Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

[Oct 10, 2010, 1:36 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Computer and Video Games quotes comments Steve Gibson made at the London Games Festival about the competition between Valve's Steam service and Microsoft's Games for Windows, where the Gearbox marketeer said the two companies are "building silos" which "hurt the PC industry." Gibson implores them to "play nice," and says "Our big concern right now is that these silos are being built. Everybody's separating out and it's really... as a developer who just wants gamers to be able to play games together, it's frustrating right now. Things like that are hurting the PC industry for gamers. This is frustrating for everybody right now." Thanks joao.

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11.

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 14:51

Tumbler

Civ V at this point is a tough pill to swallow, the game needs a lot of work and if it wasn't tied to a steam account so I couldn't trade it then I'd put it up on ebay at this point because I think it's going to be months before it's worth my time again. Dev/pubs might see this as an advantage but to consumers this is simply another reminder to never buy these games at release that you can't resell. I got it for $40 so it's a bit easier to live with but if I'd bought the game at $50 I'd be furious that I'm stuck with this product as is.

Steam is a great service for discount games, but for full price retails games it's a big step backward for consumers. It has everything in place to offer rentals for a few bucks or even free trials of any game for a limited time...but that isn't happening, the industry is still very much a pay first, in full, no refunds, to try these games, with luck you'll like it and enjoy owning it, if not, oh well, no refunds.

There is a reason consoles have become so popular by comparison, pc games lash out developers and publishers for jumping ships but that is where the most customers are, more people would buy on the pc if it's wasn't a big scam most of the time. Let us have trial periods of 24 hours after we purchase a game on steam. (full refund in first 24 hours if requested) offer multi day rentals for a few bucks.

If those things will cost pubs/devs too much then your products suck and you're going to go out of business anyway.




VGfive.com - Game Trading site (Steam codes too!) Kickstarter "Game Developer"!

10.

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS:

Oct 10, 2010, 14:49

Beelzebud

Did buying the rights to Duke Nukem also include the ability to start trash talking other game studios? Gearbox doesn't have a lot of room to bitch about companies doing PC gaming wrong, when their flagship game is a sloppy console port.

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 14:32

Icewind

Steam won, this war has been over for 2 years now. I'm sure if you compare sales numbers, you'll see a lot more games are bought on Steam than on GFWL. Really no contest there. Plus Steam is an excellent interface/community service as well. I recently added a DOSbox game as a non-steam title in the games library list and activated in-game. Amazingly, when fullscreen the Steam community in-game overlay worked. Kind of funny playing a 16 year old game with in-game steam community overlay and having friends message me while playing it. Amazing little program they have there. GFWL just connects to your XBL account. Not really that amazing for me.

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS:

Oct 10, 2010, 14:30

Beamer

I just don't understand how game developers even question which service is better than the other? I mean wtf are these guys living on Mars or something? How can the game developers not see that Steam is far superior to GFWL?

Maybe they don't question it, but maybe they want two different alternatives so that one company doesn't end up wielding too much power?

Or maybe they just think having two services compete is when everyone else wins?




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS:

Oct 10, 2010, 14:25

Muscular Beaver

The only service I like is D2D or similar. Steam is only hurting PC gaming, and so are any other similar forms of DRM, dressed like "advantages for the customer".




Oh that is so lame... You will PAY for your use of inappropriate dialogue! - Mojo Jojo

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 14:16

Paketep

Yeah, because Valve and MS are the same, have done the same damage to PC gaming, and have the same potential to do damage in the future. You amaze me, sCary. Didn't you learn anything in all your years running the Shack?

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS:

Oct 10, 2010, 14:13

SpectralMeat

I think Steam does an awesome job at running in the background almost invisible yet it is useful for keeping your friends list, your games organized.

I just don't understand how game developers even question which service is better than the other? I mean wtf are these guys living on Mars or something? How can the game developers not see that Steam is far superior to GFWL?




Steam: SpectralMeat

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 13:59

ochentay4

Well, If I could choose I would opt for no service. Why we need Steam of GFWL? How gamers have been playing online and getting updates beforce this services? I do hate GFWL and do not hate Steam, but why do I need to have Steam and be Online to play Secret Monkey Island (for example).

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 13:52

Elricsi

Steam wins, GFW dies. Problem solved.

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS:

Oct 10, 2010, 13:46

Wildone

GFWL is an abomination..gotta sign into like 3 different things just to get it running ect..f**k off MS

Re: Gearbox to Valve & MS: "Play Nice"

Oct 10, 2010, 13:44

Rattlehead

Developers need to ditch GFWL in general. Steam is a superior service in every way possible.

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