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Comment by __alexs | Hacker News Reader

The VentureBeat interview [1] makes it look like gaben is referring to the changes in app ecosystem (eg. integrated Windows Store with 30% margins) rather than a specific technical problem. Although I suspect a major games studio coming to Linux might also enjoy the ability to poke around the source for the few graphics drivers which are open.

1. http://venturebeat.com/2012/07/25/valves-gabe-newell-talks/

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Seems likely. I think Apple only got away with the shift to the Mac App store because the market for third-party Mac software is minuscule compared to that of Windows and includes a lot of smaller devs for whom relinquishing control of sales and distribution is as much a blessing as a liability.

On Windows big players like Valve are going to be less willing to play sharecropper.

I believe that OS X doesn't prevent you installing your own "App Store", so you can get Steam on OS X.

Windows 8 doesn't prevent you from installing Steam, either. I'm running it right now on the Release Preview.

Windows RT does, but that's like comparing OSX to the iPad.

That's because Steam isn't a Windows 8 program. If you want to use Metro you have to go through the App Store.

Steam is a Windows 8 program. It's not a WinRT program. Steam works perfectly in Windows 8.

The point I was making is that Steam doesn't work on Microsoft ARM tablets powered by Windows RT, but that shouldn't be a big surprise considering no desktop software works on ARM computers without being recompiled for that platform. It's no different than OSX vs iOS.

You're ignoring WinRT on x86. This is where people are upset about Microsoft's sudden monopolizing. I don't consider it a true 'Windows 8' app if it's tucked away in the legacy desktop.

You're technically correct, but you're really just splitting hairs. If it runs on Windows 8, it's a Windows 8 program. Windows 8 was designed to run both desktop and Metro applications. We're not talking XP Mode from Windows 7 here.

The desktop is even more segregated from metro than XP mode was (since you had the seamless option for XP mode). As far as I can tell the point of Windows 8 is Metro and everything related, so I don't feel like it's splitting hairs to focus on it. If you want to get in on that new Windows 8 touchable tiled wonderful candy unavoidable primary interface you have to play by microsoft's app store rules.

Edit: haha I wonder if this article is true about microsoft abandoning 'metro' in favor of 'windows 8-style ui' Seems relevant.

The point is that WinRT will be the default setting on many machines, adding an extra step (switch to legacy) before a user can install Steam. For your average user, this may prove a step too far, which will create a real business threat to Steam.

I would imagine all major gaming engine companies already have source code deals with the graphics card vendors, and vice versa. It's the kinda thing where everybody wants compatibility with each other and it wouldn't make sense not to share it.

Does the Steam store not have margins?

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