What you’re describing sounds a lot like iOS’s/Google’s IAP fee cut and the controversy around it.
It doesn’t. Those platforms demanded that apps use their infrastructure to do any and all IAP. iOS and Google use their position to lock down the storefront on user devices, being the de facto only option to use. Valve makes no such efforts, they even deliberately opened up their devices to other stores as well as integrated the launching of those storefronts for the games that “require” them. The only thing Valve demands is that you don’t abuse their infrastructure to get free game distribution while cashing in somewhere else.
You can still do IAP ingame btw (without going through Valve), you should just offer the same on Steam directly (see shark cards in GTA for example). There’s a difference between preventing the abuse of your resources and anti-competitive behaviour.
But that’s commercial suicide now. It’s list, or die, basically.
It’s not. Sales will be lower if you ignore the largest platform, obviously, but that would be true even if Steam had a lower market share (eg 40% or whatever). But it’s not true that it becomes entirely unprofitable to publish games outside of Steam. Which btw, you are allowed to do for a lower price, provided you don’t provide a Steam key upon purchase.
I feel the need to point out, a lawsuit claim isn’t proof. I can sue you for being a goblin, for example.
They are suing, making a claim, and presenting their side of the situation as their proof. You need to keep in mind there’s a non zero chance they have omitted inconvenient facts (to an extent) and misinterpreted information to their benefit.
Anecdotally, I’ve seen many, many, many games on storefronts other than steam that have a sale price lower than steam.
Just one note - Valve don’t care whether or not Steam keys are provided - if you sell on Steam then you can’t sell anywhere else cheaper.
That’s the claim made, but Valve has stressed this isn’t the case and the policy text doesn’t support that claim either. It very explicitly mentions Steam keys.
EA often does this actually for the games they offer through the EA app. EA has their own infra so you don’t get a Steam key if you purchase it from there. As a result EA games are occasionally slightly cheaper there or go on sale a bit more often than they do on Steam, so they can lure customers to their own storefront.
It doesn’t. Those platforms demanded that apps use their infrastructure to do any and all IAP. iOS and Google use their position to lock down the storefront on user devices, being the de facto only option to use. Valve makes no such efforts, they even deliberately opened up their devices to other stores as well as integrated the launching of those storefronts for the games that “require” them. The only thing Valve demands is that you don’t abuse their infrastructure to get free game distribution while cashing in somewhere else.
You can still do IAP ingame btw (without going through Valve), you should just offer the same on Steam directly (see shark cards in GTA for example). There’s a difference between preventing the abuse of your resources and anti-competitive behaviour.
It’s not. Sales will be lower if you ignore the largest platform, obviously, but that would be true even if Steam had a lower market share (eg 40% or whatever). But it’s not true that it becomes entirely unprofitable to publish games outside of Steam. Which btw, you are allowed to do for a lower price, provided you don’t provide a Steam key upon purchase.
Just one note - Valve don’t care whether or not Steam keys are provided - if you sell on Steam then you can’t sell anywhere else cheaper.
That’s the whole basis of the lawsuit Wolfire Games brought against them.
Valve are just saying that you can’t treat their customers as second class citizens when it comes to pricing.
I feel the need to point out, a lawsuit claim isn’t proof. I can sue you for being a goblin, for example.
They are suing, making a claim, and presenting their side of the situation as their proof. You need to keep in mind there’s a non zero chance they have omitted inconvenient facts (to an extent) and misinterpreted information to their benefit.
Anecdotally, I’ve seen many, many, many games on storefronts other than steam that have a sale price lower than steam.
That’s the claim made, but Valve has stressed this isn’t the case and the policy text doesn’t support that claim either. It very explicitly mentions Steam keys.
EA often does this actually for the games they offer through the EA app. EA has their own infra so you don’t get a Steam key if you purchase it from there. As a result EA games are occasionally slightly cheaper there or go on sale a bit more often than they do on Steam, so they can lure customers to their own storefront.