Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

[Shawn Zipay]

Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford, was quite chatty recently with Maximum PC. Among the numerous topics discussed was how Pitchford doesn't trust Steam from the viewpoint of someone "in the industry."

MPC: The download services, like Steam, are helping make it easier to buy games though, right?

RP: I’ll tell you what. Steam helps. As a guy in this industry though, I don’t trust Valve.

MPC: Because they’re competitors?

RP: Right.

MPC: You guys have worked with them a lot!

RP: I know. And I, personally, trust Valve. But I’m just saying, honestly, I think a lot of the industry doesn’t.

MPC: So you think Valve should spin off Steam?

RP: They should! It would be much better if Steam was its own business. There’s so much conflict of interest there that it’s horrid. It’s actually really, really dangerous for the rest of the industry to allow Valve to win.

I love Valve games, and I do business with the company. But, I’m just saying, Steam isn’t the answer. Steam helps us as customers, but it’s also a money grab, and Valve is exploiting a lot of people in a way that’s not totally fair. Valve is taking a larger share than it should for the service its providing. It’s exploiting a lot of small guys. For us big guys, we’re going to sell the units and it will be fine.

Other topics discussed include Pitchford's take on piracy, the system requirements for Borderlands, and plenty of neat little details about the Borderlands gameplay that you probably didn't know yet!

By all means, head on over to Maximum PC for the full interview with Gearbox's Randy Pitchford!

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

Whatever man, this guy is talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Why should we trust him as he is a competitor and has something to gain through this?

Crunch

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

Huh? He even said that he personally likes Valve and Steam, but from a competition standpoint they're a threat, and that's true of any company.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

Huh? He even said that he personally likes Valve and Steam, but from a competition standpoint they're a threat, and that's true of any company.

No, you are right, I just found it strange how he is saying as a consumer everything is good with Valve, but as a competitor, he doesn't trust them. So lets break up Valve and Steam for the good of everyone but valve and steam.

He says how its not "fair" because of this lopsidedness, yet he does not go into details about that. Maybe he cant, but he throws this up in the air and makes it seem like shady deals are going on and people are being crushed but then goes on about how there is no other solution and he likes it when people can cater to him, as a consumer, which valve/steam does!

Ive only used steam for about 2 years, but I dont see only valve games on it and in advertisements. I see big companies like EA reluctantly go to it after their own attempts horribly fail. To me, and this is my opinion of using it for maybe 2 years, its the best downloadable content system I have seen and is broad range.

Maybe if I knew more what RP was trying to get at or if I knew some of the back end dealings I would think differently, but the way I see it now it sounds like the fox and sour grapes. I think if you make something better than steam, the people will go to it.

This part of the interview rubbed me wrong. Its like he was making a quick kick in the head at Steam with nothing to support it.

Maybe I am thinking too much into it though

Crunch

[Boreas]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

How is steam exploiting alot of people? and "Valve is taking a larger share then it should..." They came up with the idea, so they should get the cash. The pirate finds the treasure, the pirate gets the booty.

[[BPN] SCHLUP]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

I actually never put 2 and 2 together to know that Steam was owned by Valve. I can see how Steam might be charging a premium over other downloadable content sources, but they DO have the best platform so they can afford to charge a little more. However, I do think that it is in the best interest of both companies to split, then each one can concentrate on their core business and really make them better, continue to innovate and make their products lead the pack for the rest of time. If they don't eventually they will lose something and competitors will catch up and take the lead and then they will be left in the dust.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

How is steam exploiting alot of people? and "Valve is taking a larger share then it should..." They came up with the idea, so they should get the cash. The pirate finds the treasure, the pirate gets the booty.

Exactly. Its this quick jab with nothing behind it.

I actually never put 2 and 2 together to know that Steam was owned by Valve. I can see how Steam might be charging a premium over other downloadable content sources, but they DO have the best platform so they can afford to charge a little more. However, I do think that it is in the best interest of both companies to split, then each one can concentrate on their core business and really make them better, continue to innovate and make their products lead the pack for the rest of time. If they don't eventually they will lose something and competitors will catch up and take the lead and then they will be left in the dust.

Thats not a good reason to break away. They have the best product now and to beat it, someone is going to have to come up with something better. When that happens, steam will have to come up with something else. Its how competition should work

By seperating them, all its going to do is divide who is making decisions and cripple steam and its infrastructure. Management and decisions will be at a standstill while everything gets settled, giving time for the competitors to swoop in.

In theory it sounds good and makes things "fair", but there is no such thing as fair in business and in the end its the consumer that gets hurt and pays more to get less.

Crunch

[[BPN] SCHLUP]

Re: Gearbox's Pitchford Discusses "The Problem with Steam"

Well I'll say this, Steam has done a good job thus far staying one step ahead of the competition, and there have been some vallant efforts by several others, Xfire, QSC (I think...the one by gameservers.com), bigdownload.com, and direct2download.com are making in roads but it all comes down to something the gamer by the masses HAS to get. I'll say this, if Activision came out with a good one for Modern Warfare 2 and all the other Call of Duty games and made it a requirement to have it to get updates and whatnot then they could steal the thunder. Counter Strike 1.6 got Steam started because it was required to have to play the game, they went from the WONID to the Steam ID with 1.6 and so all the millions that played the game all of a sudden had to setup an account to play multiplayer. That's the only reason they are at where they're at today. But if Activision does the same thing then we are going to be in the same boat on a different ocean.