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Comment by snkzxbs | Hacker News Reader

If we accept this argument, let’s not forget that Apple contributes the entire iOS API, which is much much wider in scope than what Steam offers.

Someone will argue that until now the rest of OSes gave us the entire API for free, but I don’t see why charging for the OS API is an invalid way to make money.

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Apple doesn't get credit for this because they're just offering a solution to a problem they created.

And the point of their competitors not charging for the OS API is that it demonstrates that the market value of the iOS API is $0.

Your competitors giving away their product means your product is not worth anything? That seems like nonsense to me. Maybe your competitors are unable to compete on the worthiness of their product which is why they are forced to give it away.

Bingo. I doubt the Open Handset Alliance would've gotten off the ground had they charged the kind of licensing fees common at the time by Symbian and Windows Mobile. What would convince manufacturers to pay into an (at the time) remarkably immature platform and gamble their devices' success on it?

But make it free… and now you've suddenly got their attention.

There is literally no reason why you could not just publish your game anywhere else than Steam. Or publish on Steam as well as other platforms. Unlike Epic Game Store, Sony, or Microsoft, Steam doesn't engage in third party exclusive agreements.

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