Valve and being aquired

[Lord Ned]

Alright, we've all heard it. Valve is 'happy to talk about being acquired'. Oh yeah that's grea-- WAIT WHAT?

Valve, and there great customer service, their great service want to be acquired. Now everyone jumps to assuming EA wants to acquire Valve, which puts the math like this. Great Games + Shitty Publisher =???

What do you guys think? Is valve going to be "Happy to talk about being acquired to say no" or...?


They have always listened to their community.

[JakeB]

I wouldn't say Valve as a whole said that, but Dougy said it. They could just be making EA feel happy.

[Lord Ned]

Yeah -- And the lines about "Being happy after the Vivendi Divource" -- Gabe's not happy with Ea after the PS3 Incident.

[RawMeat3000]

Why would they want to become another company's bitch?

They've been doing great on their own right? Leave it that way, I say.

[firedfns13]

Wasnt Steam in the first place supposed to keep them independent?
and not need a publisher?

[Athlete{UK}]

I think this comment is simply just an extension of the progressive nature of valve. They're not saying we want to be aquired so no give us an offer. What they're saying is that they have no closed off an option to themselves.

The statement to me reads (when backed up by the rest of the interviews) "We don't really want to be aquired but if someone out there has an offer which they feel would be mutually benificial we would be willing to listen." it just seems like very good business practise to me.

[Inveramsay]

When I read this I heard Breen in the background "our benefactors would like to make an announcment" I hope valve remains independent

But if they do team up with someone I doubt it will be down to money. Valve can hardly be strapped for cash after HL2 and the episodes, CS(:S), DoD, TF2 etc and they must make some kind of revenue from all the games being sold on steam even if they aren't made by valve themselves.

[Lord Ned]

Yeah they can't be low on money -- Look at the prices there charging. Their games are cheaper then their store which they don't really control the prices.

I still don't think they should even think about being aquired, it will still put a strain on them/change something.

[FlynT]

I agree to Athlete.
But there is a small Problem with Steam, ok its a massive and mighty Platform but only on the Internet. Valve needs a Partner on the Real Market an there comes EA into the Game. Yeah i know they Suck but they got the largest Con to sell there Games.

I really hope that Valve remains Indie, because to many Companys get Backstabed by EA in the last Time.

Best Regards
-Flynt

[XenLand]

Having a business, is about progressing and merging with other company's for the greater benefit of both companies. Im sure its more of a merge then an acquirement.

[Lord Ned]

I agree to Athlete.
But there is a small Problem with Steam, ok its a massive and mighty Platform but only on the Internet. Valve needs a Partner on the Real Market an there comes EA into the Game. Yeah i know they Suck but they got the largest Con to sell there Games.

I really hope that Valve remains Indie, because to many Companys get Backstabed by EA in the last Time.

Best Regards
-Flynt

Yes, but EA fuck's up release. 360 version of TF2 sucks.
PS3 version of tf2 sucks too.

Ea is just a horrible publisher, there's no way they would want to be AQUIRED or MERGED with 'em.

[Major Banter]

Yes, but EA fuck's up release. 360 version of TF2 sucks.
PS3 version of tf2 sucks too.

Ea is just a horrible publisher, there's no way they would want to be AQUIRED or MERGED with 'em.

I wasn't aware that the console versions of TF2 sucked - they're ok, they're good fun, and work. Sure, they lack the achievement system of the PC and the like, and the updates and so on, but such is the curse of console gaming. Also, that's nothing to do with EA, Valve handled the 360 port personally and let a PS3 studio deal with PS3 port.

Also, i dont have any problem with EA. If they went, damn, a whole lotta games will struggle. We owe EA for titles like Timesplitters, Battlefield: Bad Company and, well, shitloads of stuff

but thats totally off topic xD

on topic, Valve is very much an independant studio, but there's still plenty of people who think the Chief is god and Gordan Freeman is some guy at the local chip shop. Having a publisher gives some serious leverage, look at Oblivion - it was forced off the shelves of shops because big name companies swamped the shelves with thier games. Which is annoying. But i'd rather have Freeman adorning my local Game store than WALL-E.

[Mr. Happy]

Valve is a very games committed studio yes, but remember, they are also a business. A very SAVVY business, and if you listen to Newell and Doug they are VERY SAVVY BUSINESSMEN.

They will do whatever is the best BUSINESS option so long as it doesn't compromise the games.

Still, I doubt they would want to be acquired at this point. Lot's of growth potential still.

[Lord Ned]

Is the following part of their "Market Strategy"?:
Release Heavy update. Servers swamped. People can't use their games. (For only 5-10 minutes, but w/e)
Release buggy Arena. When players disconnect, others crash.
Release a slightly unfinished map. (pl_backwater)



That's a joke fyi.

[Mephasto]

why you think its unfinished? did i miss something oO