Tripwire: Valve isn't exploiting us either

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 13th October 2009
Comments (24) Stumble
Tripwire: Valve isn't exploiting us either

Tripwire Interactive has responded to comments made by Gearbox that Valve is exploiting small developers.

Responding to Gearbox's notion that Valve is exploiting smaller developers through the Steam distribution platform and that it presents a huge conflict of interest, Tripwire Interactive has said Valve is perhaps the most fair company they've dealt with.

The original comments came from Gearbox's Randy Pitchford, who said that while bigger developers could benefit from Steam, smaller devs might not be so lucky. Not so, says Tripwire, makers of Red Orchestra.

"Valve's contract was the first one we had seen that didn't have any land mines in it," Tripwire boss John Gibson said in an interview with Gamasutra (via RPS).

"I can say with certainty that if it weren't for Steam, there would be no Tripwire Interactive right now," Gibson said. "Ask the Tripwire Interactive employees if they feel exploited, as they move into their new offices paid for by the money the company has made on Steam. Or me, as I drive away from the company that was built from the royalties we made on Steam, in my sports car paid for by the royalties we make on Steam, to the home that I pay for with the royalties we make on Steam."

Tripwire isn't the first developer to refute Gearbox's claims, with Garry Newman of Garry's Mod also standing by Valve in the wake of it all.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Quote Omnituens 13th October 2009, 13:04
I'm beginning to think Gearbox wanted to use Source and Steam but were told no.
Quote mi1ez 13th October 2009, 13:08
Everyone seems to love Steam! Except one bitter man. Now, who are we to believe...
Quote [USRF]Obiwan 13th October 2009, 13:28
Steam is on my pc since ... eh. 6 years or something?
And last weeks I play a lot of L4D with my old clan members, mostly custom campaigns

I love it :D
Quote AshT 13th October 2009, 13:42
It would be interesting to see Randys response to these responses.

It's a bit silly to be throwing stones at something as big as Steam/Valve.
Quote TreeDude 13th October 2009, 13:43
Like Gary's Mod, Red Orchestra started out as a free mod for HL2. Now it is a full fledged game that they are making money off of because of the low cost of digital distribution through Steam. When they say they would not be here if it were not for Steam, they mean it. If it were not for the initial money they made selling the game through Steam, they would not have had enough cash to distribute it to retail stores.

Valve does have somewhat of a monopoly on digital distribution of games, but it is only because they are the best at it. Until someone else steps up and does it better, they will remain at the top.
Quote tripwired 13th October 2009, 13:58
I love Steam, consumers love Steam, developers, big and small have no problems with Steam and it's a fantastic platform for indie games. Epic win for everyone?
Quote Evildead666 13th October 2009, 14:57
personally i think Steam is great.
have loads of games on it, and prefer it to DVD's...
Just wish it was a bit cheaper tho (Eurozone here in France)
Quote Star*Dagger 13th October 2009, 15:58
I wish Windoze worked as well as Steam. In fact I wish govt worked as well as Steam.
Valve is one of the great dev companies of all-time, they have helped advance PC Gaming and the distribution thereof, kudos and honours to them!

Yours in Steam Plasma,
Star*Dagger
Quote lacuna 13th October 2009, 16:27
I remember when half life 2 was released -every man and his dog was cursing Steam. Now it seems that nobody will have a word said against it. Its funny how the tables turn...
Quote Baz 13th October 2009, 16:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by lacuna
I remember when half life 2 was released -every man and his dog was cursing Steam. Now it seems that nobody will have a word said against it. Its funny how the tables turn...

It's testament to the work and support valve have lent to the platform.
Quote cheeriokilla 13th October 2009, 16:45
Quote:
Originally Posted by AshT
It would be interesting to see Randys response to these responses.

It's a bit silly to be throwing stones at something as big as Steam/Valve.

Specially when you are dealing with that company to sell your upcoming game... I've got to say Valve has some good ethics, I would of doubled the cost of putting their Borderlands on my platform. Adapt or go sell your game somewhere else
Quote kenco_uk 13th October 2009, 16:53
It could've also been something to do with hl2 being the game to own and the quickest way to get hold of it was through steam. How many hundreds of thousands of people were clamouring for bandwidth?

Watching the updates come through then finally unlocking - oh, the antici... pation.
Quote Isitari 13th October 2009, 17:05
I do hope at some point a competitor rises up against steam as their would be far more competition. We don't want a roaming behemoth like M$.
Quote bogie170 13th October 2009, 17:22
Steam and Valve are good in my books. The only thing I don't like is that they charge more than a retail disk.

I wish XFire foraged into the direct downloads market too, to create some more competition.
Quote MiNiMaL_FuSS 13th October 2009, 18:01
There's always going to be a balencing act...steam at times is more expensive, but they do seem to have good ehtics and not screw the little guys, have great offers, and price smaller games farily.

If there was competition sure the prices would go down, but would the quality of the service...would valve start offering contracts with 'landmines' to the little guy to keep its margins.

Be careful what you wish for.
Quote SMIFFYDUDE 13th October 2009, 18:06
Stop gabbing Tripwire, and hurry up with Red Orchestra 2. You can start by scrapping single player cos no one wants it.

We all love Steam nuff said. Lets all get back to work.
Quote Saivert 13th October 2009, 20:43
When a company makes it's customers feel like friends with it, they have done a good job.
Quote OtakuHawk 13th October 2009, 20:58
people seem to forget how much steam sucked in the early days. yeah, it's pretty reliable and fast now. but in the beginning, it was a buggy, unstable POS, and the laughing stock of the community.
Quote Horizon 13th October 2009, 21:12
we're not forgetting, and have long since moved away from that what's the point of harping on about it? That was then and they are being called out now.
Quote Scootiep 13th October 2009, 21:40
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheeriokilla
Specially when you are dealing with that company to sell your upcoming game... I've got to say Valve has some good ethics, I would of doubled the cost of putting their Borderlands on my platform. Adapt or go sell your game somewhere else

Hey hey hey now, no Dr. Frank-N-Furter references here. We don't need to open up that can of worms.

On the Steam/Valve note, I also have to agree. Not just for the sake of new content development, but for the gigantic contribution they have put into making my LAN parties go off without a hitch! :D
Quote Phil Rhodes 13th October 2009, 22:50
Quote:
new offices paid for by the money the company has made on Steam. Or me, as I drive away from the company that was built from the royalties we made on Steam, in my sports car paid for by the royalties we make on Steam, to the home that I pay for with the royalties we make on Steam

Ah yes, certainly someone who's likely to say uncomplimentary things about steam, then.
Quote Spraduke 13th October 2009, 23:41
Well if it wasn't for steam he wouldn't have those. Therefore it would be strange not to support them. If your boss gave you a 100% payrise I doubt you would turn around and slag him off :p
Quote AnthraX3D 14th October 2009, 10:36
Quote:
Like Gary's Mod, Red Orchestra started out as a free mod for HL2.

No.

It started out as a mod for Unreal Tournament. Then the modders won the MakeSomethingUnreal contest and got a free Unreal Engine liscense.
Quote Orothe 17th October 2009, 09:22
Well you have to admit Steam IS a conflict of interest, and a monopoly. HOWEVER... It's doing it right...

I mean.. If there was a monopoly of Gas Stations that sold gas at $1 a gallon, would we be complaining? People are scared of monopoly's because of how much power they hold, and how they could set their own prices, and pretty much steal money from the consumers... But Steam isn't being evil, and they aren't abusing power. They're being completely fair in order to keep the customers they already have, and to gather new dedicated customers.

Either others can give us competition, or quit whining. "Put up or shut up" lol
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