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Amazon thought it could compete with Steam because it was so much larger than Valve, but Prime Gaming's former VP admits that 'gamers already had the solution to their problems' (www.pcgamer.com)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I did not realize they were trying to compete in the first place.

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[–] [email protected] 138 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Valve wins by doing nothing... it's a tale as old as time.

Steam's market share is a huge factor in why their competition never succeeds, but it's hardly the only reason. Steam is a whole platform, not just a launcher or storefront. And they're also cognizant that the consumers are not just a revenue source to be milked, but actually long-term customers whose loyalty is important.

It really shouldn't be a surprise that when you enter an established market, you're not going to accomplish shit by providing a lesser service while simultaneously treating the consumer worse.

[–] [email protected] 80 points 2 days ago (1 children)

MBAs walk into this arena thinking they've got their quarterly agile reports synergized outside the box to the max.

Somehow none of them have learned the concept of long term customers

Gaben and Steam: does nothing, wins

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It always baffles me when I see an established company fail to understand long-term customers and still expect any kind of meaningful growth.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 days ago

It's because the stock market doesn't care about anything except the next quarter. Valve can think long term because they're privately owned.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The loyalty thing is what kept me.

I was wary of another gaming platform, there were so many and they all seemed the same, I never liked one over the other - they were just means to an end.

A few years back I really wanted to play RDR2 with my friends. It was expensive and I never pre-order, but as soon as it came out on (a small) sale I bought it for all 4 of us.

It was a lot of money for me, but I really wanted the story to play with everyone.

All was well at first, until we had each completed the tutorial and met up in open world. That's when we learned that the game was based on GTA and the devs do not care about hackers.

We had one fucking with us for over an hour, teleporting us into the air and dropping us, setting us randomly on fire, spawning space ships and so on.

I begged in voice for them to just leave us be, to no avail.

We are all older, we rarely have time to play together. I was crushed.

I was an hour over the return time on Steam, one of the other friends took a bit longer exploring and was even more than that.

I contacted steam anyway and tried to get a refund, and they granted it for all of us.

Later I learned this was a thing in RDR2 and there was now the ability to create private lobbies, but I just can't make myself try it and give Rockstar any money.

Steam however, won a lifelong fan. They didn't have to honour the refund, and they don't have to provide personal support that offers more than just the canned responses, but they do.

I hope Gabe lives forever, or finds another like him to carry the torch after he's gone.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Yeah my loyalty to them comes from the fact that they treat me like they value my business. Every company says they do, but they help when help is needed and get out of the way when it isn't. The only other businesses I feel that way towards are small restaurants and bars. It's not an unconditional loyalty but so long as they treat me right they'll keep my business.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They are reinvesting money back into r&d, and linux. They keep updating everything. Wish they kept making steam controllers. I have seen steam change a lot over the last +10 years.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago

i think ive heard rumblings about a steam controller 2? not entirely sure though