Mad Randy's at it again! Gearbox Software boss Randy Pitchford, after implying that Valve's Steam service is a conflict of interest, has criticized Valve once more, this time because the studio doesn't work with the PlayStation 3. He really goes for the jugular this time.
"I noticed something on the net not too long ago. Doug Lombardi had to take a swipe at the PS3 again, and I thought it was foolish," Randy tells Official PlayStation Magazine. "I read it the same way I read fanboys. Like there’s a guy who bought the Sony platform and he’s a Sony guy, so he decides he’s going to spend a certain percentage of his time bashing Microsoft. And there’s a guy on Microsoft doing the same thing. Those guys are childish and narrow minded, it’s the same kind of thing."
Pitchford also brought up Steam again, with harsher words than last time: "Valve think their own stuff is the only stuff that matters, to the point where they have their own distribution platform. It’s like, I don’t care about retail, about Marketplace, or PSN, I’m going to have Steam. It’s cool, it’s good, and they’re doing a good job but at the same time they’re reliant on the rest of the world. They had to do that deal with EA. When I see the L4D ad on the television I don’t see a Valve logo, I see an EA logo, and when I bought it, I bought it at a store."
I'm amazed that an industry representative, a studio president at that, would slag off a peer and distributor so heavily and so personally. I love both Valve and Gearbox, but damn son. Randy's savage.
Contest:
8:00 AM on 11.06.2009
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BIAS.
No, really. He's hardly going to tell OPM that the PS3 is shit to work with and they're doing the right thing by dodging it, are they?
Although it does strike me as brown-nosing that they'd give a "scripted" interview just to gain popularity.
Oh and if Gearbox don't like Steam, why don't they make their own system, hmm?
Also he needs to get a clean shirt.
Can't blame him for it.
Does seem he has something to gain by it though. One he is talking to 'OFFICIAL PLAYSTATION magazine' so he's not gonna agree with Valve's stance. Plus he dislikes Valves Steam platform so he is trying to devalue them.
They don't need their own system, they have Gamespy. *snicker*
And as i remember, Valve actually said that they simply can't make quality games with PS3, not that it sucks or whatever like that
Though ironically Borderlands is not enjoying good sales on the PS3, only the 360 and PC.
Randy, you're a cool guy in my book. Thanks for Borderlands.
So even if steam DID do a deal with EA, how's that any different from what Activision did with Blizzard?
Yeah, all Valve needs to do is that and problem is solved about the PS3 bias shit. Anyways I think that's also inevitable. With PS3 gaining massive momentum and selling a hell of a lot more units if your a third party developer it would be stupid not to cash in on that market. Same goes for 3rd party PS3 exclusives, that's why MGS5 is on 360.
Strikes me as awfully strange.
Yes, I am aware the PS3 version wasn't very good. But it was done, after all.
good show, Mr. Pitchford. now get back to work on Colonial Marines!!!
VALVE if you're so great why don't you put in the work to LEARN the PS3 if it's SO HARD. Ask Naughty Dog how it's done maybe they can learn you.
For the record I buy all my multi-platform games on XBOX, so not a PS3 nut, I'm just tired of the excuse "It's too hard", because that argument has lost it's legs completely.
I don't really think it's a case of "it's too hard", it's just they don't see the worth in porting the engine to an entirely new and different architecture.
Even though all they do is update the engine incrementally and thus it would be easy for all their new releases to be multiplat.. Tis strange. I think Sony ate one of Gabe's puppies or something. Or Gabe himself ate it, because I haven't noticed a Gabe joke yet.
I don't mind honesty, and this didn't seem like anything more than calling out fanboyish behavior. It's a far cry from nonsense like the Dead or Alive idiot carping about everything that isn't Dead or Alive while he shines his gold pants, in that the latter is nothing more than an attention-grab.
But honestly, Valve does a great job at some points, I've never had any problems with their support where they actually have their attention. TF2 support is fantastic!
That said, I have heard that the PS3 is not the easiest platform to develop for. Not being xenophobic but I think there needs to be another American company, other than Microsoft, making hardware platforms capable of videogaming because I've heard the Wii isn't that intuitive to develop for either. It appears Apple has a shot of being that other company given the iPhone's/iPod touch's popularity as a portable game system (1/3rd of the App Store is games, I believe, and they're by far the most popular category). Introduce a more powerful Apple TV with an SDK for developers, maybe use an iPod touch or a wiimote-like pointer remote, an you've got an all-digital home console.
/rambling off-topicness
Playstation consoles always have to these mysterious architectures that developers are made to discover the mysteries behind. This has been a turnoff for developers since Playstation 2. Its nice to see Sony learned nothing last generation.
Also, cool to see Pitchford biting the hand that distributes the PC version. Sounds like he's destined for a position somewhere in Activision.
1. Learn it
2. Do it
Yeah it takes time, but VALVE is just coming off as 'prima donna'.
"Why is there a blue M&M in this bowl, I asked for orange and brown only! Ahhhh I need a massage to blow off some STEAM" - Gabe Newell
Steam is the only reason I actually bought your latest game, Borderlands. Your retail version is not sold in my country, importing involves incredible price hikes, and in all honestly, I could have easily pirated your game since you have no CD key and friends were playing online 4 days before I could even though i pre-ordered 15 days in advance, yet the convenience of steam is what kept me from cancelling my preorder.
But you are right, to hell with steam, I will listen to your advice and pirate your next games.
Best Regards,
One of the few paying customers who actually bought Borderlands knowing that I didn't needed to.
It's not like Valve would be the only console exclusive company, they just seem to be the only one to do it for technical reasons as opposed to financial reasons. If they were or if he broadened his statement to include other exclusive developers like Insomniac or Naughty Dog, he might have something. But they are not and he did not.
I'd like to read the entire interview, because the last quote seemed less incendiary when in context, so I wonder if this would be the same. But as is, I think he is putting his foot in his mouth.
Valve inst the video game fairy. You can get off their scrotum now and dont let your conscience stop you from pirating games.
Pitchford>>>>Shut your pie hole and enjoy the rewards of making a great game like Borderlands. Bashing another Dev only makes you look like a dick. Besides, I would think you'd show some gratitude towards the Dev that help create your studio.
@TheJesusNinja26
Do you or anyone else have any idea what is involved with programing for multiplatform? Do you think that Naughty Dogs game engine will just magically convert it's self to work on a 360? No, it doesn't work like that. It's not about laziness, it's about time and money, which I hate to bust anyone's bubble here, but money is what ALL of the companies are in this for. Why slate Devs for wanting to focus on the core of there fan base? People just bitch too much, they expect too much, too fast and then want to criticize the Devs for not delivering a absolutely earth shattering new IP or sequel.