Is Steam going down the drain?

2007-01-25 16:38:45

#1

some_random_panda: Flamesuit essential; +454|6836

All Steam users would undoubtedly have seen the massive increase in games available for purchase through Steam over the last year. Previously, VALVe had been using Steam for their own games only, but the expansions into the wider market are becoming very rapid.

I feel that VALVe is finding it hard to compete with other developers like EA, and while EA can churn out games rapidly, VALVe is focused on its aging Source Engine, and games similar to Half Life 2. (episode 1, 2, maybe 3?)

So, is VALVe selling its resources to other developers and publishers to try to gain a foothold in the wider market, or are they struggling for funds and grasping at straws by handing out large discounts, even when games are not in packages?

2007-01-25 16:43:55

#2

stryyker: bad touch; +1,682|7165|California

Steam is a reliable way to market and distribute games. Valve isnt dying, quite the contrary. They just wanted to get more games out over Steam.

2007-01-25 16:43:58

#3

2tuff: Positive Karma Here!; +357|7221

Good point....Valve has made deals with 2k sports among others.....

Valve is going up...steam down.

2007-01-25 16:47:22

#4

fadedsteve: GOP Sympathizer; +266|6936|Menlo Park, CA

stryyker wrote:
Steam is a reliable way to market and distribute games. Valve isnt dying, quite the contrary. They just wanted to get more games out over Steam.

2007-01-25 16:50:49

#5

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|7152|67.222.138.85

Valve is pwning right now, EA is the one that should be worried. They are focusing on the source engine to make damn good and much less buggy games on it. If the Battlefield franchise was sold to Valve I would get on the floor, rofl at EA for a while, and then cry fr joy.

2007-01-25 16:56:33

#6

unholypoo: unholy what?; +10|6826

You know they only let other people sell there games through steam for the $$$, right?

2007-01-25 16:59:02

#7

some_random_panda: Flamesuit essential; +454|6836

Flaming_Maniac wrote:
Valve is pwning right now, EA is the one that should be worried. They are focusing on the source engine to make damn good and much less buggy games on it. If the Battlefield franchise was sold to Valve I would get on the floor, rofl at EA for a while, and then cry fr joy.

Seconded.

But someone tell me what's going on with HL2: Ep1! Tons of people are reporting bugs, usually permanent freezes (something Microsoft calls "fatal errors"), with repeating sounds or crashing loading screens. There's bad news for 8800 users too - the smoke is far too thick and the enemy can see you when you can't see them.

I think the high graphics levels demanded by Ep1 took HL2 players by surprise - it's a lot more demanding, and so the video cards are having to work a lot harder.

unholypoo wrote:
You know they only let other people sell there games through steam for the $$$, right?

It's called a commission, but I'm not sure it's that much for VALVe.

...By the way, does anyone have any good "citadel core" pics? That core is hypnotic...

Last edited by some_random_panda (2007-01-25 17:00:26)

2007-01-25 16:59:30

#8

Volatile: Member; +252|7149|Sextupling in Empire

Just bought a game off of steam last night. X³ is da shit!(Or....er....different?)

2007-01-25 17:04:19

#9

Vilham: Say wat!?; +580|7211|UK

Steam is not going down of that im sure. There main issue is with Steam bugs, but again they provide amazing support with their website.

BF2S Forums Is Steam going down the drain?

stryyker wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

unholypoo wrote:

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