Valve's Steam Coming to Apple iOS and Android?

[Marcus Yam]

Could this lead to Valve mobile games?

Valve's Steam Coming to Apple iOS and Android? : Read more

 

[Crazy Hitchhiker]

If they are looking into running on Android, hopefully this could be a positive step towards Steam on Linux

 

[lifelesspoet]

It would be pretty easy to port steam to linux, but seeing how most linux games are free and open source, I dont imagine it is in valves interests to try.

 

[chickenhoagie]

Kinda sad that steam couldn't run independently as its own app store on the iphone. I'm sure they could easily get enough mobile games together to be big enough. If not though, no biggie. I'd like to see them come to the iphone anyways

 

[reprotected]

Episode 3 better not be in the form of iOS.

 

[itchyisvegeta]

(Valve + Android) x PSP Phone = SO MUCH AWESOMENESS, IT WILL BLOW THE 3DS AWAY!

 

[killbits]

I feel like the whole Steam concept, while useful and even necessary on PC, is just superfluous and gimmicky on a mobile platform. The "app store" already has games, so what would Steam add to the experience? Maybe Valve should just stick to making kick-ass games.

I hope to be proven wrong. Possibly if Steam Cloud was enabled cross-platform, so something like my Flight Control scores showed up on both PC and iPhone. For example.

 

[welshmousepk]

I would wager that they are simply working on a companion app.

It would be cool to be abler to see chat with my steam friends, check out daily specials and cue games for download via my mobile.

 

[Champski]

See what I don't understand is how Apple are allowed to deny companies such as Valve the right to develop and distribute anything they want for the iOS. I can recall Microsoft having their pants sued off in the EU for not giving people a choice of browser and media player out of the box despite you can install whatever 3rd app you like within windows. Apple don't even allow that much. Just seems like a ridiculous double standard to me.

But I'm sure that there is some loophole that the snake that is Steve Jobs uses to get away with it. Anyone know why?

 

[joshyboy82]

Mobile CS or L4D? I'm pretty sure the upper tier smart phones can run 1.6 and if you change the controls a bit (not that they were ever complicated anyway) you have my purchase.

 

[joytech22]

I would seriously consider using steam on my phone, especially if they brought their valve game to Android so I could play Portal on my phone

 

[pcdude2143]

Well, guess what Champski, they don't have any rights beyond choosing to develop before iOS. Once they do, they have to kiss up to Apple, end of story. Either that or sell their app through those jailbroken package managers (Apple may whine, but they can't really do anything about it). If they don't like that, they can get out. Sure, this attitude is pretty snobbish on Apple's (and Job's) part, but definitely not snake-like (which implies illegality or underhandedness). They have every right to design their platform however they want. If that happens to mean shutting out competition, that's fine too. Same goes for Microsoft.

If you don't like it, vote with your wallet. Choose not to buy Apple products. It does work, despite what some may say.

 

[Champski]

I'm aware and agree with everything you just said pcduche2143 (except the snake part, and legality could be argued to considering MS were fined EU497 million at the time for similar practices), but it doesn't answer my question, which is: Why don't they have any rights beyond choosing to develop before iOS. I don't understand how it can be forced on one company and not another. Anyone actually know? there must a reason...

 

[pcdude2143]

(I assume you misspelled my name.) But that was the EU, not the U.S. Have they really ever gotten anything right when it comes to technology (or anything at all?)?

For example, look at RoHS. It took lead parts and solder out of electronics, which some may say is a good thing. But unfortunately for environmentalists, the metals companies used to replace the lead are supposedly MORE UNSTABLE, which means they leach into the ground more easily. Plus unleaded solder is much harder for hobbyists to use.

And then there's that stupid camcorder tax. That's why pretty much every device that can record video (except cameras/camcorders) aren't allowed to take videos longer than 10 minutes.

Let me try and say this without bashing any political views. The EU is full of liberals. If given the choice liberals tend to go for Apple more often (The artsy types that would be more likely to buy are also more often liberal). Others will generally choose what's best for them, without bias. On the other hand, liberals tend to hate Microsoft, because it's a bigger business and make lots of money (not that there's anything wrong with this, but it seems to be a problem for some of them). So that makes Microsoft the perfect target. It's the biggest, and the "opposite" of what we like. It must die! (Sorry.)

 

[Griffolion]

I predicted this ages ago, it's only a matter of time.

 

[Horhe]

I don't understand why people like Steam so much. You get less for more. Same prices as boxed retail, but you don't get all the cool stuff like a physical media, printed manual and other features.

 

[gruntlord6]

[citation][nom]Horhe[/nom]I don't understand why people like Steam so much. You get less for more. Same prices as boxed retail, but you don't get all the cool stuff like a physical media, printed manual and other features.[/citation] Obviously you never experienced a steam sale.

On another note, I bet the clients on IOS and android will be chat client, its stupid to assume that every time vavlve makes something steam related that they are taking on a new market. With this client I will finally be able to talk to my steam friends on the go.

 

[Guest]

"I don't understand why people like Steam so much. You get less for more. Same prices as boxed retail, but you don't get all the cool stuff like a physical media, printed manual and other features."

Obviously you don't have kids. Kids destroy physical media. Steam is great, I never have to worry about buying my son's favorite games again because he "lost" the discs.

 

[rantoc]

If Steam gets into the phones it will be yet another advantage for Android as Apple won't let them - They want their sheep's to themselves!

Apple have never been about customer choice and that's why Android will outgrow ios and keep doing so!

 

[hoofhearted]

Lost the CD key, lost the CD itself, etc etc etc. Every Steam game I bought since day 1, I still have. When I want it on another PC/laptop, I just mass copy the steam/steamapps folder over and I even get out of the download. DRM is the way it is supposed to be, I can play "my" games on any PC of "my" choosing. The only thing that I would be worried about is if Steam goes out of business ... Yes, I know they are powerful and probably won't for economic reasons, but I've seen stupid legal things screw powerful companies up.