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submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by Ulrich@feddit.org to c/gaming@beehaw.org

Steam revenue estimated 2024: $10.8B

Google Play Store gaming revenue 2024: ~$31B

Why doesn't Valve want a part of that? I mean they already have an Android app. Several, actually. I realize there's some amount of investment but surely the payoff is worth it, and they have the necessary funds and skills? I mean if F-Droid can do it with nothing but volunteers and grants...?

Certainly plenty of games won't lend themselves well to the mobile experience but also plenty of them do.

From a personal perspective: I don't really care a whole lot for mobile games but I do like Balatro and want to play it on my phone, but if I want to do that I have to buy another license, which I can't even do because I don't run Google Play Services.

Epic got in on this already. Where's Valve?


Edit: my reflections on this conversation:

Valve could distribute their own app like Epic but they'd also probably have to remove it from the Play Store because now a cross-platform game would give them an Android version, thus breaking Google's ToS. So would doing such a thing outweigh lost sales from the Google version, and would it impact customer satisfaction? I wonder how many people are actually purchasing PC games in the Steam Android app...?

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[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago

Valve didn't expand Steam into Linux to gain market share in a new market

...I didn't say anything about Linux?

there isn't a successful second app store that isn't tied to hardware

That doesn't mean there couldn't be.

even Amazon quit Android

Well everything I've read about Amazon indicates that it was atrocious for everyone so that's unsurprising.

[-] cRazi_man@lemm.ee 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Ideas like this haven't come up for the first time. I expect this idea occurred to Valve and they thought it was not worth the investment of money/manpower/infrastructure.

Valve would either have to publish on Google Play. That would put it in the role of a developer and Valve is not really pushing on its developer role significantly. A huge cut off sales then goes to google.

Or Valve will have to try to make an alternative store.... And that is no small feat. Most people will not sideload apps or install other store fronts. I imagine the proportion of android game sales that Valve can get into will be tiny enthusiast communities, and that won't be anywhere near enough to pay the bills. On this alternative store, Valve will have to get developers to make games.....or again they will have to consider developing games in house to get the ball rolling. Their best bet would likely be to use their existing IP to make mobile spin-offs (DotA card game? Or a wild-rift type MOBA? CS:GO turn based tacticle game? Or try to compete with CoD for the FPS market?).

I can't see any combination of the above that seem like probable success for Valve. It's admirable that they're sticking to their niche and what they know. Pushing further into the handheld gaming and console market has been a much better option for them and they're trying hard. Even in that aspect, the Steam Deck is universally praised......and is selling roughly 2.5% as many consoles as the Nintendo Switch. And no one I know IRL knows about the Steam Deck (other than my brothers, who bought one after I told them I had pre-ordered mine).

[-] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 21 points 1 week ago

Bro why are you being so argumentative? Person gave you a well thought out response, wasn't even a tone to him but you fire back like he just insulted a core belief

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Bro why are you being so argumentative?

What are you talking about? Do you expect me to just reply to everyone who provides a response "Yes, you're correct" and move on? Am I not allowed to participate in the discussion I started?

If that is what you're intending then it is not coming off that way.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago

I'm sorry you feel that way, I don't know what to do about that.

this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2025
41 points (100.0% liked)

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