The rumour mill is spinning rather quickly lately, with rumours about Microsoft apparently looking at buying Valve, EA and others.
Polygon cites a "reliable source" for this information:
Some of the names being thrown around as possible acquisitions by Microsoft are, frankly, astounding, even unthinkable. But the fact that they are doing the rounds is instructive. The most recent one we heard (from a reliable source close to Microsoft) was, in fact, Electronic Arts. We also heard a whisper about Valve and about Korean outfit PUBG Corp., which Microsoft last year signed to a timed exclusive for its hit survival shooter, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
Considering Valve has a majority grip on the PC gaming market, constant growth and quite likely more money than they know what to do with, it would obviously be a target for Microsoft. However, to me, those are also all reasons why it just wouldn't happen. On top of that, Valve is privately owned and I doubt Gabe Newell will suddenly give it all over to Microsoft.
Let's not forget how Valve has also been paying people to improve Linux gaming. Valve has people working on SDL, Mesa, SteamOS (multiple updates this year already), Virtual Reality and plenty more towards making Linux a more attractive gaming platform. There's also this recent interview with Timothee Besset from our friends at BoilingSteam which gives a little glimpse into the work Valve is doing behind the scenes for Linux gaming too. It also seems from that, the Linux port of Street Fighter V is not actually dead. It seems they have a habit of announcing things too early!
Obviously if Microsoft somehow convinced Gabe and co to sell up, Linux gaming would change significantly, but I'm telling you now—it just won't happen.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: Kimyrielle*shudders*
I am generally curious when the world is going to realize that unregulated wild-west markets do not work, and the economy needs meaningful competition to function... *sigh*
Careful there Kimy before the free-marketeers storm the thread
(Not taking any particular side btw)
Last edited by on 31 January 2018 at 2:43 pm UTC
MintedGamer Jan 30, 2018
Quoting: LeopardSo that shows how beautiful GNU/Linux is.
No one can lockdown this system.
MS had their eyes opened wide at Windows 8 era.
MS: I'm producing this system and everythings runs on it. All software , games etc. Yet we're only selling licenses but with percentage wise ; these scumbag companies making much more money with less effort on our very own system. Our Windows is just a tool for them so if i start to unify all those services on my systems store ; i can make much more "easy" money. Let's change our way to rather than being monopol on OS wise , being monopol on services wise.
If this happens and Valve acquired by Microsoft ; i will consider to buy a PlayStation for gaming and stop gaming on pc.
Same here, Microsoft are scum. If they bought Valve (which I'm sure Gabe would never allow) I would restrict my gaming to Playstation/Nintendo/Android, or give up entirety rather than give MS a single cent. I freaking detest Microsoft.
Last edited by MintedGamer on 30 January 2018 at 8:32 pm UTC
Last edited by Sslaxx on 30 January 2018 at 8:40 pm UTC
Microsoft might want to buy Valve, that rumor could actually be true, but I hope they will never be able to do so. Otherwise... rip Linux gaming. Microsoft is struggling on the gaming sector, as the PS4 outran the XBox one... so yeah, as they did before when they couldn't do something on their own: buy others who can. From a business perspective totally fine.
And everything needs competition. So it's not even good that the PS4 is doing so much better than the XBox line. But as a Linux PC gamer, it doesn't really bother me what happens on the console sector. Though it probably has some side effects to PC gaming in general.
So let's hope Valve stays autarkic, as we need Linux gaming as a competitor to Windows gaming... and Linux gaming still has quite a way to go.
Philadelphus Jan 30, 2018
I'm sure Microsoft is pretty desperate to get Valve to stop funding improvements to gaming on Linux (not GamingOnLinux ;)), and they'd love to have access to the money fountain that is Steam, and I'm pretty sure they've felt this way for years now. But given that Valve already have the money-machine, I'm willing to bet that they're not short-sighted enough to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs for a one-time buyout. I'm not gonna be losing any sleep over this.
But I don't see how Gabe Newell (and other co-owners of Valve) would sell it. He already has more money than he can possibly spend.
Quoting: PhiladelphusMicrosoft wants to buy the money-printer that is Valve? Well, color me surprised! (Not!) :P
I'm sure Microsoft is pretty desperate to get Valve to stop funding improvements to gaming on Linux (not GamingOnLinux ;)), and they'd love to have access to the money fountain that is Steam, and I'm pretty sure they've felt this way for years now. But given that Valve already have the money-machine, I'm willing to bet that they're not short-sighted enough to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs for a one-time buyout. I'm not gonna be losing any sleep over this.
I won't lose any sleep over that either :P If by some miracle that happened I'd just buy a Console for AAA games and exclusives and keep playing on PC with Retro emulators and GOG... Wouldn't be the end of the world but I really can't see that actually coming.
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/znna7/gaben_id_rather_see_valve_disintegrate_than_sell/
(It's 5 years old and related to an EA acquisition but I don't believe that his stance has changed much.)
Last edited by micha on 30 January 2018 at 9:15 pm UTC
Quoting: qptain NemoTheir desire to buy Valve is an admission of weakness, though, which pleases me.
Actually it would a strength to know your weaknesses and act accordingly. It would be a weakness to blindly fight until the bitter end when nothing can be gained. :)
"If you can't beat them, join them"
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