this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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[–] [email protected] 246 points 2 years ago (1 children)

While he's there under oath, can they get some HL3 info out of him?

[–] [email protected] 89 points 2 years ago (5 children)

"Objection, this has nothing to do with the case."

"Overruled, the public needs to hear this"

[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 years ago

“It has already been released. It has been released for thousands of years. Humanity simply needs to reach a point of true understanding to see it.”

Gabe disappears in a flash of light.

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[–] [email protected] 207 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (19 children)

I don't know whether valve has violated anti-trust law or not, and I certainly don't think gaben deserves any more protection from covid than the general public but;

this is a stupid ruling. Why on earth can't he appear remotely, as he requested? They can't "adequately assess his credibility"? Are they gonna have an FBI body language expert on hand? Check his forehead for sweat droplets? There's nothing they can ask him in person that they can't ask him over a camera.

Feels like the plaintiffs are doing some kind of lowkey spite thing here, and I'm surprised the judge played along.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Most courtroom bullshit like this boil down to people who probably shouldn't be in power powertripping.

[–] [email protected] 53 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

don't think gaben deserves any more protection from covid than the general public

I think gaben deserves the world’s sickest powered respirator with RGB lights and holographic Team Fortress 2 unusual hat visual effects.

Glad to hear the court will require N95s at least.

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[–] [email protected] 182 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I appreciate requiring everyone wearing a good mask while he's in the courtroom, but I don't understand how having him in the room to testify would be substantially different from an online appearance.

[–] [email protected] 115 points 2 years ago

Same energy as CEOs demanding workers return to the office

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[–] [email protected] 174 points 2 years ago (5 children)

They get him on the stand and the judge says " so Mr Newell, remembering you are under oath, when is Half Life 3 being released?"

[–] [email protected] 57 points 2 years ago (2 children)

*Gabe starts gesturing to his lawyer to do something*

"Just answer the question."

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Gaben will then slowly drop his head and whisper into the microphone with a wry chuckle - "You fool. You have just activated my trap card."

Immediately, the Half Life 3 release will drop. Gaben has been holding it back, continuously updating for decades, awaiting exactly this moment. The judge, completely flabbergasted at the proceedings will immediately declare a mistrial. Legal scholars will then study the "Gaben defense" for decades.

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[–] [email protected] 172 points 2 years ago (4 children)

So is the allegation just that Steam is too successful?

[–] [email protected] 223 points 2 years ago (27 children)

Legit, I've never heard of anti-competetive practices from Valve. Anti-consumer? Sometimes, yeah, though they do a lot more right than most

The argument seems to be that "30% cut is too high" but it's not like there aren't other options if you think that's too high. Epic loves to pay for games to be exclusive there, humble and gog exist, one could even go the retro route and set up their own website (though that's prolly the dumb idea), itch.io comes to mind...

If Valve HAS done some shady shit to ensure their major market share I'd be down to hear it, but to me as a PC gamer since '10ish (and had PC gamer friends since 06) it seems they got there through being a not complete garbage heap of a company that actually improved over the years on user feedback, which is supposed to be the good example of capitalism innit?

[–] [email protected] 83 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Taking a high cut is the opposite of anti-competitive, that makes it easier for competitors to offer a better deal

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[–] [email protected] 75 points 2 years ago (6 children)

If 30% we're too high, surely just by offering a competitor that takes a lot less if a cut (say, 12,%), developers would flock to thst competitor because it saves them so much money, right?

Right, Sweeney?

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 years ago (2 children)

yeah, i think the 30% is fair enough, given the amount of stuff you get as a user by using steam, like

  • good cross-platform support
  • a working friendlist and chat system
  • remote play together
  • the workshop and community features
  • profile customisation stuff for those that like it
  • whishlists and gifts

i honestly feel like while they're a monopoly, they don't do anything other companies can't do, their cut goes to fund features others simply don't provide, so it's entierly fair for them to be more expensive than the competition

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 2 years ago

Hah if 30% is deemed too much the apple app store and pretty much any retail is going to be next. Steam is popular because they don't pull this nonsense. At 70% growth p/a why bother too

[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

I'm also curious what the allegations are. The only ones I ever heard were from Epic, which was basically making a big fuss to promote their own competitive platform (which was so shit it didn't gain any traction apart from the free games).

I've tried all the online stores ever since the cloudification (remember Impulse?) but none have ever been able to compete with Steam in terms of features and value to the customer. Steam didn't get to the top by being anti competitive, it got there by being competitive and offering a better product to all stakeholders, not just to shareholders.

And as you mentioned, there is plenty of competition for Steam. Don't like the monoply? Get it on GOG or Itch instead.

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (5 children)

Yes. They sued Valve with allegation that they are too successful by providing good service. Sure 30% is too much for some developers, but solution is quite simple... don't sell on Steam. Problem solved. Go to Epic, GoG, bunch of others. Hell every company now has its own launcher and store.

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[–] [email protected] 145 points 2 years ago (15 children)

Lmao Valve made a service so good at what it does, it's fucking over all these other business ghouls like Tim Sweemey who are actively trying to dominate the market without actually competing; just look at Epic's store, it's d o g s h i t. They give out free games and still no one I know wants to use it. It's the same across the board, these companies do not want to make good services, they want to legally strongarm the consumer.

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[–] [email protected] 78 points 2 years ago (3 children)

For those being happy that valve is in this position, don't. Any company that gets into a monopoly position, accidentally or not, will turn. Google too had "do no evil" in their manifest, until they didn't

[–] [email protected] 118 points 2 years ago (3 children)

While I agree, it is important to note that Valve is a private company. When you don't have to please shareholders and do absolutely everything to increase revenue, there is possibility for a level-headed leader that keeps the company customer friendly.

But if anything changes (greed takes over or leadership changes), it could still turn.

[–] [email protected] 70 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Valve is a private company right now. But Gaben is 61 and it goes without saying that Valve is at the top of every predatory tech capitalist's wishlist. Can you even imagine what Microsoft or Google or Meta would pay for Valve? Steam is great, but that probably won't last forever. GOG is waiting in the wings if Steam ever becomes enshittified, but most of your library cannot be transferred over.

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[–] [email protected] 64 points 2 years ago

Just don't expect him a 3rd time.

[–] [email protected] 62 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Come on, not every guy with a beard is--

"Hi this is Gaben"

OOOOOOHHHH MA GAWD

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'm out of the loop, can someone reply what's going on? I'll leave this comment for those like me who curious what happened

[–] [email protected] 62 points 2 years ago (3 children)

David Rosen of Wolfire Games (Receiver, Overgrowth, Lugaru) is alleging that steam reps have threatened to de-list his game if he lists it as less expensive on other platforms. Specifically not just steam keys but other distribution platforms.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 2 years ago (15 children)

Which is hard to believe, considering how many times I've bought steam games on other (legitimate) platforms that were cheaper than on steam, that are still on steam today and werent removed for being cheaper on another platform.

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[–] [email protected] 53 points 2 years ago (9 children)

Valve is trying to escape Microsoft's monopolistic practices with Linux while out performing their competition in a fair market. I like competition but I don't get what advantage steam has that their competition doesn't. Even with the steam deck they're using standardized hardware and open source software to make a competitive product leaving room for competition to create their own versions.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 2 years ago

Really? Steam? With all those EGS, GOG and Origins? Is it Apple's trolling?

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