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[verek_22]

This is an post I found on a blog called Gamesbrief. They make some interesting points about Steam, pointing out things maybe we should be worried about. I'm not saying I agree with what this post says, but I just thought I'd post it, and see what you thought of this.

Angry Steam lovers, please, keep the language clean, for the ladies*.

Reason 1: Monopolies stifle distribution innovation

In a free market, innovation and improvements are encouraged by competition. The problem occurs when one company is so far-and-away ahead that no-one else can catch up. Think of Google. Think of Facebook. And now we should be thinking of Steam in the same way.

Reason 2: Monopolies stifle creative innovation

I keep hearing that is getting harder and harder to get onto Steam, and if you dont, then your game wont sell. The PC has always been an open platform on which it is easy to distribute games. If Steam becomes a de facto monopoly, Valve decides which games we see. A bit too competitive to Half-Life? No distribution. We dont like Match-3 games? No distribution. Were not sure that anyone will want a game based on farming? No distribution.

Reason 3: The little guys dont get a look in

Helping the little guys is hard. When youre big, and profitable, and important, its easy to prioritise the big publishers over the little guys. The little guys are already struggling on the console (although PSN provides one route to market), but the PC has been their lifeblood. A megalithic monopoly could rationally decide that it is no longer cost-effective to support the little guys.

Reason 4: Steam has all the pricing power

Retailers wont work with indies: its not worth their while and, more importantly, indies dont give them marketing support.

What if that becomes true of Steam? Valve is in a position to say “your game wont sell without us. We want a bigger cut, or upfront marketing commitment, or some form of guarantee.”

Reason 5: Valve doesnt need to promote the platform

For all their weaknesses, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo spend a lot of money promoting and improving their platforms. Steam doesnt improve the PC as a gaming device. I am a lot more comfortable about oligopolies when there is something in it for the consumer (like subsidised home consoles, for example).

I checked this with the search box, but if a thread about this has been made already, then sorry.

Link to the original post.

* If you are, in fact, female and a Steam lover, then . . . uhhh . . . swear all you like, I guess.