zlacker

yes. it aligns, for now. But only for now. all those FAANG's had the same status too, once upon a time.

>>johnny+(OP)
Valve predates Google by two years (at least per the wiki), and was started by Microsoft employees who didn't particularly like Microsoft's operation. Hoping Valve has a long future ahead of them :)

>>0x1ch+Sb
Yeah, and they shifted from being a gamik studio to a middleman. The signs are already there, but greed arrives all the same.

>>johnny+de
Valve has had all the triggers and opportunities to change for the worse and it didn't. Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I don't see what would ruin it now.

>>ahartm+a21
You can argue they did, depending on what you value. If you loved valve as a premier developer discovering unique experiences and narratives, thars been gone for 14 years now. If you valued not having your software locked down to middlemen or preferred physical media, Valved killed those off in the PC market. If you are a dev and wanted to set your own prices, Valve is current under litigation for price parties.

Its not all sunshine and windows.

>Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I

In the same way Bill Gates did not force you to use Internet Explorer, yes. Both are free applications with alternatives. Let's not forget our history.

>>ahartm+a21
> Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore

That's only a matter of time, and probably not a very long time.

>>accoun+6g1
Sure, Valve may turn bad after Gaben. It is also possible that he thought of something for the long term that will prevent enshittification. Some companies have managed.