The ongoing dialogue surrounding digital storefronts in the gaming industry has recently been reignited by Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox Software, known for the popular Borderlands franchise. Reflecting on his earlier remarks from 2019, Pitchford revisited his predictions regarding the future of Valve’s Steam platform, which he had previously described as potentially “dying” due to the competitive rise of the Epic Games Store.
Reflections on Competition
In a recent Twitter discussion, Pitchford reaffirmed his belief that Epic Games had the potential to significantly challenge Steam, had it chosen to capitalize on its early advantages. He noted that despite the competitive landscape, Valve continues to take a substantial 30% cut from sales, a figure that contrasts sharply with Epic’s more developer-friendly 12% share.
“I am a Steam customer and Steam developer that will continue to root for and support competition,” Pitchford stated, emphasizing that consumer interest lies primarily with the games themselves rather than the storefronts they inhabit. He pointed out that the success of titles like Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands illustrated this point, as players flocked to the games regardless of the platform.
However, Pitchford expressed concern about the industry’s tendency to favor Steam, attributing this to a reluctance among publishers to embrace alternative platforms that might better serve developers’ interests. “It’s all very interesting and there is a huge amount of opportunity in the PC gaming space for retail disruption, but no one seems to be able to make it happen,” he remarked.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on his initial optimism for Epic’s store, Pitchford acknowledged that his expectations may have been overly ambitious. He described this realization as a valuable lesson for himself and others in the industry. “Moving forward, we’ll continue to support Steam, as we have for literally every PC game we’ve launched since Steam came into existence,” he noted, reiterating Gearbox’s commitment to the platform.
Looking ahead, Pitchford expressed hope for Epic to maintain its competitive spirit and innovate within the marketplace. “I sincerely hope Epic keeps up the fight and makes headway,” he said. He emphasized the need for Epic to prioritize its store and explore new initiatives while securing pivotal exclusives to strengthen its position.
In closing, Pitchford conveyed a desire for the emergence of additional viable competitors in the digital storefront arena. “As a developer, I will continue to balance being where the customers are with being where I wished would earn the customers’ trust and loyalty,” he concluded, leaving the door open for future developments in the ever-evolving landscape of PC gaming.
