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“Valve has held gaming back for years,” Epic Games CEO proclaims in his latest jab against Steam
Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney accused Valve of holding gaming back by tying developers’ PC games to Steamworks, which he described as a social “walled garden”. The remarks renew his criticism of Steam and focus attention on the reach of Valve’s services and the platform’s 30 per cent revenue cut.
The dispute followed former Epic animation programmer Kiaran Ritchie’s complaint about the cut and claim that Steam’s main remaining value is its network. A community note pointed out that Valve’s Steam Datagram Relay can also be used on other platforms by games released on Steam. The article also notes Steam’s role in popularising digital games and supporting Linux gaming through Proton.
In short
- Tim Sweeney criticised Valve’s Steamworks ecosystem.
- The debate was sparked by complaints about Steam’s 30 per cent cut.
- Steam Datagram Relay can be used across platforms.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sweeney’s argument is that Steam’s reach can make its bundled social and networking services difficult for developers to forgo, leaving games tied to Valve’s ecosystem even when studios might prefer more choice. If a 30 per cent cut is not matched by uniquely valuable services, that arrangement could limit competition and developers’ returns; wider access to tools such as Steam Datagram Relay suggests some services need not be exclusive to Steam.
The case against
Steam’s network and integrated services can provide real value to developers and players, helping games reach audiences and sustain social features across a large community. Valve has also helped popularise digital distribution and supported Linux gaming through Proton, so its share of revenue can be defended as payment for infrastructure and services that would be costly to build independently; the relay example also shows that Steam’s networking technology can be used beyond its own platform.
Explained simply
Valve operates Steam, a major PC games store and online service used by players to buy games and connect with friends. Epic Games, led by Tim Sweeney, runs a rival store; the two companies compete for game sales and for developers’ business.
Steam offers developers tools for features such as multiplayer and social connections, while Valve takes a share of sales made through its store. These services and fees have prompted debate over how much value a large platform provides and how much choice developers have.
Steam has helped make digital game buying common and has supported Linux players through Proton, software that lets many Windows games run on Linux. The debate matters because the platforms developers choose can affect where games are sold and how players access them.
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