PingSpike
Lifer
Valve is just trying to get out in front of the market. EA and others have made their own less successful me-too entries into the digital distribution market, and so far they've been pretty half-assed or hamstrung by the companies own politics. But I think when Microsoft broke direct3d backwards compatibility and rolled out their abysmal live! service Valve realized that they had a real weakness in the fact they use a lot of Microsoft technologies for their products. If Microsoft had actually introduced a competent and viable product that was actually compatible across the board they could have been in a position where they once again could have leveraged their OS dominance to knock valve out of the leader position.
So I think Valve is responding too this. OpenGL and a non-IE browser system removes reliance on Microsoft only stuff and allows them to more easily target Mac and Linux markets, while opening up their store so that Indies can target the other platforms as well. This should keep them from being backed into a corner. Microsoft could go decide to double down on PC games and come after Steam hard, a fight they would likely win if they really tried. But Microsoft so far has focused on propping up its OS sales and console division, which usually means doing harm to the PC Games segment whenever it might interfere. Either route by the giant is a good reason for Valve to distance themselves from using Microsoft only technologies like Direct3D exclusively.
So I think Valve is responding too this. OpenGL and a non-IE browser system removes reliance on Microsoft only stuff and allows them to more easily target Mac and Linux markets, while opening up their store so that Indies can target the other platforms as well. This should keep them from being backed into a corner. Microsoft could go decide to double down on PC games and come after Steam hard, a fight they would likely win if they really tried. But Microsoft so far has focused on propping up its OS sales and console division, which usually means doing harm to the PC Games segment whenever it might interfere. Either route by the giant is a good reason for Valve to distance themselves from using Microsoft only technologies like Direct3D exclusively.
