Gabe Newell Optimistic Paid Mods Will Be A Win For Everybody
By Dr. Eleanor Vance | Published on January 01, 0001
Addressing the ongoing furorsurrounding the monetization of mods on Steam, Valve boss Gabe Newell took to Reddit earlier today to defend his company’s controversial new initiative. Following a day of travel and another dealing with medical issues, Newell spent a couple of hours today on a laptop in a coffee shop tohost a Reddit AMA. “On Thursday yono apk I was flying back from LA. When I landed, I had 3,500 new messages. Hmmm. Looks like we did something to piss off the Internet.”(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c&cid=872d12ce-453b-4870-845f-955919887e1b'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c" }).render("79703296e5134c75a2db6e1b64762017"); }); What Valve did was launch a program allowing people in the PC modding scene, beginning with Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, one of the most heavily-modded games going, to charge for creations they would normally make available for free. Valve gets a cut, publisher Bethesda gets a cut and the modder gets cut. Problems arose as soon as the program went live. Players are upset at the prospect of being forced to pay for mods that have traditionally been freely distributed. Mod communities outside of Steam are concerned the program will result in Steam-dominated mod ecosystem. Then there’s the fact that the modding scene feeds on itself, with one creator’s work depending on another’s, leading to complicated ownership issues that have caused at least one prominent mod artist to consider giving up the scene altogether. There’s a strong poison-y scent wafting from the well, but Newell isn’t ready to pull the plug on the program yet, as evidenced by his response toone Redditor’s concerns. Our goal is to make modding better for the authors and gamers. If something doesn’t help with that, it will get dumped. Right now I’m more optimistic that this will be a win for authors and gamers, but we are always going to be data driven. Reactions to the comment include pleading for Newell to “do the right thing”, concerns over Valve screwing over customers by putting free content behind a paywall and accusations of corporate greed tempered by crystals of unwelcome reason. Yes! It’s like saying, “Tom used to give me his apples for free. Now he’s selling them at the grocery store for $X.XX. The grocery store is a greedy monster!” Newell addressed the greed accusations more directly, granting interesting insight into some of the less documented issues with making an entire community angry. Let’s assume for a second that we are stupidly greedy. So far the paid mods have generated $10K total. That’s like 1% of the cost of the incremental email the program has generated for Valve employees (yes, I mean pissing off the Internet costs you a million bucks in just a couple of days). That’s not stupidly greedy, that’s stupidly stupid. Other topics remarked upon by Newell during the AMA include… Unscrupulous folks trying to sell other people’s work: This is
Reader Comments
Sometimes I wish there were more ways to earn rewards through loyalty programs or frequent player bonuses. Adding seasonal events or special challenges could enhance the excitement even further. The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay. The mobile interface is smooth and intuitive. I can play all my favorite slots on the go without experiencing any lag or glitches. The design is responsive and user-friendly, which makes gaming on my phone just as enjoyable as on my computer.
Sometimes I wish there were more ways to earn rewards through loyalty programs or frequent player bonuses. Adding seasonal events or special challenges could enhance the excitement even further. I appreciate the themed slot games, especially those based on movies and TV shows. They make the gaming experience more engaging and immersive. The combination of storyline, visuals, and bonus features makes each game feel unique.
The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay. The payout process is generally smooth and reliable, though occasionally it takes longer than expected. Overall, I feel confident that my winnings are safe and will be credited properly. The mobile interface is smooth and intuitive. I can play all my favorite slots on the go without experiencing any lag or glitches. The design is responsive and user-friendly, which makes gaming on my phone just as enjoyable as on my computer.