Ben-DutkaMany gamers – especially PlayStation 3 owners – view Valve boss Gabe Newell as an egotistical, PC-biased, PS3 hater. …well, even if the first two are accurate (and we're not saying they are), the third might be stretching the truth.
Over the past few years, it has become abundantly clear that Valve doesn't want anything to do with Sony's console, and many have attributed this to laziness on the part of the developer; i.e., the Xbox 360 is very similar to a PC, so it's no real trouble getting one of their games to run on that platform. The PS3, on the other hand… But in speaking to online broadcaster 5by5 , Newell defends the studio's stance and says the entire situation is a bit more complex. While he won't say the team is working on any PS3 games right now, he does admit that "there are a lot of interesting things about the PS3," and he can't ignore the number of Steam users who now own Sony's platform. He adds that the plan to produce games for other platforms/consoles is something the studio "routinely evaluates" and they want to do what's "best for their customers." Said Newell:
There are a lot of issues – It would be hard to explain how we make decisions on [which platforms to develop for]. Where are our iPhone games? Where are our iPad games, why don’t we ship anything on the DS, why don’t we ship anything on the PSP? Why don’t we invest in microtransactions, why don’t we have any Flash-based and casual kinds of games? That sort of analysis is something we look at all the time. What are the trade-offs, what are the opportunity costs, how do we leverage work in one area to benefit work in other areas?"
As to the idea that Valve is biased against the PS3, Newell denied this by saying they're "super agnostic." This is all very well and good, but has anyone noticed that all he ever talks about is "his customers?" While the rest of the gaming world is doing everything they can to continually expand their targeted demographic, to always cater to larger and larger groups of gamers, this guy only talks about satisfying their fans. …that's only half the equation there, chief. You need to keep creating new fans, purely for the business angle of things and the only reason you wouldn't want to do that is because…um…maybe you're still biased and you want to keep your fans in your little "exclusive group?"
It's just a theory. For our part, we really don't care if Valve does or doesn't develop for the PS3; if they do, fine. But the rate at which they release titles and considering what we've seen from PS3 exclusives…eh, we'll live.
Couldn't care less about Valve's decision whether to develop for the PS3 or not. The last Valve game I played was HL2, and that was a few years ago.
Got my PC and my PS3, both satisfy my gaming needs abundantly.
Gabe not a PS3 hater? Oh, I don't know about that Ben, Newell is on record hating on the PS3.
Here's a quote (regarding the PS3 architecture), "a waste of everybody's time. Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits. There's nothing there that you're going to apply to anything else. You're not going to gain anything except a hatred of the architecture they've created."
The there is this gem "The PS3 is a total disaster on so many levels, I think It's really clear that Sony lost track of what customers and what developers wanted…"
Followed by this one in the same interview, "I'd say, even at this late date, they should just cancel it and do a do over. Just say, 'This was a horrible disaster and we're sorry and we're going to stop selling this and stop trying to convince people to develop for it'."
I just love this quote (and it's from the interview referenced), “We would love to see the PS3 be more open like a Mac than more closed like a Gamecube. It makes it easier to justify those investments if that were the case.â€
Well, the PS3 supports OpenGL (which as the name suggests is an open standard) – unlike the 360 which is Microsoft proprietary Direct X only. I can't be bothered to go dig up the list, but the SDK for the PS3 supports many open standard APIs, and games are stored on an open standard – BluRay, not a proprietary disc standard or cartridge.
How open does he want the PS3? So open that it can be hacked? Sounds like yet more excuses from Gabe Newell, PS3 hater in residence at Valve.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 5/21/2010 11:19:40 AM
Thanks Highlander, but now I just hate this guy more than ever and have to leave on an angry note.
I don't understand the full extent that goes into developing for a console of the current gen. What I do know is that time and time again one PS3 exclusive after another continues to outshine the competition and you can't argue with results Gabe.
Glad you quoted all of that. I was about to go searching for past quotes. Gabe's trying to make it sound like he's slowly coming around without eating too much crow, I guess.
I love me some Team Fortress. I love having a few beers and messing with people on that game. It's the only online game I have put a lot of hours into. Actually, I have a new laptop I'm about to order, and being able to play a version other than my ps3's is one of the main reasons I'm excited about getting it.
And, yes. I know EA is mostly to blame for the ps3's inferior version. But Gabe will never convince me that he's not a hater.
I think Mr. Newell's problem is that he let's his mouth run before he engages his brain. So there are plenty of inflammatory comments out there about various topics – especially the PS3. Even if he's completely changed his mind on the topic, he still has to deal with his own past comments. Of course he could simply come out and say "I was wrong.", but very few people today whether public figures, industry figures or private citizens understand contrition.
Heck he should be more like cliffy b. He's an xbox supporter but he gives credit when its due. He likes heavy rain for petes sake! Gabe you suck…
Last edited by sawao_yamanaka on 5/21/2010 12:00:14 PM
Someone get that man some ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory! If his head and tongue swell any more, he'll choke!
I was trying to be diplomatic. 😉
LOL! You succeeded!
I wasn't. I think I succeeded…
The PS3 has exclusives that GOTY contenders and winners. If it's such a pain to develop for than how come when it's developed for the right way the outcome is unanimous praise? Meanwhile most of 360's exclusives are based on the laziness of developers to try and optimize a more powerful platform, so who's failing who.
Give this man a cookie!
After reading those quotes it is safe to say that this man is my new most hated person of the month, it first being yoichi wada (his name does not deserve capitals), for considering bringing Versus XIII to the 360 also.
Those quotes in Highlander's post remind me of the early days when the PS3 was subjected to vicious attacks from all angles – M$, xbox sites, various sub-par developers and of course the xbots. Nowadays the PS3 is a proven champ and the attacks have turned to a merciful plea "Can't we all just get along?".
Please never leave this website.
Highlander, thanks for making the effort in getting those quotes, I did not realise (until reading your post hat is) the amount of hate this frog of a man has for our platform…
He should be enclosed in his own valve and tightly sealed, never to speak again!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Well, it doesn't help that right off the bat he called the PS3 a waste of time and that he said Sony should kill the PS3 and start over.
Don't forget that investing in the SPEs gives no long term benefits – which is obviously why Uncharted 2 sucks so much…</sarcasm>
Speaking of longevity, I had no idea that Left 4 Dead 2 had more longevity than Uncharted 2 or Littlebig Planet or Modnation Racers or Gran Turismo 5.
Go Valve!!! Your zombie shooters are bigger and better than any game that came out in 2009 and deserve every game award and accolation known to….
oh, wait…. what's Naughty Dog showing over there?
pfft Ps3 is fine without his average FPS games.
LFD (2) is the most overrated trash, I had played it long before I owned a PS3, and all my friends tried to sell me on that game. I could not get into it whatsoever, it's essentially a mindless shooter made by a developer who once made something so much more.
I think it was the AI that won so much praise. The controls are pretty tight too.
L4D2 was just a simple rehash with more daylight levels, different characters and more melee weapons.
It honestly could've passed for an expansion.
Do they routinely evaluate finishing Half Life 2: Episode 3???
Maybe they should look into that first.
I would agree, but after it took as long as it did for episode 2, I kind of stopped caring. Almost forgot about it until you said something.
I think Valve prefer spending time hyping their franchises than developing them?
I mean, Naughty Dog managed to make Uncharted 2, which is a gaming masterpiece next to Heavy Rain, in about 2 years. 2 YEARS!!! to make Uncharted 2!!!!
How long has it taken for Valve to make another Half Life chapter? What's their excuse?
Actually, Gabe's mouth is too full to answer, that's okay, I can wait…
…
…
Gabe: … well… (takes another bite)
Dammit Valve!!!!!
Newell also said something like he wishes the PS3 was more "open" like a Mac. i don't get it? Mac's aren't open.
Last edited by Jawknee on 5/21/2010 11:34:32 AM
I think he meant Big Mac! 😉
in his lunchbox 360
pfthahahaha!
you know what, i want to convince activision to buy them out. not because i want multiplatform, i could care less. i just want them screwed over.
LOL
and again… LOL
Hahahaha.
Love this site.
All i hear from him is Steam, but no explosion.
HAhaha.
Hey Ben. We should shoop the pic. Instead of the valve being on the dude's eye, it should be on Newell's mouth, and closed tight.
LOL I don't do that kind of thing, but still…
To be honest, there's something to be said about developers who only care about their core fans. However, that doesn't necessarily mean anything has to change about their games…in order to bring new fans into the fold, by simply producing on the PS3 in parallel with other platforms.
Valve is completely without footing at this point, unequivocally. The GoTY of 2009 was exclusive to the PS3 for cryin out loud, to say nothing of the unique experiences found in other exclusive titles. Of course, we could also look at MP games at this point, and given the work we're seeing from Crytek on their MP engine, I find it increasingly difficult to swallow that the PS3 just _can't_ handle the adaptation of an engine several years old at this point.
Valve should stick to their much much more neutral story of, we only have devs internally for PC and 360. And just _stop_ responding to questions about the PS3 and other platforms. Their devs are abhorrent speakers, who only dig themselves further into a PR quagmire.
Yes, if they want to develop for their fans, I don't have a problem with that. Developers should be completely free to do whatever they choose, and if this is what Valve wants, whatever.
Yeah I've no problem with that approach either, what I do have a problem with, is them allowing their devs and other employees to be mouthpieces. One would think they'd already figured out Gabe Newell doesn't excel at public speaking.
Oooh Gabe, Gabe, Gabe, you can't come back from what you said early in the life of the PS3. It's on the World Wide Web for crying out loud. Simply say your sorry for your irrational comments early in the PS3's life and walk away quietly so we can talk about…hhhmmm….let's see….Man Furismo Jive.
I'm looking through previous comment threads on older articles.
Which member made up Man Furismo Jive? It's almost become a phenomenon around here.
That was Kevin Butler in his latest ad.
does he really think we don't remember what he's said in the past. come off it.
Hey Valve, Kratos and Drake say hello… then goodbye.
No issue for me. They are no different than Naughty Dog or Insomniac for sticking to one platform. I don't miss Valve's contributions to the industry. If they aren't on the PS3 then I don't read about them, nor do I dream about playing them. You can't miss what you've never had, right?
Naughty Dog are a Sony Studio, not an independent. Valve is independent of MS. Insomniac may be a more apt contrast, but they have a special status with Sony too, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison.
Nice attempt to backpedal, but once you say something on the internet it's out there forever.
"Why don’t we have any Flash-based games?"
If Valve doesn't update their game engine soon, people will mistake their games as Flashed-based.
Oh god no. Flash based games are horrible. All those crappy games on Facebook that are flash based absolutely kill the PC they are running on and chew up a huge amount of network bandwidth.
The guy's obviously full of a certain substance that doesn't smell very good at all. I really don't see much point in even publishing what people like this have to say, other than to give others the opportunity to point out what an unabashed liar he is.
I wouldn't mind the guy so much if he were just to say "We won't develop for the PS3 until Sony lets us use Steam on their platform". Instead he just acts like a total ass spewing crap!