Windows 8 pre-installed market/store: what Steam will be then

[alexan]

I am surprised no one linked this: will be Valve the next Netscape?

[Merk42]

Mac OS X Lion has their app store preinstalled, people still use Steam on Mac.
Heck, Ubuntu has its software center installed, better tell the guys at Desura to stop working on a Linux version

[alexan]

You're aware about the tie Microsoft, through xbox, have with the mainstream software hose which develop videogames?

That to play some Valve games you need Windows live while there's nothing on the opposite (Windows Live game require you to have Steam account)?

That Microsoft make the rules on how Videogames have to run on both Xbox (big piece of market) and Direct X (another fair piece)?



Mac? At this point the only hope for Valve is to run on PS3 (or PS4 at all) XD

[Paqman]

Steam is a compulsory install for some games (even single player ones, for some bizarre reason). There's no way I'd have it on any of my machines if it wasn't. It's just about the most annoying piece of software under the sun. It won't die, but I'd rejoice if it did.

[KiwiNZ]

Steam is a compulsory install for some games (even single player ones, for some bizarre reason). There's no way I'd have it on any of my machines if it wasn't. It's just about the most annoying piece of software under the sun. It won't die, but I'd rejoice if it did.

Second most annoying, Real Player was the most annoying.;)

[madjr]

well i would not mind to get a linux port with all their games. :)

[Quadunit404]

Nope. They're two completely different things.

Steam is a game retailer/network of gamers/game manager. The Windows 8 Marketplace is just somewhere to get Metro apps.

[earthpigg]

Second most annoying, Real Player was the most annoying.;)

I just cringed thinking about that.

[pjd99]

Second most annoying, Real Player was the most annoying.;)
^^ My vote for the worst piece of software ever. Ugly, bloated and invasive. Though Quicktime on Windows is/was just as awful.

[Dr. C]

Mac OS X Lion has their app store preinstalled, people still use Steam on Mac.
Heck, Ubuntu has its software center installed, better tell the guys at Desura to stop working on a Linux version

The presence of a store in the OS by itself is not the issue. The issue is whether the OS will load applications that are not signed by the store. The relevant comparison would be IOS (Steam on an iPad) not Mac OS X.

It appears that on class 3 (ARM) devices Metro applications will have to be signed by the Windows store. http://www.techspot.com/news/45538-windows-8-metro-apps-will-be-windows-store-exclusive.html. If I understand the OP correctly in the Netscape comparison if Microsoft blocks Steam on certain Windows 8 devices then Valve would have an anti trust case against Microsoft.

[Copper Bezel]

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't follow the reference to Netscape in the OP.

However, that issue would be exclusive to the ARM (appliance, as KiwiNZ would say) devices.

[Merk42]

It appears that on class 3 (ARM) devices Metro applications will have to be signed by the Windows store. http://www.techspot.com/news/45538-windows-8-metro-apps-will-be-windows-store-exclusive.html. If I understand the OP correctly in the Netscape comparison if Microsoft blocks Steam on certain Windows 8 devices then Valve would have an anti trust case against Microsoft.
Yes Metro apps are and only on the ARM version. I don't think Steam nor its games would be considered a "Metro" app. Also, how many games in Steam even have an ARM version?

The whole Netscape thing isn't really the same. That was Microsoft not allowing OEMs to preinstall it. What you're suggesting is that neither OEMs nor users could install it at all (yes I realize that's worse).

[thatguruguy]

Applications built for Windows 7 and earlier will run within a virtual machine. Everything will be a Metro app, essentially.

[Copper Bezel]

The desktop isn't a VM.

I honestly don't see Metro taking off as the standard on the desktop. Particularly at first, the majority of users are going to end up using 8 the way they used 7. But that's probably OT.

[Dr. C]

Yes Metro apps are and only on the ARM version. I don't think Steam nor its games would be considered a "Metro" app. Also, how many games in Steam even have an ARM version?

The whole Netscape thing isn't really the same. That was Microsoft not allowing OEMs to preinstall it. What you're suggesting is that neither OEMs nor users could install it at all (yes I realize that's worse).

This link from Microsoft provides some of the answers. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh464912 Metro applications are locked down regardless of the platform. The difference is that on X86/AMD64 there is also the existing huge inventory of third party Windows applications that will run on the desktop side. So a complete lock down on X86/AMD64 side is not feasible at this time because of backwards compatibility, while on ARM it is.

By the way ARM is a lot more that just "devices", it can be laptops, desktops and even servers. ARM has come a long way in processing power.

[Merk42]

This link from Microsoft provides some of the answers. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh464912 Metro applications are locked down regardless of the platform. The difference is that on X86/AMD64 there is also the existing huge inventory of third party Windows applications that will run on the desktop side. So a complete lock down on X86/AMD64 side is not feasible at this time because of backwards compatibility, while on ARM it is.Okay so people won't be able to install the ARM version of Steam or its games which don't exist anyway?
If you want to play Steam games, get the x86/AMD64 version. I'm sure it won't exactly be hard to come by given the desire for backwards compatibility.

By the way ARM is a lot more that just "devices", it can be laptops, desktops and even servers. ARM has come a long way in processing power.I never said the word "devices".

[Dr. C]

Okay so people won't be able to install the ARM version of Steam or its games which don't exist anyway?
If you want to play Steam games, get the x86/AMD64 version. I'm sure it won't exactly be hard to come by given the desire for backwards compatibility.
This can become a self fulfilling prophecy, If a company's software is blocked or likely to be blocked on a certain platform. One would not expect the company to develop software for that platform. Steam and its games may end up on ARM anyway even if Microsoft blocks them. Here is a job posting from Valve: http://www.valvesoftware.com/job-SenSoftEngineer.html. One of the responsibilities is
Port Windows-based games to the Linux platform. ARM Steam games just wont be on the Windows platform.

I never said the word "devices".
I most certainly do not wish to imply that you did.

[forrestcupp]

^^ My vote for the worst piece of software ever. Ugly, bloated and invasive. Though Quicktime on Windows is/was just as awful.

I agree that Realplayer was about the worst, but in my opinion, iTunes for Windows is probably the 2nd worst, closely followed by Quicktime.

Thank God Realplayer is pretty much a thing of the past. Since Apple is run on Quicktime, I doubt we'll ever see the end of that, though. mov files should be outlawed.

[alexan]

If I understand the OP correctly in the Netscape comparison if Microsoft blocks Steam on certain Windows 8 devices then Valve would have an anti trust case against Microsoft.


No, Microsoft didn't needed to "block by software" Netscape in order to kick it out of the market.

This is more like a company one who furnish houses unilaterally choose to build a vending machine in every house's living room.
While, in your city/nation that company is the only one allowed furnish every new house.


Of course, you can always dismantle it and buy something else to put into... but the "market" (as "people who pay for stuff") don't work this way; as Netscape vs Internet Explorer did show us, even when Netscape was given for free.

[mdshann]

I know people are gonna hate on me for this, but I actually like steam. Just this weekend I bought 3 games on it for only $10, both Company of Heroes Expansions and Alpha Protocol. It keeps my games up to date for me, keeps my keys for me, and allows me to install all my games on my desktop, laptop, and my computer at work. The sale prices are amazing as well. I can definitely see why people would have issue with requiring it for single player games, especially since not everyone is on broadband yet, but for what I need it's great. I do have to admit though, that I absolutely hated it when I was on dial-up. I had to install it on my old P3 laptop which could not play the games at all, sit in the library at college and download, and then copy it over to my desktop and then make steam update itself over dial-up to play half-life 2 when it came out. It took days of this to get it to work right! Now that I am on broadband with an i7 instead of a P4, why do I care if steam uses a few CPU cycles when I have so many to spare? I don't have to worry about discs anymore and I can talk to my friends whether we are playing the same game or not.

TL;DR: I like steam but understand why some don't because I used to have dial-up.

[Lucradia]

I hope someday I can play Tales of Vesperia via my PC :<