Microsoft could TAKE DOWN Steam....

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

A more likely competitor to Valve with steam would be blizzard.

THA-TODD-BEAST

Sad but true. The legions of WoW sheep speak for themselves. I think Blizzard and Activision are larger threats to Valve than Microsoft, which has proven time and time again to be as incompetent as they come.

battle.net sucks more than scooters mom in borderlands!

I'd still use Steam... I'd even turn to Impulse before I'd use a MS service.

Tezcatlipoca666

I think they kind of tried to do that when they relaunched GFWL Marketplace. There were a few great deals (Stalker SoC $1, Bioshock $2, AoE 3 $0.10) and people got excited, but after those first couple weeks, nobody has mentioned it again.

[QUOTE="THA-TODD-BEAST"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

A more likely competitor to Valve with steam would be blizzard.

ionusX

Sad but true. The legions of WoW sheep speak for themselves. I think Blizzard and Activision are larger threats to Valve than Microsoft, which has proven time and time again to be as incompetent as they come.

battle.net sucks more than scooters mom in borderlands!

Lets say that the scale is 1-10. 1 being the worst on the market and 10 being the best:

Steam is 10

B.net is 6

GFWL is 1

Steam is pretty awesome, especially now, GFWL is abysmal, I am kinda sorry I bought Aoe for 10 cents. b.net is tolerable, but there could be a lot of improvement.

I don't think they could. The GFWL experience for me has been pretty intrusive. It wasn't as simple as Steam where you just have it on and you play a game. With GFWL I run the game then find out GFWL refuses to ****ing work and I have to restart the game, or update some **** when I'm ALREADY IN-GAME and just want to play forcing me to quit the game or restart my computer! Then I think about things like the new WLM and how it's completely crap over the older version and wonder who the heck they are catering for.

They seem to have no idea what works and doesn't work, so long as they force their software onto people. In short, no. Steam is intuitive, easy to use, functional, doesn't use much system resources, has an easy to use freinds list and community features, automatically updates games and the Steam client itself without forcing me to restart my computer, has plenty of sales and an easy to use store and already has a strong and respectable foothold. If and when I feel like Steam is forcing me to use it or it becomes clunky, unintuitive, redundant or invasive then I will voice my concerns and opt for an alternative.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"] Really? So are you telling me Sony isn't making any money on all the PS2 and PS3 they sold...?N30F3N1X

Consoles are usually sold at a loss.

The initial price of the PS3 was 600$. The production cost of a PS3 was 800$ at the time. Sony lost almost every penny they made with the PS2 during the PS3's early years. I thought this was common knowledge.

[QUOTE="N30F3N1X"]

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"] Really? So are you telling me Sony isn't making any money on all the PS2 and PS3 they sold...?FelipeInside

Consoles are usually sold at a loss.

The initial price of the PS3 was 600$. The production cost of a PS3 was 800$ at the time. Sony lost almost every penny they made with the PS2 during the PS3's early years. I thought this was common knowledge.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="N30F3N1X"]

Consoles are usually sold at a loss.

The initial price of the PS3 was 600$. The production cost of a PS3 was 800$ at the time. Sony lost almost every penny they made with the PS2 during the PS3's early years. I thought this was common knowledge.

the_ChEeSe_mAn2

Yeah, I thought about that as soon as I sumbitted the message....

At best, it would take Microsoft at least 5 years to crack Steam User's loyalty. And that would require exclusives, fiercely competitive deals and a solid, free service that could parallel that of Steam's. Highly unlikely considering Xbox Live is a pay-to-use service that offers next to no freebies or bang-for-buck.

Here's why Steam will reign supreme.

Now, consider why they beat the PlayStation 3 in sales at the start of this generation. There was no PS3. So people turned to the next best thing; the only console alternative available at the time.

Next, consider their other attempts to compete in different markets.

• They tried to battle it out with RIM's Blackberry and Apple's iPhone and the other deluge of smartphones available on the market. And while the Windows Mobile platform has seen modest success, it has not significantly impacted the performance of other, well-established iPhone brands.
• They tried to fight the iPod with the Zune - a catchy, well-researched name, combined with a fresh, colorful look - all bundled into a promising, new, multimedia device. That didn't fail, but how many people do you know that own a Zune?
• They backed HD-DVD in an attempt to compete with Sony and Toshiba's media format, BluRay and failed miserably. HD-DVDs went the way of the 8-track.

As you can no doubt tell, Microsoft is very successful in the software market. There are no doubts about that. Windows is the most widely-used and well recognized operating system out there. Microsoft established itself quickly at the dawn of affordable, easy-to-use personal computer and has remained king ever since. But the only time they've ever conquered an established market was with the Xbox 360, and that was because Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii was not available at the time.

Microsoft could only take down Steam if they did just that: buy them out and shut them down. Or perhaps wait until Steam makes a catastrophic mistake, loses their customer base and falls into bankruptcy, before they release their triumphant new digital distribution platform.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="Vesica_Prime"]

Except for Valve cares about its PC community, Microsoft has been leaving us in the dirt for the last 5 years.

lawlessx

[QUOTE="XIntoTheBlue"]I think they are a little late to try, if they really wanted to. Steam already has a very large user base and it has evolved quite well. I don't know if others think the same thing, but as I already have quite a few games on Steam, I rather not divide my collection amongst too many distributers, anyway.FelipeInside

That wouldn't happen though. The game you own is licensed through Steam and to your particular account...

There are other logistical problems to transfering those games as well... Money for example... When you buy a game on Steam - 33% of it goes to Steam... That 33% pays for the game licenses, servers, etc... If you were to transfer all of that to Microsoft - They would need to support millions of gamers and thousands of games with servers and licenses, which would cost the same as Steam's... Yet Microsoft won't have the 33% from all those games Steam had... Any money they bring in will be from new purchases not transfers...

Not to mention Steam would have to allow you to do this...

I wish they would but sadly I don't think it will happen.

And how are they supposed to make a new service heaps better than GFWL if they can't even get GFWL to work?RK-Mara

[QUOTE="Vesica_Prime"]

Except for Valve cares about its PC community, Microsoft has been leaving us in the dirt for the last 5 years.

FelipeInside

lmao are you that naive to believe that? thats a ploy to sell windows 8 nothing more, also look at the games they listed, both microsoft games, its pushing windows 8 or pushing microsoft games nothing more

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="Vesica_Prime"]

Except for Valve cares about its PC community, Microsoft has been leaving us in the dirt for the last 5 years.

cyanblues

lmao are you that naive to believe that? thats a ploy to sell windows 8 nothing more, also look at the games they listed, both microsoft games, its pushing windows 8 or pushing microsoft games nothing more

[QUOTE="cyanblues"]

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"] Please read this dear sir: http://games.on.net/article/11155/Microsoft_to_Revive_PC_Gaming_with_Windows_8FelipeInside

lmao are you that naive to believe that? thats a ploy to sell windows 8 nothing more, also look at the games they listed, both microsoft games, its pushing windows 8 or pushing microsoft games nothing more

Speaking in an interview with GI.biz, Valve's Doug Lombardi said that they originally tried to get Microsoft and Yahoo on board to help build Steam, but were eventually forced into designing the platform themselves from scratch.

"You know, we went around to Yahoo, Microsoft...and anybody who seemed like a likely candidate to build something like Steam," said Lombardi in the interview with James Lee.

"We basically had our feature list that we wanted. We wanted auto-updating, we wanted better anti-piracy, better anti-cheat, and selling the games over the wire was something we came up with later. We went around to everybody and asked 'Are you guys doing anything like this?' And everyone was like 'That's a million miles in the future...We can't help you.'"

-------------

Ms had their chance:P

Steam was rejected by Microsoft

Speaking in an interview with GI.biz, Valve's Doug Lombardi said that they originally tried to get Microsoft and Yahoo on board to help build Steam, but were eventually forced into designing the platform themselves from scratch.

"You know, we went around to Yahoo, Microsoft...and anybody who seemed like a likely candidate to build something like Steam," said Lombardi in the interview with James Lee.

"We basically had our feature list that we wanted. We wanted auto-updating, we wanted better anti-piracy, better anti-cheat, and selling the games over the wire was something we came up with later. We went around to everybody and asked 'Are you guys doing anything like this?' And everyone was like 'That's a million miles in the future...We can't help you.'"

devious742

WOW !!!

[QUOTE="devious742"]

Steam was rejected by Microsoft

Speaking in an interview with GI.biz, Valve's Doug Lombardi said that they originally tried to get Microsoft and Yahoo on board to help build Steam, but were eventually forced into designing the platform themselves from scratch.

"You know, we went around to Yahoo, Microsoft...and anybody who seemed like a likely candidate to build something like Steam," said Lombardi in the interview with James Lee.

"We basically had our feature list that we wanted. We wanted auto-updating, we wanted better anti-piracy, better anti-cheat, and selling the games over the wire was something we came up with later. We went around to everybody and asked 'Are you guys doing anything like this?' And everyone was like 'That's a million miles in the future...We can't help you.'"

FelipeInside

WOW !!!

Indeed! Boy, they lost out.

In my opinion, Both of them should just mind their own business. Wherever there's a sale or wherever's cheaper, that's where I'm gonna buy games. Debate is stupid cos they're both making money & PEOPLE JUST LOVE TO TALK

In my opinion, Both of them should just mind their own business. Wherever there's a sale or wherever's cheaper, that's where I'm gonna buy games. Debate is stupid cos they're both making money & PEOPLE JUST LOVE TO TALK

Carminesqueez

Why are you posting on a forum then...? lol.....

[QUOTE="Carminesqueez"]

In my opinion, Both of them should just mind their own business. Wherever there's a sale or wherever's cheaper, that's where I'm gonna buy games. Debate is stupid cos they're both making money & PEOPLE JUST LOVE TO TALK

FelipeInside

Why are you posting on a forum then...? lol.....

To get updates about games & to ask questions.

Microsoft & Steam have nothing to lose, yet, people still talk about them like it's a big deal. As long as they provide games for us gamers, just leave it like that & there's nothing to tallk about. Nothing to argue with

Microsoft cant intigrate GFWL into the European version of Windows 8 because its illegal and falls under unfair practice or something. All the office suites and things had to be taken out of the European release of Win7.bonafidetk

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"]

[QUOTE="Carminesqueez"]

In my opinion, Both of them should just mind their own business. Wherever there's a sale or wherever's cheaper, that's where I'm gonna buy games. Debate is stupid cos they're both making money & PEOPLE JUST LOVE TO TALK

Carminesqueez

Why are you posting on a forum then...? lol.....

To get updates about games & to ask questions.

Microsoft & Steam have nothing to lose, yet, people still talk about them like it's a big deal. As long as they provide games for us gamers, just leave it like that & there's nothing to tallk about. Nothing to argue with

^Well I think you are

^Well I think you are

Carminesqueez

[QUOTE="Carminesqueez"]

^Well I think you are

FelipeInside

uhm, yeah, whatever.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="Carminesqueez"]

^Well I think you are

Carminesqueez

uhm, yeah, whatever.

Maybe if Microsoft wasn't so head strong on their Xbox 360 and total neglected the PC market they could be where Steam is now but it too late for them even try come in and take over, now Bnet 2.0 when they start selling activision and 3rd party games might make break through cause of the mass following with World of Warcraft. I'm all for competition means better sales for us and not one company dominating the market but will still stick with Steam =P

Am I the only one still buying everything retail? :P

Am I the only one still buying everything retail? :P

Prexxus

Yes, Microsoft could gain the preference of the new buyers, mainly with a solid app with all things that the app from Steam doesn't have, like a stable and full featured browser, a config file in which to save your config in order to not be needed to redo all the custom categories you have set for your games OR the ability to set them in groups (shift+click and ctrl+click) -- because, when you have 100+ games it gets tiresome doing that one by one, etc. etc. and etc.

I said new buyers because we that already have a whole big collection on Steam won't want to start another one anew.

Well, I know that I won't...

You can't just import games from Steam you know. Steam is the DRM for a lot of games, and it is DRM on every game you buy on it. You simply cannot extract the games and change them to a new format.

Also, you are all saying how Microsoft could complete if they did X,Y and Z. The truth is not only this doesn't reflect any of Microsoft's prior actions, but you can say that about anybody. Apple could make a Steam like platform, hell they have iTunes to go off of, they could make an iGames platform. Just because you say things that they can do doesn't make that point any more valid.

Yes they could take down Steam, but to what purpose would it serve?

And I'm sure lots of PC gamers will flock to buy new copies of windows for a free Activision game.

You can't just import games from Steam you know. Steam is the DRM for a lot of games, and it is DRM on every game you buy on it. You simply cannot extract the games and change them to a new format.

Also, you are all saying how Microsoft could complete if they did X,Y and Z. The truth is not only this doesn't reflect any of Microsoft's prior actions, but you can say that about anybody. Apple could make a Steam like platform, hell they have iTunes to go off of, they could make an iGames platform. Just because you say things that they can do doesn't make that point any more valid.

Yes they could take down Steam, but to what purpose would it serve?

And I'm sure lots of PC gamers will flock to buy new copies of windows for a free Activision game.

Drazule

Then is there really a point besides wishful thinking?

Then is there really a point besides wishful thinking?

Drazule