No new Half Life - Valve is not planning to release any exclusives for the Steam Machine

Platform exclusives have been a hot topic in the industry lately. Xbox is reconsidering its multi-platform strategy, while PlayStation seems to be tightening its grip on exclusives and scaling back PC ports. However, now we have another player in the mix, and people are understandably curious about what Valve thinks about exclusives.

Valve has recently confirmed to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier that it has no plans to put any exclusive games on the Steam Machine, including a new Half-Life. Valve's Yazan Aldehayyat said the company is much more interested in having the whole PC catalog as their so-called "launch exclusive," adding that restricting where people can play a game isn't a model that makes sense for them.

5

It's the same stance Valve has held since the original Steam Deck launched, and it fits with how Valve has approached the Steam Machine overall, treating it as a PC first and a console second. The problem is that this argument only really works because Valve's revenue doesn't depend on hardware sales.

Sony and Microsoft need exclusives because their consoles are often sold at a loss or thin margin, with games and subscriptions making up the difference. Valve makes money from Steam's cut on every PC game sold, regardless of what box it runs on. Locking a game to the Steam Machine would actually cost Valve potential sales elsewhere on Steam, so them not believing in exclusives is basically just Valve protecting their financial bottom line.

5

It's also worth pointing out that Valve barely makes games anymore. There's no confirmed Half-Life sequel, and outside of Deadlock and CS2 updates, Valve hasn't shipped a major new title in years, so promising not to withhold games it isn't making anyway is a fairly low bar to clear. This new statement also probably puts an end to whatever remains of the fan-favorite Half-Life 3 rumors.

5

It is also important to note the timing. Xbox reversed its own multiplatform strategy this year, with CEO Asha Sharma committing to a steady pipeline of console exclusives like Gears of War E-Day, arguing that a real platform needs exclusive content to survive. Microsoft has actual revenue on the line if Xbox hardware stops selling, so its exclusives push is a defensive move for that business, rather than a moral stance.

5

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

Does Valve explicitly rule out releasing any Half-Life sequels as Steam Machine exclusives?

Yes. Valve confirmed to Bloomberg that it has no plans to put any exclusive games on the Steam Machine, explicitly including a new Half-Life, with Yazan Aldehayyat saying restricting where people can play a game does not make sense for them.

Answered

Question #2

Will Steam Machine buyers get access to the full Steam library at launch?

Yes. The article states Steam Machine owners get access to the full Steam library on day one, and Valve confirmed it has no plans to put exclusive games on the Steam Machine.

Answered

Question #3

Does Valve plan to target PlayStation-level sales numbers for the Steam Machine?

No. Valve confirmed it is not chasing PlayStation 5 level sales numbers for the Steam Machine. Recent reports in the article also peg Steam Machine sell-through at roughly 12,000 to 15,000 units a week, a fraction of what a real console needs to justify an exclusives strategy.

Answered

Question #4

How do Steam Machine weekly sell-through figures compare to typical console requirements for exclusives?

Recent reports place Steam Machine sell-through at roughly 12,000 to 15,000 units per week. The article says that is a fraction of the sales a real console needs to justify an exclusives strategy, and Valve is not aiming for PS5-level sales numbers.

Answered

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

Your questionAsk

Answering your question×

TweakBot is analyzing your question…

Could not get an answer

TweakBot is generating an answer

Read More

Was TweakBot helpful?Thanks for the feedback!

None of this means Valve's approach is bad for buyers. Steam Machine owners get access to the full Steam library on day one, and Valve's Aldehayyat also confirmed the company isn't chasing PS5-level sales numbers anyway. Recent reports also peg Steam Machine sell-through at roughly 12,000 to 15,000 units a week, a fraction of what a real console needs to justify an exclusives strategy in the first place.