I think the main reason is really that Linux just isn't popular in Asia, so whenever there's a bump in users in Asia it just brings down everything else. Nothing more than that really.

Microsoft have an explicit policy of dominating the Chinese market through piracy and working with the Chinese government.

“Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, people don’t pay for the software. Someday they will, though,” Gates told an audience at the University of Washington. “And as long as they’re going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”

Today Gates openly concedes that tolerating piracy turned out to be Microsoft's best long-term strategy. That's why Windows is used on an estimated 90% of China's 120 million PCs. "It's easier for our software to compete with Linux when there's piracy than when there's not," Gates says. "Are you kidding? You can get the real thing, and you get the same price." Indeed, in China's back alleys, Linux often costs more than Windows because it requires more disks. And Microsoft's own prices have dropped so low it now sells a $3 package of Windows and Office to students.

You do get some extra insight into the Chinese market in those months where Valve are double-counting Chinese machines: older hardware, older Windows, Intel/Nvidia rather than AMD... and no Linux. Which is understandable: pirated Windows gets support from game developers in the way that Linux doesn't.

I am writing a research report on the Steam Deck and its effect on the Market Growth of Steam. A heavy emphasis on the 21 million to 33 million jump as seen from the Year in Reviews of 2021 and 2022 respectively.

They haven't sold 12 million Decks, if that's what you're thinking.

They haven't sold 12 million Decks, if that's what you're thinking.

No no, I was referring to the concurrent users, not the Steam Deck as the question primarily revolves around the market growth of Steam.

No no, I was referring to the concurrent users, not the Steam Deck as the question primarily revolves around the market growth of Steam.

The Deck is 0.70% of the Steam hardware.

Does it make good headlines? Yes. Is it a great Linux gaming demonstration device for those that would never install an OS? Absolutely. Is it a nudge to game developers to consider lower-spec hardware, lower resolutions, and Steam Input? Yes, yes, and yes. Does it change the types of games that are played, and the times that they are played? Yes - Valve have given figures for the proportion of people that have switched to the Deck as their primary gaming device once they've got a Deck.

Is it a market mover by itself? No - there just aren't enough of them out there, and it's only available in certain regions. Explosive growth for Steam has been happening regardless of the Deck. You can see that tracked over the last decade by the number of games released on Steam, and the Internet traffic of Steam.

But it's your thesis to explore.

So, if I were to do this in terms of a high school assignment to a bunch of people who barely know this, could I get away?

That besides, is it really that inconsequential. With an Estimated 1.6 million sales in 2022, it isn't really negligible and I'm pretty sure its already passed the 3 million Omdia predicted.

I think 3 mil is optimistic. Still, if Sony sold 3 million of a handheld they'd be dropping support for it right about now.

So, if I were to do this in terms of a high school assignment to a bunch of people who barely know this, could I get away?

It's not really "getting away with it" if you're citing your sources and explaining your reasoning that leads you to your conclusions.

Personally, I would expect that there's interesting stuff to look at with how the Deck has affected the perception of Linux as a gaming platform, how it's affected the handheld PC market, and where competitors are succeeding or failing against it. But I'm not in school and don't need to do any assignments.

That besides, is it really that inconsequential. With an Estimated 1.6 million sales in 2022, it isn't really negligible and I'm pretty sure its already passed the 3 million Omdia predicted.

Steam is huge. Next to the 132 million monthly active Steam users, or even the 40 million PS5s out there, a couple of million Decks isn't that big of a deal in absolute terms. It's what every handheld will be compared to - pretty much indefinitely, or at least until there's a Deck 2 - and in the niche of Linux gaming it's overtaken "Other" as the most-used distro on Steam. Those are still pretty nice achievements.

Steam is huge. Next to the 132 million monthly active Steam users, or even the 40 million PS5s out there, a couple of million Decks isn't that big of a deal in absolute terms. It's what every handheld will be compared to - pretty much indefinitely, or at least until there's a Deck 2 - and in the niche of Linux gaming it's overtaken "Other" as the most-used distro on Steam. Those are still pretty nice achievements

This! The PR value of the Deck is also very profitable to Valve. Now it's in the same articles and sentences as other major handhelds, even those that have nothing to do with PC gaming.

Does it change the types of games that are played, and the times that they are played? Yes - Valve have given figures for the proportion of people that have switched to the Deck as their primary gaming device once they've got a Deck.

This is also really important. It's basically the same strategy Microsoft and Bill Gates are quoted in using above. It's a common strategy used allover... Once someone is a customer, it's much much easier to retain them in terms of cost to the company, so, in the long run, lowering the barrier to entry for the customer benefits the company, wether it's tolerating some piracy, selling hardware/software at a loss, etc.

I wouldn't use Mr. Gates' term of "addicted"; perhaps "brand loyal" or "locked-in to the experience" (I'm sure there's a more appropriate term out there). But the general assessment is not wrong.

Every Deck they sell is likely a future Deck 2 sale (In addition to game sales).

Since it's a business management assignment, there's background information here that you might not be aware of (since you're in school) about why Valve would want to make a high profile Linux gaming device, and how the Deck isn't their first attempt at that. There's probably interesting stuff to say about how the Deck succeeded at that, and how their first attempt didn't.

Thanks for your help!!

The issue is it's due tomorrow and I need to like re-write the whole thing to incorporate your advice and I have no issue doing so. I'd love it if I could possibly interview Liam for the same assignment and include it.

I'd love it if I could possibly interview Liam for the same assignment and include it.

The best way is probably to email your list of interview questions. I couldn't say whether he'll get a chance to answer them before your assignment's due, though.

If he agrees to answer, I'd get an extension.

Thanks a lot again, really a life saver.

Feel free to let us know how the assignment went.

Sure, will most definitely do.
I had a further enquiry tho, What mail does one have to use to reach Liam. I had previously contacted (A long time back like July) this email: "[email protected]" and got no response. Is there a different one now or is it the same?

That's the correct address. Liam doesn't reply to every email; he gets an awful lot of them.