well in the world.
 

eastmen

Banned
This means nothing.

People still want to give MS the benefit of the doubt? The hell out of here.

One guy isn't going to change things, when a companies entire philosophy is the reverse. MS will throw PC Gamers under the bus, if it helps the XBONE. This is the company that wants to put ads in OS search results.

Nothing will change, except maybe another go-around of the hell that is GFWL. I don't want anymore.
Why. The xbox one is windows. Ms has no reason now to keep them seperate. It will enhance sales if the connect the 2
 

Vestal

Gold Member
Oh fuck, microsoft please stay out of PC gaming. We are still fighting off the Malware that is GFWL. Just focus on Xbox and all will be well in the world.

I think you mean stay out of Game distribution.. Even then it doesn't hurt to have options as a consumer.

You don't want them out of PC Gaming. Were are you going to play your games if its not on Window? Linux?!?! LOL.
 

Crawl

Member
I think you mean stay out of Game distribution.. Even then it doesn't hurt to have options as a consumer.

You don't want them out of PC Gaming. Were are you going to play your games if its not on Window? Linux?!?! LOL.

Windows 7 seems to work just fine, why do i need to change? They aren't in the the PC gaming space to begin with, xbox is their baby now. They just need to stay out of the way and let valve continue to run the platform.
 

mrpeabody

Member
That poor, poor man. MS doesn't give a fuck about PC gaming and will never give him the resources he needs to succeed. I give him 18 months.
 

li bur

Member
I mainly game with console and only doing Football Manager on my pc (due to my crappy specs laptop). I'm accustomed to steam but not GFWL. Why do most people hate GFWL? How does it differ from steam?

Noob question I know LOL
 

D4Danger

Unconfirmed Member
I see this lasting about 2 years before Microsoft close it down / let it rot and move on to something else.
 
Better drop the GFWL label, as that is pretty toxic in people's minds. There's lots of damage to undo, before PC gamers are willing to give MS another shot again.

Given how clueless MS seemed with the Xbone launch, I would not all of a sudden expect them to be any less out of touch when it comes to PC gaming.
 

SparkTR

Member
I mainly game with console and only doing Football Manager on my pc (due to my crappy specs laptop). I'm accustomed to steam but not GFWL. Why do most people hate GFWL? How does it differ from steam?

Noob question I know LOL

It's basically really buggy and obtuse/slow to use, it's not uncommon for saves to get deleted randomly. It's like Microsoft made an attempt to be a significant presence in the PC gaming market in 2006, but when people didn't buy into their online gaming subscription they sucked all funding from it and it's been wallowing in its mediocrity ever since. It's like if Valve had barely Steam for 6 years.

It's also not available in some European countries, meaning GFWL games can't be sold there.
 

danielcw

Member
He's also credited with steering Steam through the DRM controversies it encountered and calming publisher fears that the annual Steam Summer and holiday sales would devalue their intellectual properties.

How did he do that?
 
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