News

Steam "dangerous" if left unchallenged
Posted: 16.03.2012 13:54 by Simon Priest Comments: 9
Markus Persson - who? - Minecraft's 'Notch' has said letting Steam dominate the PC digital market is "a bit dangerous" for all concerned. It needs healthy competition to prevent a monopoly.

He finds the "idea of one platform a bit scary" despite being a fan of Valve and Steam. He calls Origin's ability to do "things badly" an impressive feat given 8 years of Steam.

The indie developer and creator of the mega popular Minecraft wants competition to thrive to keep Valve and Steam from essentially becoming corrupted with power.

"I think it's a bit dangerous to only have one digital distribution platform like Steam. I love Valve, but out of principle, I find the idea of one platform a bit scary. So I like that there are others competing – for example, Desura and Impulse, who recently got bought by GameStop. It's a good thing that there are more," Markus 'Notch' Persson said.

"Origin does a couple things badly compared to Steam -- which is impressive since they had eight years to study Steam." You just got served EA. "They should definitely have a chance to do their thing, but they might want to move away from titles that make people use it and show people why they should use it," the scorching continued.

"But I think, in principle, it's a good thing."

For now Valve's Steam is a benevolent ruler of the PC digital market, happy to throw disgustingly low priced sales at its millions of subjects - but don't comic books teach us that unrivalled power corrupts? Will Steam one day turn on us ignorant villagers and hike up taxes and claim our busty women folk? Maybe, but Origin is no knight in shining armour.

Part of the problem is that Steam is so god damn convenient - an almost one stop shop for PC gaming. Why do we want to install other applications to 'house' and download our games? It's all a matter of perception to the consumer and, frankly, the others look weak - almost untrustworthy - compared to the tried and true Steam. What say you?
Source: Gamespy

Comments

By Maffia01 (SI Veteran Newbie) on Mar 16, 2012
Maffia01
I 100% agree with Notch, and actually said the exact same thing yesterday.

The main problem is that Steam being a monopoly is fantastic from the point that all your games are in the same place on the same system with the friends list, the bad, well monopolies are bad in general.

I think the only thing keeping prices in check here in the UK is retail, I hate to think what will happen to PC game prices when a AAA title decides to go digital only (see Blizzards digital prices compared to retail in the UK), we can only hope there is a viable alternative by then (Origin and GFWL are nowhere near) that can compete in the way the high-street does.

Things like OnLive are good, just not for everyone as the average net speed in the UK is still too low, and it's more the consoleisation of PC gaming, so will unlikely appeal to the hardcore PC gamers who are prepared to spend money on their own rigs.

It's a little worrying for the future of AAA PC gaming.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 16, 2012
nocutius
In the long run I completely agree, but currently Steam has no competition at all. All the competition needs to do is copy them and they can't even do that.

But I want someone else than EA to come trough though, as unlikely as it might be.
By novapaddy (SI Member) on Mar 16, 2012
novapaddy
Can Steam be "forced" to share? I doubt it.
Surely in a Free Market, if you are the leader of the pack, then it's really up to the others to catch up, rather than a problem for Steam?
By Jasca_Ducato (SI Core) on Mar 16, 2012
Jasca_Ducato
Novapaddy: If Steam became too large, it could be forced to split up by a court (much like Microsoft was ordered too before they appealed), but the likelihood of that happening is slim.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 16, 2012
nocutius
I seriously doubt Steam could ever get that big.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Mar 16, 2012
SirRoderick
"If Steam became too large, it could be forced to split up by a court (much like Microsoft was ordered too before they appealed), but the likelihood of that happening is slim."

Taht sort of government meddling is actually worse than a monopoly on Steam's part if you ask me. I'm not one of those people that think a totally free market will just sort itself out, but in general government should never interfere with the economy on that level.

Obviously Steam isn't even the only digital distribution platform at all, it's just the best at what it does ATM. Although personally I buy any digital stuff from distributors like Direct2drive (now named differently I think) so I don't have to use that extra software in between that only acts as a barrier to me playing my game.

I only ever use Steam if they make me use it.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Mar 17, 2012
herodotus
At the moment there really is no competition, and the only real deals outside of Steam (sort of) are through UK-based Stores that legitimately sell Steam Keys for half the asking price we in Australia would normally have to pay (GetGames and GreenManGaming). I just pre-ordered "TWS2 - Fall of the Samurai" for $23 (steam key) as opposed to the Steam Store who have it at $49.95. It's legal, legitimate...but it is still Steam. Even GameFly and Impulse now sell Steam.
Ubisoft's UPlay - no way.
Origin - again, why would you?

The bottom line is that many young gamers were basically raised on Steam, and absolutely refuse to buy from any other source (they openly state it in the Forums). I'd like to see more services offered, even at this stage that promote other stores like SI's "Gamewatcher". Yes we even have our own store here!
So basically yes, Steam probably will get that big, and yes the Government will no doubt meddle.

PS. Next competition - make it from Gamewatcher.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Mar 17, 2012
nocutius
The only thing the competition needs to do is copy Steam thoroughly, including affordable holiday sales and making sure they are overall as user friendly (no realtime spying please).

Steam has a huge head start but it's not too big by itself, the only reason it seems so big is because of the fail "competition".

So I guess it's possible for Steam to get too big one day, but it can only happen if others let it happen.
I'm a Steam guy as well, but I can see myself using one or two more services but they need to make them good (copy Steam a lot).
By novapaddy (SI Member) on Mar 17, 2012
novapaddy
@herodotus: he reaches for the pad and pencil; G e t g a m e s and GreenManGaming.. hmm good work, may yet buy Crusader Kings II.. I have an chronic aversion to paying the full price for games; so I lurch about in the shadows of the sites, waiting to pounce and snap up bargains. My absolute favourite is gamersgate, but then I have been addicted to Paradox for the past couple of years, not played much else really. I'm slowly disengaging my mind and freeing my spirit, with this sites help...