How do we feel about that?
I always feel ambivalent about the increasing number of games released on Steam. I like anything that suggests that video games are growing, because the more people who make them, the more interesting they will become; on the other hand, I’m not sure Steam is the boulevard through which all of these games should be flowing.
“The vast majority of these sell 0 copies, many are ‘my first game’-type projects,” commentedTyler Glaiel on X, developer on The End Is Nigh and the upcomingMewgenics. “Everyone’s gotta start somewhere but it is somewhat odd how much game dev communities are funneling people to immediately jump to trying to sell games instead of just getting plays and feedback first.
“Kinda feels like the hobbyist and professional sides of game development got merged together sometime over the last 15 years and I’m not so sure that’s a good thing,” Glaiel continued. “Back in the 00s I could post my shitty ass still-learning projects on newgrounds and immediately get 1000 reviews.”
Seemingly 3618 of the games released on Steam last yearwere free games. That figure includes those that are free-to-play, or otherwise monetised via alternate methods, but it’s theoretically possible to release a game on Steam as a hobbyist. Steam’s curation tools, which are so essential for highlighting quality games among the flood, seem to guarantee that beginners are not going to receive the vital feedback or support Glaiel is talking about, though.
On the other (third) hand, I’d much rather that hobbyist or beginner designers release their games on Steam than produce work trapped within the walled gardens of Roblox or Fortnite. So it can always be worse.
