Valve boss Gabe Newell reveals daily routine in bizarre new interview: "I get up, I work, I go scuba-diving, then work some more"
-
Steam has been coasting on the fact that everyone shoots themselves in the foot, sure, but you should look into the unparalleled level of "free" (30% cut) marketing support Steam gives to developers. On no other platform could developers end up with the visibility they achieve on Steam with nothing more than very strategic timing and good social media presence. It's still insanely hard, but the fact that it's even possible to compete with zero marketing budget against AAA companies speaks volumes.
You only get that "marketing" if your game is already popular. So the 99% of games not getting that visibility are paying the same as those free that are.
-
unless it's a business shattering literally apocalyptic event.
If that's not an issue relating directly to their role I don't know what it.
The only reason they'd wake up 3AM for some crisis is if either the market is collapsing or their company is collapsing. Those things happening unexpectedly is something the majority of CEO-s will never experience. I guess it doesn't suck to be a CEO when the sucky thing almost never happen.
And the market is only open from 9:30-4.
Not that steam is even publicly traded. -
Okay?
Do you even have a point?
Those don't pay remotely as much.
-
Valve was making bank before lootcrates, and lootcrates have been available to kids since trading card games.
Sure, we know loot boxes are bad because they exploit the psychology of gambling. But what about Steam sales? They’re exploiting FOMO, hoarding/collecting psychology. We know that Steam users are buying billions of dollars worth of games they never play.
-
Sure, we know loot boxes are bad because they exploit the psychology of gambling. But what about Steam sales? They’re exploiting FOMO, hoarding/collecting psychology. We know that Steam users are buying billions of dollars worth of games they never play.
Now you're being actually ridiculous. "Sales are bad"? Really?
-
The thing isn't that they have constant work to do, but that they must be available for work at any time, for any reason. Some random and unpredictable crisis waking you up at 3am for the 5th night in a row? Sucks to be you.
I've known and work with extremely powerful CEOs.
This couldn't be further from the truth.
They hire people to wake up at 3am for them.
-
I hope that he decides to work on a neutral payment processing system. Cooperating with the EU's Linux initiatives, he can probably put quite a bit of weight onto the scale, making a digital Euro into a thing.
The EU now has a digital wallet payment system in a trail run
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/digital_euro/html/index.en.html
Would be neat if they integrate it
-
Casual reminder that Gabe Newell owns 6 yachts worth an estimated US$1 billion and that he is not your friend.
not my friend, but not as clearly my enemy as many other wealthy people
-
This isn’t a job interview I’m not obliged to give you my CV. I’m stating an opinion that valve and steam are not the friendly aw shucks corporation they’ve been whitewashed into.
valve and steam are not the friendly aw shucks corporation they’ve been whitewashed into.
And the goalposts go flying.
Who the fuck cares if valve is cute and cuddly? Who even wants that in a marketplace other than morons who think they can take advantage of someone else's kindness?
Valve is a company, their job is to make money for the people who own it.
- You the customer want the most out of your transaction with them, they know it make it a priority.
- They understand that devs working there making fucktons of money is good because they'll stay and be motivated to work, so they are selective on who they hire and then pay them an insane amount.
- They want to avoid microsoft cutting their nuts off so they pushed linux as a viable alternative.
- They want devs to sell on their platform so they refined a business deal that works well enough that they get several new games on their storefront a day and still make back their operating costs, despite servers that can literally be used to benchmark several gigabit download connections.
- They are the most economically effective company in the world and they achieved it by not enshittifying their platform and not going public.
Selflessness would literally be a downgrade, I want Valve to have every damn cent they earned.
They're not the only game in town, they are the best game in town, and at every turn they make an effort not to become a monopoly, either, because they know the good will of their customer base is more important than attempts at short term spikes in company revenue, which is only possible because they are a privately held company.
So yeah, are they cuddly and nice? No, fuck no, but they are extremely effective while providing a service that puts every other provider in their field to shame, so why the fuck would I want them to change?
-
I understand this was motivated by his businesses interests. But it’s happens to benefit others as well. Value working to make Linux phones more viable is a bit of a pipe dream but it would certainly whip Google and Apple into shape. And that was my point.
it would certainly whip Google and Apple into shape
Probably not anymore than it already does Apple and MS.
-
Ugh, that sounds incredibly unpleasant. I felt that comment on a psychic level and it was….mushy.
There are full face masks and Gabe's bread doesn't seem to be as long as it was.
-
I hope that he decides to work on a neutral payment processing system. Cooperating with the EU's Linux initiatives, he can probably put quite a bit of weight onto the scale, making a digital Euro into a thing.
he can probably put quite a bit of weight onto the scale
Was that a cheap shot? If so, I approve.
-
Hey if Gabe wants to make Linux phones something to be taken seriously I’m all for that. Until then, Gemini creeps me the fuck out so no android. I can tolerate Siri being fucking dumb.
Man, I just can't stand a phone that seems like it's built for children to use and not be able to hurt themselves.
-
Ironic because Gabe appreciation is still kind of cult like.
I think that in itself is meant to be ironic too.
Also, people appreciate his lack of attention seeking and flashiness.
-
I think that in itself is meant to be ironic too.
Also, people appreciate his lack of attention seeking and flashiness.
wrote last edited by [email protected]I think that in itself is meant to be ironic
Trump praise was initially ironic as well. There's a old hilarious episode of John Oliver begging him to run for President because he thought it was just so ridiculous. These things have a way of getting out of hand.
-
Yup, if I was worth an obscene amount, I'd still work, but the nature of my work would change. It sounds like he found something he enjoys that happens to make a ton of money.
That's the dream really. Whether that thing you love makes money or not, that's what you can do once you have enough.
-
That's the dream really. Whether that thing you love makes money or not, that's what you can do once you have enough.
Exactly. I have a few ideas for that, but I'm not nearly to the point of funding them:
- start/join charity to help people get out of debt
- create a game dev studio to make my dream games
- finish building my P2P Reddit alternative
I'm working on the last two in my spare time, but I'm not willing to quit my day job and rely on the those to pay the bills. If I got a windfall, I'd consider it, but of not, I hope to be there in my lifetime 50s. We'll see.
I'm sure many (most?) have something similar.
-
Sure, we know loot boxes are bad because they exploit the psychology of gambling. But what about Steam sales? They’re exploiting FOMO, hoarding/collecting psychology. We know that Steam users are buying billions of dollars worth of games they never play.
Regular sales are FOMO? Come on.
-
I think that in itself is meant to be ironic too.
Also, people appreciate his lack of attention seeking and flashiness.
Nah, I have had nothing but fantastic experiences with steam. Their support is knowledgeable, responsive, and has the power to actually help you. The index controllers are notorious for developing drift on the sticks and they RMAd mine several times no problem. The last one was a year out of warranty and they said that's all I get lol, but that's way more than they technically had to do.
Compare that to meta support where I had to talk to 4 different help desk lackeys who told me my quest was definitely on the way in another package (even after I showed them incontrovertible proof there weren't multiple packages under the same number and I received all the packages) before they finally escalated me to the "specialist" team, who took a FULL DAY PER RESPONSE. Fuck meta, fuck zucc, hail gaben.
-
Nah, I have had nothing but fantastic experiences with steam. Their support is knowledgeable, responsive, and has the power to actually help you. The index controllers are notorious for developing drift on the sticks and they RMAd mine several times no problem. The last one was a year out of warranty and they said that's all I get lol, but that's way more than they technically had to do.
Compare that to meta support where I had to talk to 4 different help desk lackeys who told me my quest was definitely on the way in another package (even after I showed them incontrovertible proof there weren't multiple packages under the same number and I received all the packages) before they finally escalated me to the "specialist" team, who took a FULL DAY PER RESPONSE. Fuck meta, fuck zucc, hail gaben.
I mean facebook is run by nazis, you got what you paid for on that end.
