Former Steam Director Leaves Microsoft After Six Months

[Andy Chalk]

Former Steam Director Leaves Microsoft After Six Months

Jason Holtman, the former head of Steam who joined Microsoft last summer to help push Windows as a gaming platform, has left the company after just six months.

Jason Holtman departed Valve under something of a arrival at Microsoft [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122119-Valves-Newell-Issues-Firings-Statement] was nonetheless a big coup for the company. He was, after all, the director of business development at Valve for eight years, which meant that he was effectively the man behind the wheel on Steam, and given Microsoft's infamous and ugly flailing in the PC gaming arena over the past several years, he seemed like just the man it needed to get itself back on track.

But it appears that the relationship has come to an end after a surprisingly short stretch. Holtman's Facebook [http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=10575963] stating that he's left his job at Microsoft.

While the reasons for his departure remain unknown, it's hard not to see it as a blow to Microsoft's PC gaming ambitions. In conjunction with the decision to finally let the notoriously awful Games for Windows Live platform wither and die [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127001-Games-for-Windows-Live-Closing-Next-Year-Rumor], Holtman's hiring was seen as a real, meaningful step toward establishing relevance in the PC milieu. But with him out of the picture, and nothing of note having changed, it looks like either Microsoft isn't as committed to the cause as it let on, or that the situation behind the curtain is even worse than it appears to those of us on the outside. Either way, it's not a good turn of events for gamers.

We've reached out to Microsoft for more information on Holtman's departure and will update when we can.


Permalink

 

[Starke]

We'll, I'm going to remember this the next time Microsoft pretends they're "serious about PC gamers."

 

[Agayek]

10:1 odds they fired the guy because it's pretty clear they have no desire to actually have Windows be a gaming platform. I'm kinda surprised they were willing to hire him in the first place.

 

[Eiv]

I'm sure king Gabe will take him back with open arms.....for a price.

OT: The fact that Microsoft gaming hasnt improved an iota is clearly the reason he no longer works for them. That is a challenge that I don't think even MacGyver could solve. It would be easier to convert a scientologist to sanity.

 

[SecondPrize]

Can't say it's him but with some new multiplats only coming out for Windows 8 on the pc someone at Microsoft doesn't know squat about the pc as a gaming platform.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Maybe his strategy for them was 'Just give up on a Microsoft-owned platform and release all the games on Steam instead'?

It could also be foreshadowing the rise of Games For Windows One

 

[Jumwa]

There goes the faithfuls last straw for believing Microsoft gives a single shit about PC gaming. It gets so tiresome hearing people postulate that maybe they really mean it "this time".

 

[faefrost]

My guess would be that his departure is a warning that as Microsoft shifts its senior leadership gaming in general may be less of a priority. He may have been brought in under Balmer, and those that came after Balmer do not see Windows as a specifically supported and encouraged gaming platform as a priority. There have also been rumors that there is a strong block on Microsofts board and among their shareholders that are not thrilled with the costs vs rewards of the whole XBox line, feeling that MS's best efforts and rewards come from the core OS and the business world.

 

[Alpha Maeko]

He was just there to sabotage Microsoft's system. Before long, he'll rejoin Valve and the internet will feel the rumblings of evil laughter.

 

[Callate]

"I wanted to be responsible for turning Windows 8 into a premiere gaming platform, but after six months I decided something like self-flagellation or ripping out my own fingernails would be a less painful form of self-abuse."

 

[Andy Chalk]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first sign that Microsoft is finally ready to admit that its future in gaming lies solely with the Xbox. This isn't necessarily a bad development, or even particularly noteworthy in and of itself. It's not as though MS has been doing anything with the platform anyway; its most significant move in years was to pull away from the market, and while that was initially presented as the first step toward a better and more focused approach, the feeling now (and especially under new leadership, as has been pointed out) may be that it just isn't worth the effort.

I really do hope MS gets back to me on this - impactful or not, it's a big move - but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Kargathia]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first sign that Microsoft is finally ready to admit that its future in gaming lies solely with the Xbox. This isn't necessarily a bad development, or even particularly noteworthy in and of itself. It's not as though MS has been doing anything with the platform anyway; its most significant move in years was to pull away from the market, and while that was initially presented as the first step toward a better and more focused approach, the feeling now (and especially under new leadership, as has been pointed out) may be that it just isn't worth the effort.

I really do hope MS gets back to me on this - impactful or not, it's a big move - but I'm not holding my breath.

Even if you get a response, I'd be flabbergasted if it were anything but the "we have chosen to part ways, and wish him all the best with future endeavours" copypasta.

That said, either it indeed is a sign of MS dropping PC gaming, or they've decided stale and dumb suits them just fine. Which would imply that Holtman left because he couldn't be arsed beating his head against a corporate brick wall.

Honestly, I'm favouring the latter.

 

[Denamic]

In lieu of any actual information on the matter, I can't help but imagine he tried to change things up, but Microsoft refused to actually listen to him. Kinda like an 80 year old set in his ways.

 

[gigastar]

I really do hope MS gets back to me on this - impactful or not, it's a big move - but I'm not holding my breath.

Did you also try to reach Holtman for his side of things?

Id be more inclined to believe his reason for why he left over what some PR scapegoat working for MS was told to say.

 

[Gezzer]

I've heard somewhere that the Balmer had a really weird organizational system that actually encouraged lack of cooperation and even mild sabotage of other project teams. I'd be really surprised that anyone after working under Valve's horizontal organization, and what I've heard is the fantastic work environment because of it, could ever thrive at Microsoft. I would think that even with a company stated goal, it'd be nearly impossible to make any headway as an outsider there. I'd most likely quit out of frustration myself.

 

[Vigormortis]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first sign that Microsoft is finally ready to admit that its future in gaming lies solely with the Xbox. This isn't necessarily a bad development, or even particularly noteworthy in and of itself. It's not as though MS has been doing anything with the platform anyway; its most significant move in years was to pull away from the market, and while that was initially presented as the first step toward a better and more focused approach, the feeling now (and especially under new leadership, as has been pointed out) may be that it just isn't worth the effort.

I really do hope MS gets back to me on this - impactful or not, it's a big move - but I'm not holding my breath.

And not only that, but I feel as though this latest move gives even more credence to Mr. Newell's[footnote]And many other big-wigs in the industry.)[/footnote] comments on the dangers of Windows 8 and the direction in which Microsoft was heading within the gaming industry.

It's a dangerous, uncertain, and tenuous time for gamers. Especially PC gamers.

The next year will be very telling and very crucial to the industry.

 

[-Dragmire-]

While the reasons for his departure remain unknown, it's hard not to see it as a blow to Microsoft's PC gaming ambitions.

Microsoft had PC gaming ambitions?

On a more serious note, I wonder if the new CEO had anything to do with this.

Then again, I've heard that Microsoft's structure for proper management practices, design and production have been rather lacking in the last decade. If you were a person who wanted to come in, get a project going and finish it, it would be hard to maintain enthusiasm when you're resisted every step of the way.

"In those years Microsoft had stepped up its efforts to cripple competitors, but?because of a series of astonishingly foolish management decisions?the competitors being crippled were often co-workers at Microsoft, instead of other companies. Staffers were rewarded not just for doing well but for making sure that their colleagues failed. As a result, the company was consumed by an endless series of internal knife fights. Potential market-busting businesses?such as e-book and smartphone technology?were killed, derailed, or delayed amid bickering and power plays."

source: http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer

 

[Something Amyss]

I guess when you've worked for a gaming monopoly, working for a wannabe gaming monopoly is just too much of a step down.

 

[RandV80]

I've heard somewhere that the Balmer had a really weird organizational system that actually encouraged lack of cooperation and even mild sabotage of other project teams. I'd be really surprised that anyone after working under Valve's horizontal organization, and what I've heard is the fantastic work environment because of it, could ever thrive at Microsoft. I would think that even with a company stated goal, it'd be nearly impossible to make any headway as an outsider there. I'd most likely quit out of frustration myself.

From what I've read employees basically work in teams of 10, and every quarter management rates the individual in each team from 1-10. That's not an out of 10 ranking, but rather one guys is always first and another is always last with everyone else falling in one of the spots in between. So you, people are concerned about their individual performances so they can get their bonuses or whatever, and the more devious may actively work to sabotage his competition to ensure a better ranking for themselves.

Forget where it was from but it was a rather lengthy magazine article from a few years ago on the woes of Microsoft. That's as a corporation, nothing to do with gaming, looking at how they went from the dominant position in the industry to losing ground to the likes of Apple and Google.