Valve is the only good thing in the hellscape. Linux support, cheap games and free multiplayer.
Who else provides this?
Gog
Linux support
Did you read the article? One of their really own says they are to blame for the hellscape!
Valve’s implementation of its in-game stores and the Steam marketplace, Varoufakis says, emerged from a need to balance monetization with a fear that if the company didn’t create its own systems for exchange between players, they would “take it outside”
They are a for profit company, they most likely support linux so that people don’t “take it outside” their useless proprietary launcher.
“…their useless proprietary launcher.” Steam is by far the least useless launcher out there. Steam has so many incredibly useful features such as remote play together, community controller layouts, the workshop, cloud saves, family library sharing, etc. Not to mention that they continue to keep adding new features that no other launcher is even close to having such as the new game recording feature that is currently in beta.
Sure, Valve charge a pretty decent amount to game developers for the sale of a game, but they provide a load of features in exchange.
Hellscape? I guess my reality didnt get that memo.
Unless this is just about TF2. I don’t know shit about tf.
More broadly about companies not producing things but extracting “rent” from others by controlling a marketplace all others have to go through. The former economist in residence is promoting a new book he wrote, which I suppose I would have to read to fully understand his argument. The little bit I read in the article has not exactly convinced me, but more from the part that other companies he mentions like Apple and Amazon also produce products.
Is it a hellscape?
The last two GOTYs have no micro transactions. The new Elden Ring DLC is more of a traditional expansion
Indie gaming is alive and well and it’s easier than ever to develop and publish.
