• echo64@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    As much as everyone lauds valve, and its company structure, they do have problems with actually making things.

    There’s no real financial push to make things. They’ll make the same amount this year if they release a new game or not.

    So it’s down to if people at the company want to make something. And it seems they choose hardware more often and struggle to get things to the finish line without any real push to make that happen.

    Losing people like Chet Faliszek doesn’t help much. People who got projects finished.

    • OrnateLuna@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      11 months ago

      Tbf an environment where people can work on the things they want seems a pretty good one.

      Like sure we aren’t getting more games but idk the steam deck has been a wonder creation of theirs, plus feels a bit entitled to expect more sequels or games bc we are just consumers of their creation.

      • pulverizedcoccyx@lemmy.ca
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        11 months ago

        Not to mention the Steam Deck lit the fire under the asses of all the other manufacturers, if they weren’t already developing handhelds. Quite a positive price and technology chain reaction.

      • Neato@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        Right. This is as close to a AAA/AA indie studio as we’ll ever get. Studios who only make things they want to make on their own timeline not beholden to shareholders.

      • echo64@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        It’s a unicorn that only works because they have a functional monopoly on PC game sales. Valve used to be exciting game developers, is all.

        • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
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          11 months ago

          Their funding might have come from that, but in terms of design, the Steam Deck brings together the best parts of the Steam Controller and the Steam Machine, which individually weren’t smashing successes, so I see it as iterative.

          • echo64@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            Great, if you like hardware. I enjoyed valve the game development company. I miss that, and I think that the success of steam and the loss of key personnel is the reason for it. That’s all I’ve been saying this whole time

            • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
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              11 months ago

              Totally fair stance to have. I was just responding to your point that the Steam Deck is “a unicorn that only works because they have a functional monopoly on PC game sales”.

        • OrnateLuna@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          11 months ago

          Tbf they only have a monopoly bc they are the only ones who are providing a good service and there just isn’t much of a reason to use anything else. Nor are they hostile to competition

      • PixxlMan@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I think it’s good, although the situation does seem to be somewhat dysfunctional on the game front. They’ve made literally dozens of projects, some near completion, all abandoned for one reason or another. I think this video does a good job of demonstrating it. It summaries a digital book called “Half Life Alyx: The final hours” written by a valve employee. Here: https://youtu.be/mHdrosltGJA?si=9TodoaYu95HMtRqf