Valve: Xbox Live Rules are a "Train Wreck"

[Kermi]

Seems to me Valve need to learn how to operate in an environment that isn't Steam.

 

[Negatempest]

Microsoft better fix their **** with Xbox Live soon. Because Nintendo used to have such rules for their cartridges back in the day and look what happened over 10 years?

 

[Silver Patriot]

I agree that it is most likely that MS is to blame for this. The one thing I don't get though. It might be a totally different issue or a subset of the FUBARed rules but why was Bungie allowed to make the decision to release free maps and choose to make map packs free, while Valve is not?

 

[mjc0961]

I'm supposed to believe that because he says so? What's stopping them from updating it while following the so called "train wreck rules"? All I hear are excuses, you still abandoned those customers. I have plenty of other 360 games that get updates and new content, so it sounds less like a MS issue and more like a Valve issue.

Seems to me Valve need to learn how to operate in an environment that isn't Steam.

Exactly.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

It sounds strange that it is so difficult for a patch to get through by Valve, especially (by the sound of it) that the 360 version of Team Fortress 2 has some major issues. If there are game breaking bugs or anything, a patch morally should get through to not screw people over with a botched game. Someone should make a compromise for the customers instead of having a stalemate tizzy.
Despite any fault to Valve in this matter, Live is run like a digital dictatorship which just hurts us all in the end. Due to the internet connection, consoles could share in some of the customization options for mods like PC games, albeit limited at first. Some mods would be better than none at all, but Gates-forbid that Live allow free user content to slip through the money mesh.

I agree that it is most likely that MS is to blame for this. The one thing I don't get though. It might be a totally different issue or a subset of the FUBARed rules but why was Bungie allowed to make the decision to release free maps and choose to make map packs free, while Valve is not?

That is interesting, I wonder if it had to do with them being Microsoft owned before?
[sub]Or that Microsoft has been desperately suckling off of the Halo games...[/sub]

 

[mjc0961]

This is what I don't get about XBox live users. You are paying for the service, you should be demanding free patches on a regular basis.

We do for most games. It just seems to be Valve that has a problem. And why should we go to Microsoft and demand that another company do something? They'd tell people to go bug Valve.

Gates

2008 called, it wants you to know that Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft anymore.

Im calling Zombie Bullshit on Mr. Newell.

The rules for updating games are flawed for the Xbox? It seems like only Valve seems to have this problem...

... and this problem STILL doesn't stop Valve from doing rather frequent updates (including DLC, both free and paid ones) for Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2. Care to explain?

Oooh oooh me me pick me!

It's because Valve, or more specifically Gabe Newell, is full of shit!

 

[Rusty Bucket]

You know what would be nice? If Valve would actually communicate something with the 360 users for once. They've handled this whole thing appalingly, no matter who you want to blame.

 

[Srkkl]

Oh Gabe, you fickle, fickle *****.

 

[Fire Daemon]

It would be nice if Valve would stop pulling us around by the dick. They've been promising title updates for the 360 for years no and whenever people call them out on this they blame something or someone else. Plenty of other games have released content unto the 360 without problems... like Left 4 Dead 1 and 2... so I don't buy into this blame MS game.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

Gates

2008 called, it wants you to know that Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft anymore.

I am well aware of that.

"Gates-forbid" in place of "heaven-forbid" and the like. It has a better ring than "Microsoft-Stockholders-forbid," which does not get across that Gates started Microsoft and is a pretty important figure to the corporation and its history. Not necessarily Bill Gates forbids himself, but the company's legacy, if you will.

Regardless, while Microsoft most certainly can be an obstacle, I stand by my view that someone needs to bend a bit to get 360 owners an update to fix bugs for free at least. It's not like a patch for bugs has to include extraneous elements that would just slow down the process (i.e. Maps, skins, ect.)

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

I don't think valve should get to complain about anything until they've made Half Life 3.

Who's with me on this?

You mean Episode 3?

I agree. Valve should shut their holes and not say anything unless it's "hey episode 3 is finally done".

No, I mean Half Life 3. Three years is not appropriate development time for a game only 5 or 6 hours long.

I will not be happy unless they release a full-on sequel.

 

[Something Amyss]

I agree that Microsoft needs to loosen on their rules a bit... but I don't get it.

Valve own a massively used PC game platform plus loads of highly rated titles that millions of people have bought and played regularly...

Yet they won't shell out for one god damn update?

I mean yeah... the rules are strict and bad and blah de blah. But can't they take a small wad of money from the Valve cash pile and throw out an update? I mean really are they that stuck up about this?

There's no benefit for doing it. On PC, the game helps promote Steam. On the 360? They're not making any real money off it.

I love, on another note, how Uber Entertainment is giving us free DLC for Monday Night Combat, but Valve "can't." It's not even a big dev/pub like Rockstar, but we're getting our first DLC pack free.

 

[SaintWaldo]

Wow.

Just...

Wow. Gabe just can't for the life of him figure out how to get along with all the kids at the same time.

I have nothing but empathy for XBox fans going "WTF?!?!?" over this.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

There's no benefit for doing it. On PC, the game helps promote Steam. On the 360? They're not making any real money off it.

I love, on another note, how Uber Entertainment is giving us free DLC for Monday Night Combat, but Valve "can't." It's not even a big dev/pub like Rockstar, but we're getting our first DLC pack free.

There's no benefit other than fixing a game they originally broke.

Yeah they don't get any money off it but why should they? They released buggy console ports, they should cough up to fix them.

 

[Lukeydoodly]

Valve fail. They never actually said "Okay guys, we fucked up. We realise we can't actually update the game now, sorry for wasting your time."

They just do this. About 2 years after they said they would update it, 'By the end of the year'.