Ex-Valve Writer Blasts Epic's Tim Sweeney Over Steam Rivalry

Ever feel like Epic Games is trying too hard to take down Steam? You're not alone. A former Valve writer is openly baffled by Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's recent attempts to compete with Steam, especially his embrace of 'vibe coding' and his apparent jabs at Gabe Newell.

The writer, who used to work at Valve, didn't hold back. They described the Epic Games Store as 'sterile' compared to Steam, saying that while you can complain about Steam comments all you want, Steam gives players 'a place in that world' with 'actual agency and import and power inside of that ecosystem.' That's a fair point—Steam forums might be a chaotic mix of horrors and hilarity, but they're undeniably alive.

So why would Sweeney appeal to vibe coders? The writer thinks it's a bizarre move because Epic has 'nothing' for people who just want to play games. 'It's nothing about community,' they said. And that's coming from the store that complains Valve is unfairly competing against it. Ouch.

The writer also took issue with how Epic handled its announcement, calling it a fumble and questioning why Sweeney would blame Gabe Newell. 'When you fumble your announcement this badly, and you fumble what this is this badly, and you're gonna blame it on Gabe, like this is Gabe's fault?' they said. They even imagined a whispered conversation: 'Make sure you make a jab at Gabe. Where should we put it, first paragraph? No. Second. Second, we'll be subtle.' It's a pretty damning portrayal of Epic's communication strategy.

Given how tumultuous the topic of AI has been in gaming, it does seem strange that Sweeney has gone so heavily in on it. While sentiment isn't the same everywhere, many gamers and developers are exhausted by having AI crammed into every nook and cranny. The writer's frustration is palpable, and it raises questions about whether Epic's approach is really the right one.

What do you think? Is Epic's strategy off-base, or is there method to the madness? Will you be sticking with Steam, or are you curious about what Epic has planned? Let us know in the comments!