4 ms·

> Newell has the ulterior motive of killing Microsoft's app store, which he clearly sees as a direct threat to Steam. I honestly think that's all there is to t

> Newell has the ulterior motive of killing Microsoft's app store, which he clearly sees as a direct threat to Steam. I honestly think that's all there is to this, because otherwise how is Windows 8 any more or less open than Windows 7?

fhd2 13y ago
I think it's not Windows 8 in particular that made Valve nervous, but it was probably the wake-up call. The industry as a whole is moving into walled gardens right now, following Apple's lead. I'm very worried about that myself, so I'm cheering Valve on here. It's true, having open platforms aligns with Valve's business goals. I fail to see the problem with that, it's a lucky coincidence.
- SEMW 13y ago
  Steam is every bit as walled a walled garden as any other. Valve wants to build it on top of am open platform (Linux) because building a walled garden inside someone else's (MS's) walled garden is risky. But that doesn't make steam itself an open platform.
  - fhd2 13y ago
    Yup, that's true. Currently they're blowing the open platform horn (for their Steam Box as well), but Steam itself is by no means open. At some point, open platforms might no longer align with their business goals. That's when they'll do nasty stuff, and that's when I'll whine about them. Currently, I'm cheering them on.
  - dangerlibrary 13y ago
    There is pretty much nothing you can't do to a game you bought on steam. You can copy and modify all the files you download - in fact Valve strongly encourages doing so! You can even play on multiple machines at once over a LAN by turning off the steam client's ability to phone home. Steam is a more like a walled national park - the walls are there, but they give you a lot more room to run around.
    - randac 13y ago
      Not to forget, game sharing with up to 10 friends/devices is coming. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24063613 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24063613

fhd2 13y ago

I think it's not Windows 8 in particular that made Valve nervous, but it was probably the wake-up call. The industry as a whole is moving into walled gardens right now, following Apple's lead. I'm very worried about that myself, so I'm cheering Valve on here. It's true, having open platforms aligns with Valve's business goals. I fail to see the problem with that, it's a lucky coincidence.

SEMW 13y ago
Steam is every bit as walled a walled garden as any other. Valve wants to build it on top of am open platform (Linux) because building a walled garden inside someone else's (MS's) walled garden is risky. But that doesn't make steam itself an open platform.
- fhd2 13y ago
  Yup, that's true. Currently they're blowing the open platform horn (for their Steam Box as well), but Steam itself is by no means open. At some point, open platforms might no longer align with their business goals. That's when they'll do nasty stuff, and that's when I'll whine about them. Currently, I'm cheering them on.
- dangerlibrary 13y ago
  There is pretty much nothing you can't do to a game you bought on steam. You can copy and modify all the files you download - in fact Valve strongly encourages doing so! You can even play on multiple machines at once over a LAN by turning off the steam client's ability to phone home. Steam is a more like a walled national park - the walls are there, but they give you a lot more room to run around.
  - randac 13y ago
    Not to forget, game sharing with up to 10 friends/devices is coming. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24063613 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24063613