“All of this work is broadly applicable to the PC platform, and it’s going to continue to expand over time. Supporting multiple platforms, multiple chipsets, controllers for different machines that are out there and even ones that aren’t out yet.”
[…] Valve’s goal with the OS is to have it compatible with traditional PCs, laptops, portable consoles and any other formats.
Likely they are trying to stave off Microsoft’s crosshairs for a bit. Valve is big, but Microsoft is WAY bigger, and when they decide they want to crush you, crush you they will.
If Valve were to make SteamOS good enough that a significant market share started using it; Microsoft will start doing everything in their power to drown it out as fast as possible.
If you’re under about…35 or so, you are unlikely to remember all of the shadow corporations that came out of the woodwork under Microsoft’s control to sue anyone using Linux into oblivion and to spread lies and fear during the late 90’s and early 2k’s. If you think Google is bad, Microsoft is way worse.
I don’t think they care that much. Windows revenue is ~7% , and most of it is probably Windows Server and enterprise/government deals. Source.
Unless SteamOS becomes competitive in the workplace and professional world, it’s just a drop in the ocean, too small to matter.
Just like Microsoft crushed the iPod with Zune or Sony with XBox.
Valve is big enough and entrenched enough—and MS fucks up consumer stuff enough—that I doubt they are really at risk of being crushed.
And MS failed at crushing Linux or the major Linux vendors even during the SCO phase.
lol – You know… I never thought of it like that. All of the people they tried to crush never really went away.
…for each attempt Microsoft has made at crushing someone they deemed a competitor – they sure are bad at it.
However, others weren’t so lucky:
Though, I’m not so sure that last list was all Microsoft. More of a Microsoft + Market Pressures type of death.
The Nokia Windows Phones were so good. I LOVED the polycarbonate bodies that could be smushed back if you dented it.
I had the Nokia Linux phone with the same body. It was one of my favorite phones.
Nokia linux phone 2025 edition 🥰 with flagship processor
one can dream lol
I miss the crazy Steve balmer days
Microsoft would have a hard time crushing the biggest gaming store in the industry. I think this is more of a “don’t fuck around or you’ll find out” from Valve to Microsoft.
Valve is put in a weak position if they’re entirely reliant on Windows. Having another option that grows in market share puts them on better negotiating footing, should the need arise.
More than that, by diversifying Valve is getting insurance from Microsoft bad mood in 2 ways
If the experience gets shitty because Microsoft manipulate Valve and games into making gamers getting bad experience, they can say “works just fine in my steam deck”
And if they try to do the “30% subscription/marketplace tax” that iOS and Android pull on devs they can go rogue and say it’s cheaper on steam deck/Linux which would also cause a big kerfuffle
Nah, I agree with the above poster. Valve is treading lightly because it’s still in a weak position. Also if there’s one thing I’m sure of in this world is that microsoft are genuinely evil, and they will do everything to crush opposition. They have the resources, the time, heck, they probably have an army of lawmakers in their pockets too. They’re probably being more benevolent because it’s cheaper than all out war ( see sony ). They’re probably working an EEE angle that I can’t figure out.
They invested 11 figure numbers in xbox and windows gaming at this point, they won’t let that escape. I suspect it’s even possible that they would somehow convince Valve to drop Linux support if it got too much for their taste. Who knows what the relationship is these days between Gabe and his former employer.
On this topic, it’s not about the money (getting paid off, or absorbed) for valve - they will continue their linux projects because the only goal is ensuring they have somewhere to sell games if MS went nuclear. While the immediate threat of windows store monopoly has subsided, SteamOS as a whole is a contingency plan over everything else, since the beginning.
With Microsoft pivoting to the angle of “this is an xbox; that is an xbox; you are an xbox” – I wouldn’t be surprised if they just simply paid their way onto handhelds and turned them all into “xboxes”
Don’t underestimate the power of the darkside.
Everything, except making a more attractive OS
Too true!
Or, like their entire business model for the last decade or two, they’re focused on competing at a service level rather than trying to push everyone out of the market by force.
Microsoft has made sure to make their library of games available on Steam for a reason. They know they can’t… or won’t compete at a service level.