Guess Valve didn’t get around to checking out the report that states the PS3 is experiencing a surge in popularity because Left 4 Dead 2 Lead Writer Chet Faliszek, in a recent interview with CVG has come out publicly to state that Valve views the 360’s online capabilities as “head-and-shoulders” over the PS3’s. In the same sentence, he also puts Microsoft’s console on equal footing with the PC, thus pissing off the Valve’ most fervent supporters at the same time.
Valve doesn’t really strike me as the muck-raking kind, but this statement has set off all kinds negative backlash from not only the Sony Defence Force, but also from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford. Mr. Pitchford has in the past stated that he views the Steam platform as a less-than-ideal way for small developers to get their games onto the market, and now he’s got something to say about Valve’s posturing towards the PS3.
In a recent interview with Official Playstation Magazine, Randy equated Valve’s attitude to be comparable with that of fanboys, implying that they’ve become “X-bots”. Randy also thinks that the PS3 version of the Orange Box being handled by another company, and Valve viewing it as the “step-child” just speaks of “underlying sleaziness.”
The catapults have been loaded and fired by Gearbox, so it just remains to be seen if someone from inside Valve has anything to say about this. Frankly, I think that Valve’s comments are a bit out of line, but the venerable company clearly has some issues with Sony’s black monolith. This little game of back-and-forth could go on for a while, and it’s pretty ironic considering that Borderlands topped the Steam sales charts for a while.
What do you guys think, though? Is Valve just trolling, and is Gearbox just trying to catch them riding dirty? Can’t the developers just play along nicely?
Source: Kotaku
I think the biggest problem is that people keep asking Valve about the ps3 after they have already said multiple times that they are not supporting it (I don’t think valve would just stand up and say this without being provoked, could you please post the context in which this bold claim was made?). From what I understood Chet Faliszek was not saying the 360 is as good as the pc, but that the two are on par with each other when it comes to an online and social experience.
If it’s made by Valve, it means it’s supposed to be played on PC. ANY console is a step down.
Yeah, I said it. Deal with it.
I don’t care who bad-mouths Valve. Until they support the PS3 I’ll be very angry with them! Grrrrrrrrrr… lol
What I don’t understand is why people take insults to their console personally. I can understand if he said that all PS3 users are 5 year old brats, or something (which, to be honest, most people, not all, who play games on consoles do have the maturity of said age group), but it’s like me saying that Windows is better for gaming than Linux is, then a bunch of Linux users get all pissy.
Valve was a great developer until they started this trolling.
http://api.ning.com/files/5XjDqySq9t3GemDb1HaKXlTHUT4uPRnJFsr8v6SemaY_/Trollface_HD.jpg
If Valve doesn’t watch it, they’re going to get “MAINSTREAM’D!” by Pitchford.
Oh my jews, I don’t care. I have a 360 because I bought it for Halo 3 and then more games that I loved were available to 360, and not as many games I was interested in were on the PS3 so I veered away from it. I’m not some asshole fanboy, and the only reason I’m not getting a PS3 is that I’m not spending $300 for another console. It’s not worth it. I wish I had got L4D on my PC, but my PC lags like shit and I can’t diagnose the problem effectively. Plus, my friends are on 360 and they have the games I have, so it’s a win-win for me.
What were we talking about…
Right, so I think Valve has been making mistakes ever since they released L4D2, or at least been upsetting their fanbase and the Sony Defense Force (lol I love that, Mitch). Hopefully when Half Life 3 comes out, everyone will be bowing down to Valve again and the universe will be restored.
Seriously, I need to clean up my PC and get L4D on it. Dammit, I don’t wanna waste money! GRRR!
Amen Julez, well said. It’s a competitive game, and Valve has found itself a reliable niche to stay with, taking shade under the Microsoft umbrella that is PC and 360… good for them.
There will always be tradeoffs; ometimes one group gets the cold, hard, shaft, and that’s just how it is. And just as Chet is arguing, their supported platforms offer the best social cohesions out there. Changing that would also change the way PS3 is. Not going to happen.
I think it’s the comments that piss people off. I can post a few links of Valve saying things about the PS3 that no company should be saying. They tend to act unprofessional when its brought up.
And all people want is for them to make PS3 games. We want to play those fine Valve games.
As for “head and shoulders”, well, the only thing the PS3 lacks, as far as I know, is cross game chat, which is coming soon.
Which I don’t even want, but whatever.
xgame chat is shit if you don’t buy the microphone or the keyboard, both of witch are overpriced and unneeded.
[quote comment=”9031″]xgame chat is shit if you don’t buy the microphone or the keyboard, both of witch are overpriced and unneeded.[/quote]
I have a headset for the PS3, but I don’t want to talk to other people while playing a game. I have a phone for that.
Anthony, thanks for having us PS3 gamer’s backs lol.
While I have HUGE problems with Valve’s attitude towards the PS3, I do feel Randy Pitchford was out of line. Just thought I’d throw that in.
Randy might have been out of line a bit, but I see his point. You let another company port your game and then complain that it’s not good. Then do it yourself!
Exactly Anthony! The way I see it is that many people make Valve out to be dieties or Gods amongsg mortals, yet Gabe Newell claims the whole cell processor is too complicated! Where’s the godliness in practically admitting you aren’t as good as other devs?
Other devs have worked around it and, since Mr Pitchford was mentioned, games like Borderlands run very smoothly or on par with some 360 games, now on PS3 compared to the botched jobs that plagued the PS3 ‘s first year.
Sorry, this almost turned in to a full-on-Valve-troll (looks like I’ll be applying for an opening in the Sony Defence Force lol) so I’ll quit before I offend any PC gamers.
Well everyone always forgets that Valve can do what they want when it comes to their business. PC and 360 are essentially the same kind of port. If they don’t want to waste manhours (and more staff) to creating a PS3 version it’s their right.
Also, from someone who experiences both, the dude’s right, Live is head and shoulders above PSN. However, his comment, and many other Valve ones, do come across as ridiculously troll-sy. But I guess it doesn’t matter if they never plan on making PS3 games.
if valve started supporting the ps3 it would mean an even longer wait until hl2:ep3 comes out, so for now I am cool with them only working on the pc and 360. I mean I would rather play Uncharted 2 on a friends ps3 now than wait another year for them to port it to the 360 and pc.
Of course Valve can do whatever they want. But the douchey comments that are insulting to PS3 owners should stop.
I imagine that Valve will make games for the PS3 within the next two years. Hope so anyway.
Of course, if they keep the comments up, I will just buy it used so they don’t get it a dime.
[quote comment=”9047″]Of course Valve can do whatever they want. But the douchey comments that are insulting to PS3 owners should stop.[/quote]
Ha, this is the problem with console wars. He made a comment about the PS3’s online service, which is NOT a comment about PS3 owners. He didn’t even insult it, he just stated an opinion that it was subpar to the competition. Is it flame-baiting? Sure. But it shouldn’t be taken personally.
I was referring to Valve’s earlier comments about the PS3. The comments made recently are not that bad. Although, I can get online and send invites to friends on my PS3, so I fail to see what the barrier is.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12568/Gabe-Newell-PlayStation-3-Is-a-Total-Disaster/
That link is where Gabe Newell calls the PS3 “a total disaster”.
The recent comment was pretty innocent. But when added to comments like this, it’s just fanning the flames.
I just want to play their games. They don’t want me to b/c I bought a PS3. It’s not being fanboyish to be pissed about that.
Portal was amazing and I want more. Although Half Life 2 didn’t do much for me at all, I still want to play L4D badly.
That comment was made in 2007. The PS3 WAS a total disaster then. It’s ok for that to be true. It doesn’t make the console any less awesome now.
Also, why do PS3 users get so up in arms over PSN? It’s free! So it doesn’t matter if it has limitations compared to XBL. It’s ok to admit that the free service doesn’t have as many features as the paid one. That doesn’t make anyone lose face, haha.
2007 or 2009, gamers have long memories.
I am merely explaining why people get so upset when Valve talks about the PS3. Cause they ALWAYS say bad things.
Being free is an awesome feature,lol. I think they get up in arms b/c we are always told how amazing Xbox live is. I am happy with the PSN, I don’t need xgame chat or a party system.
And I would not have called it a total disaster, b/c Gabe also said they should just start over.
Which shows how much he was paying attention. The ONLY thing that held the PS3 back was the price and the 360’s head start. Sure, it had problems, but total disaster? Really? Who’s the fanboy here? (Hint: it’s Gabe)
@ Eddy, it’s all well and good for someone who has access to all Valve’s games to say such things, but imagine you couldn’t play, say, L4D? You were singing its praises, but I have never had the fortune to play it. Imagine that kick in the nuts? Also, the fact that they and maybe other devs made a comment in 07 about developing for the PS3 is irrelevant. Show mw evidence that they have changed stances and admitted that they had let their ego get in the way. And by ‘their ego’ I mean ‘Gabe Newell’s ego’. Other companies have persisted and can now work with the PS3. If Valve had started working with PS3’s at the time they would be working fine with it by now.
We are all friends here and I think this is what it is:
Valve is not unbiased. Gabe Newell made his money working for Microsoft. That’s fine.
They want to support the 360 and PC only. That’s fine.
They don’t like the PS3. That’s fine.
But they make comments about it and we are supposed to pretend that Valve is some impartial observer. Which they aren’t.
I just want to play their games. They choose not to make them, which is their right. PC gaming is largely irrelevant these days, except for MMOs. In fact, Valve is probably helping keep PC gaming alive more than anyone else.
Good for them. But Valve is pissing people off for no reason. If they ever do make games for the PS3 they might find a backlash.
The point of all this is that comments make no BUSINESS sense. They are flame wars waiting to happen and when they do everyone points at the Sony fanboys.
Valve’s comments mean nothing to me b/c the PS3 might overtake the 360 before it’s all over. So Gabe Newell’s “total disaster” comment has already been proven wrong.
That’s good enough for me.
Yeah I mean, I won’t defend them or the flamebaiting. They’re not completely impartial here. But they’ve made a business decision, and when pressed for it, gave their reasons. Their reasons happen to be a dislike of the PS3. No biggy.
Exactly. They don’t like the PS3.
That’s fine. But act like professionals.
Which I need to learn to do too.
Your mom.
So basicly, everyone has their panties in a twist because one person shared their opinion of a gaming platform. Jeese talk about throwing the bottle out of the pram, since when did anyone need to care what they said, get over it.
The problem, floorspider, is that this isn’t just one person, it’s the latest in the line of abuse from Valve towards the PS3. I can’t think of one developer that’s been more vocal about their dislike for a single console.
[quote comment=”9057″]So basicly, everyone has their panties in a twist because one person shared their opinion of a gaming platform. Jeese talk about throwing the bottle out of the pram, since when did anyone need to care what they said, get over it.[/quote]
When speaking on a behalf of a company, it’s not just one person.
Valve isn’t allowed to have an opinion?
PC gaming isnt irelevant! RTS, FPS, MMO, all these things are represented in their prime on PC.
On the actual subject though, who gives a shit what valve thinks? does there opinion really matter? they probably shouldnt have said that because there wwas no reason to, other than being an ass, but its not like Valve is the judge of consoles
@Korushi
Valve can have an opinion. From what I understand what Anthony is concerned about is the way in which they portray their dislike of the console, which I must admit, is a little child like. If Valve were to just say “hay we just don’t really like the ps3 as much as the 360” I don’t think it would be as much of a problem, but when they start name calling…that’s when things get messy.