Valve boss Gabe Newell calls Windows 8 a 'catastrophe'

[SirRobin]

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18996377

Operating system Windows 8 will be a "catastrophe" for PC game makers, according to Valve Software's boss.

Speaking at the Casual Connect game conference in Seattle, Gabe Newell said the next version of Windows could mean big changes to the PC market.

Many took his comment as a criticism of the changed user interface in Windows 8 as well as its built-in Windows Store.

The Windows Store could dent the success of Valve's own online market, Steam, through which players buy games.

Hat tricks

Mr Newell, who worked for Microsoft for 13 years on Windows, said his company had embraced the open-source software Linux as a "hedging strategy" designed to offset some of the damage Windows 8 was likely to do.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for the 2,500 games on Steam to run on Linux as well," said Mr Newell.

"Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space."

The arrival of Windows 8 would be likely to drive some PC makers and others out of the business because it put so much pressure on their sales margins, Mr Newell added.

He said the success of Valve, known for its Half Life, Left4Dead and Portal titles, had been down to the open nature of the PC.

"We've been a free rider, and we've been able to benefit from everything that went into PCs and the internet," he told the conference. "And we have to continue to figure out how there will be open platforms."

However, he added, the openness that helped Valve as well as firms such as Google and Zynga could disappear with Windows 8.

"There's a strong temptation to close the platform," he said, "because they look at what they can accomplish when they limit the competitors' access to the platform, and they say, 'That's really exciting.'"

This is seen by commentators to be a reference to the inclusion of a Windows Store in the Microsoft operating system.

This is a shop through which users will be able to buy apps for their Windows 8 device.

On some versions of Windows 8, it will be the only way to get downloadable software such as games.

Microsoft takes a cut, up to 30%, of every sale made through this store.

This could be a significant threat to the massively successful Steam online game store that Valve runs and which gives it a commission on every title sold through the online market.

A Windows Store closed to everyone but Microsoft might reduce the range of games available for sale through Steam.

Windows 8's links with Microsoft's Xbox Live online game service could also dent the appeal of Steam for many people.

Mr Newell said Valve was preparing for the future in other ways. In particular, he said, it was trying to make tools and services that players could use to make games and gaming more fun for everyone.

"We think the future is very different [from] successes we've had in the past," he said.

"When you are playing a game, you are trying to think about creating value for other players, so the line between content player and creator is really fuzzy."

One harbinger of this future was perhaps found, he said, in the success of one Team Fortress player in Kansas who was earning $150,000 (£97,000) a year making virtual hats.

"This isn't about video games," he said. "It's about thinking about goods and services in a digital world."

Did not know they might make the Windows Store the only way to get games with Win8. The whole reason I continue to use Windows is because it is a much more open platform than stuff like Macintosh. Maybe time to switch to Linux?

[Rumpy]

Won't really matter until Win 7 no longer gets updates, but I guess it could still have an effect on me with that silly store.
But if they manage to get the most of the games working on Linux that'd be pretty cool.

[Chinese Bootlickers]

I predict he'll do a 180 with his opinion on it a couple years down the line, like he did with the PS3.

[Zelk]

It kind of reads as if he's only mad at windows 8 because there's an app store. I'm sure there's more to it but of this all there is to his belief than I see no reason why it's a catastrophe.
/hides from Valve fanboys.

[Loaf Lord]

Had no idea they were already making a new windows. When is it supposed to be released?

[Deleted]

I predict he'll do a 180 with his opinion on it a couple years down the line, like he did with the PS3.

Yep, with enough of an donation from Sony, suddenly the PS3 was no longer crappy hardware that was near imposisble to code well for. Funny how that works.

As for Win 8 not allowing other ways of installing software, that is only a half truth, and only for Windows RT (Windows for ARM devices, ie, not full fledged computers, but more similar to the ipad).
Gabe doesn't like that MS want a slice of downloadable content, so he whines about it. This part of Windows 8 is not a bad thing for the consumer. Other things about Windows 8... well, thats for another discussion.

[kondura]

Windows adds an "app" store into their O/S - just like Apple and Android have - and suddenly everyone gets up in arms? Absurd. As a technet subscriber, we get the release versions of Win8 next month! WOOT!!!

[Goosebump]

Windows adds an "app" store into their O/S - just like Apple and Android have - and suddenly everyone gets up in arms? Absurd. As a technet subscriber, we get the release versions of Win8 next month! WOOT!!!

Most people don't really care about Microsoft jumping on the app store bandwagon. It's more the total traincrash they've made of the Desktop PC implementation of Windows 8. Certainly one to skip even if it was for free - looks very nice on a tablet though.

[Pejo]

Yep, with enough of an donation from Sony, suddenly the PS3 was no longer crappy hardware that was near imposisble to code well for. Funny how that works.

As for Win 8 not allowing other ways of installing software, that is only a half truth, and only for Windows RT (Windows for ARM devices, ie, not full fledged computers, but more similar to the ipad).
Gabe doesn't like that MS want a slice of downloadable content, so he whines about it. This part of Windows 8 is not a bad thing for the consumer. Other things about Windows 8... well, thats for another discussion.

Azthal has it right. Steam and its entire library will still be available to non-ARM builds of Windows 8. The Windows App Store is control the quality of the applications onto ARM devices that only run WinRT, similar to Apple and Android. I'm pretty sure Microsoft is actually offering the biggest cut to developers who use their app store versus the other 2.

[Glorious Leader]

Most people don't really care about Microsoft jumping on the app store bandwagon. It's more the total traincrash they've made of the Desktop PC implementation of Windows 8. Certainly one to skip even if it was for free - looks very nice on a tablet though.

I've been lucky enough to get a developers copy of windows 8. It's certainly not that horrible but you can tell it's designed to appeal to the apple mac geeks.

[Nerraw]

I've been lucky enough to get a developers copy of windows 8. It's certainly not that horrible but you can tell it's designed to appeal to the apple mac geeks.

From a business standpoint, I honestly can't blame them. Apple has quite a bit of the marketshare when it comes to tablets and portable devices, which seems to be what Win8 is aimed at the most. They should really just have made a PC version without the tablet stuff.

[kynthrus]

Windows 8 is fine for tablets and windows phones and whatever, but on a desktop it is completely ridiculous, and almost painful to look at let alone use >.>.

[Glorious Leader]

From a business standpoint, I honestly can't blame them. Apple has quite a bit of the marketshare when it comes to tablets and portable devices, which seems to be what Win8 is aimed at the most. They should really just have made a PC version without the tablet stuff.

That's not what their goal is. Their goal is integration. Their goal is to have people line up outside the new MS retail stores (which I applied to work at recently) the way they line up outside the mac stores. Their goal is a bigger market share of peripherals. Phones, tablets etc etc. At the former retail store I used to work at they had a philosophy that was along the lines of they wanted to have a family of products that would cause them to be the one store you would stop at. That's what MS want's to do as far as I can see and part of that is allowing for a high degree of integration between devices so that users don't get frustrated with their experience.


It's about control to. Controlling the experience as much as possible. I don't mind so much because previous iterations of windows still allow me a greater degree of freedom than 8 does so I can still resort to using them. Unlike mac os which is basically always mac os and basically always a giant fuck you to anyone who isn't a mac geek.

[Profyrion]

Windows 8 is a trainwreck. Nice to see Microsoft continuing the trend of every other major OS version being a big heaping pile of crap. I'm sure Windows 9 will be incredible, though.

[Lyriok]

What exactly does windows 8 give us performance wise? All i know of it is the app store and terrible interface.

[Deleted]

Fat guy hates the idea of not getting as much donuts as he gets now. I just can't ever imagine desktop OS forbidding you from installing the software - it's not even remotely possible anyway in the environment that'd be acceptable.
I guess he's more likely pissed about having to compete with something that will be installed on most of new computers.

But if they manage to get the most of the games working on Linux that'd be pretty cool.

Not a big deal when it's done already.

[Ferocity]

Their goal is a bigger market share of peripherals. Phones, tablets etc etc.

Ain't they a bit late to the party? Phones and tablets are dominated by iPhones and Androids.

Also after having a look on Win-8 interface, touchscreens are no-go for desktops, you won't be typing something or play any serious game for that matter by hitting your finger on screen, or it will take forever. Also dirty fingers can work for tablets and phones, but for desktop monitor - just no. I know you can click those big interface buttons by mouse, and call up standard desktop, but why is all that stuff here in first place? It is not like touchscreens are desktop monitors of the future, and there is no need in such grotesque interface.

But I didn't understand how Win-8 will close up Steam support? Aren't they just providing alternative, and you still can use Steam in Win-8 or am I missing something? If MS will start limiting functionality of their OS to such a degree to turn it into some gaming console OS - good luck to them! Win-8 is catastrophe as it is already.

[Glorious Leader]

Ain't they are a bit late to the party? Phones and tablets are dominated by iPhones and Androids.

They don't feel they are. I mean it's not as if smart phones and devices are going to suddenly disappear. People should remember that smart phones existed before Android. Like Android wasn't around and Apple pretty much dominated the market (with the exception of like Rim and a couple of other minor players) until Android caught on and people started using it. MS probably feels it can do the same thing. They are definitely playing catch up though and I'm not altogether convinced they will succeed.

[Merite]

You can still install Steam on Windows 8. According to his comments he only dislikes Windows 8 because it could put Steam out of business? That's stupid of him. And how on earth will Windows 8 put Google out of business? No way in hell. He's obviously not very bright.

The Windows market will probably take up a small slice of the pie, but people who've used valve/steam will continue to do so. Maybe they might actually have to fight for a place in their market, how is competition ever bad?

Android has a market, Apple has a market, and 10 years later, Windows now has a market. I don't see any issue with it, quite frankly it's going along with the trend. People would prefer to buy their games from a trusted source. Steam has been a trusted source, so it was a great marketplace and probably still will be...

He's just butthurt because his 100% share on the games market for Windows will turn into 90%.

[Remilia]

The 'article' personally speaking is very awkward to read. As it's being broken up into one or two sentences per line. (Yet not changing anywhere in terms of topic).

Most from what I see from the article is that it limits people on the PC to not be able to do certain things, (much like modding and such). Windows is in comparison (to apple) a lot more open, yes. It generally a good thing for the community, however closing that seems to be what he is referring to the most.

I don't really see where he himself refers to the Microsoft store competing against Steam, which obviously it will. This is why whomever writing this article should probably reformat or reword a lot of it as it jumps around so much it gets confusing. That's just my thought.