Gabe Newell Wants the PS3 to Be Like a Mac

[John Funk]

Gabe Newell Wants the PS3 to Be Like a Mac

The Valve commander-in-chief says that his company might make games for the PS3 if only it were more like a Mac.

Valve's antipathy towards the PS3 has been developing for Apple PCs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92875-Valve-Explains-Lack-of-PlayStation-3-Support] necessarily indicates any plans to add platforms to its console development as well.

Speaking with Half-Life [http://5by5.tv/conversation/16] tried to gauge where platforms were headed in the future - hence the switch to a Mac-friendly development cycle.

"Platform investments, like the Mac, are difficult because you have to be aware of what direction that platform is moving. We need to target platforms that do a better job of looking like where we want to be in a few years," he said.

Macintosh computers, yes. PS3s? Nah, not so much. "We would love to see the PS3 be more open like a Mac than more closed like a Gamecube. It makes it easier to justify those investments if that were the case."

I have to admit, Gabe, I didn't see that comparison coming. Granted, I'm no developer, but Apple isn't exactly known as being particularly open-platform friendly [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100416-Apple-Under-Investigation-for-Antitrust-Violation]. What makes the Mac more open than the Gamecube?

(Via ScrawlFX [http://scrawlfx.com/2010/05/valve-wants-ps3-open-like-a-mac-not-closed-like-a-gamecube])

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[Xanthious]

Congrats Gabe, it already is!!! If by "Like a Mac" you mean closed and hard to develop for. . .

 

[DTWolfwood]

nice dodge with the last question XD.

O wells not like the console versions of their PC counterparts are getting much love anyways i.e. TF2 not much of a lost

But man a jab at Sony, did some Sony Spokesperson call Gabe fat or something? cause its getting more personal every time he talks about Sony's PS3 XD

 

[Deofuta]

Hmmm is it possible that when he speaks of the gamecube he is referring to the special disk format? Or is there something else that stopped the gamecube from being considered 'open'?

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

And here is a Gamer who wants Gabe to start acting like a fucking adult and get over the difficulty of programming of a PS3.

Sorry if that was harsh, but whenever I see the words "Gabe Newell" and "PS3" together my sarcasm engine turns on and won't shut off.

 

[Jared]

Congrats Gabe, it already is!!! If by "Like a Mac" you mean closed and hard to develop for. . .

Hehe...and gettong worse by the day with the options available

 

[ultimateownage]

Why a gamecube of all things? That was the failure of the last generation, mentioning it makes you look like you have been living in a cave for 5 years.

 

[NickCaligo42]

Why a gamecube of all things? That was the failure of the last generation, mentioning it makes you look like you have been living in a cave for 5 years.

I hear-tell that Nintendo's always had a really crummy API that makes it difficult to develop games for their platforms, even when they aim to have lower hardware specs like with the Wii. Can't say I know much about the Gamecube, but I do know that the Nintendo 64 was notorious for this among game developers. Basically they make it for themselves to use and not for other developers, so it makes for a lot of annoying technical hurdles.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

What makes the Mac more open than the Gamecube?

That actually makes sense, since the Mac OS is essentially running on top of Unix these days and they've moved away from using Motorola's RISC architecture and started using Intel parts, making the innards of a Mac functionally identical to what you might find in a typical PC (which is why many Mac owners who also like to game will put XP on using Bootcamp, something that wasn't possible at all in the old days).

As a platform, the Mac is of course the antithesis of open when compared to it's PC brethren, as Apple only writes drivers for the specific hardware it supports, you can only buy that from Apple, etc - but what you're getting is essentially the same (apart from the OS, but it has a lot more in common with Microsoft's offerings than Apple would like you to think it does). You have less choices, but what you can choose will still maintain interoperability with competing platforms and does not require total redesign.

Contrast that with a system which uses a specialized and radically different core architecture purportedly designed, on purpose, to be "hard to program"; a system that has recently moved backwards in terms of openness as Sony removed features like Other OS, and it's not hard to see where Newell is coming from.

 

[KeyMaster45]

This opening statement is only customary to any topic involving Mr. Newell...

Hey Gabe, how's Half-Life 3 coming along? Have you gotten past scribbling concept art on napkins yet?

OT: He's being a bit contradictory there isn't he? Mac is all but the embodiment for keeping consumer innovation to a minimum, so why release stuff to it but not the PS3? Also, comparing the PS3 to a gamecube is almost insulting to the gamecube's legacy. (it was after all the last decent system nintendo put out before the Wii)

 

[Truly-A-Lie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't their games only just been put on Macs? I know that Steam on Mac was recent anyway. It's like when someone buys The Smiths' greatest hits, think This Charming Man is a pretty enjoyable song and then claim to have been a fan for years and talk as if they know everything about them. He's just going "oh yeah, well as a Mac developer which I obviously am and always have been, it's better than the PS3"
Shut up, make games and leave the people who do know how to develop on PS3 to make better games than yours.

 

[Uncompetative]

And here is a Gamer who wants Gabe to start acting like a fucking adult and get over the difficulty of programming of a PS3.

It may well have something to do with the number of employees he has at his disposal:

Valve = 225

Ubisoft = 5750

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Corporation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubisoft

 

[ddq5]

You can install linux on a mac.

 

[Cabisco]

Yes Gabe and all your fans want half life episode 3, but we don't all get what we ask for

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist having a small dig on behalf of PC gamers.

And here is a Gamer who wants Gabe to start acting like a fucking adult and get over the difficulty of programming of a PS3.

Sorry if that was harsh, but whenever I see the words "Gabe Newell" and "PS3" together my sarcasm engine turns on and won't shut off.

I know how you feel, i'm an xbox gamer but even I just get annoyed when he bitches about the PS3. While yes i'm sure it's hard, but every other company has got over it and made games so maybe it's his turn. On a related note, I think you should give us xbox gamers little big planet.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Tell you what, Gabe; you and your posse finish Half-Life 2 epi 3 and we'll make the PS3 more developer-friendly for ya.

Wich is to say, NEVER.

 

[Brotherofwill]

And here is a Gamer who wants Gabe to start acting like a fucking adult and get over the difficulty of programming of a PS3.

It may well have something to do with the number of employees he has at his disposal:

Valve = 225

Ubisoft = 5750

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Corporation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubisoft

Why the comparison to Ubisoft of all things?

No one forces Valve to make shit for the PS3. It's fine if he chooses not to, I completely get that, but ffs shut the hell up about it then. Not 2 months go by without Mr. Newell making some kind of comment about the inhospitable PS3. If you don't want to make it, then just leave it. Give it a rest, fat waste of space. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE/]

 

[ultimateownage]

Why a gamecube of all things? That was the failure of the last generation, mentioning it makes you look like you have been living in a cave for 5 years.

I hear-tell that Nintendo's always had a really crummy API that makes it difficult to develop games for their platforms, even when they aim to have lower hardware specs like with the Wii. Can't say I know much about the Gamecube, but I do know that the Nintendo 64 was notorious for this among game developers. Basically they make it for themselves to use and not for other developers, so it makes for a lot of annoying technical hurdles.

I remember hearing about that, but still, I'm sure there is a more relevant system to use has an example.

 

[Swifteye]

Ugh! What sort of comment is that? Ps3 to be more like a mac? How would that even work? Why would that even be a good idea in the long run? The mind boggles. Also why hasn't he made that new game yet? It's like we have another duke nukem forever situation with how long this game is taking.

 

[Kollega]

And here is a Gamer who wants Gabe to start acting like a fucking adult and get over the difficulty of programming of a PS3.

We all can dream, can't we.

Sometimes i'm sort of ashamed of being a fanboy of Valve. Hey Gabe, would you kindly shut up about PS3 which has very little to do with you and start making Episode 3 already? Or an Engineer update at least?