I'm usually totally against huge corporations on principle, but there's definitely one that I can't criticise and maybe even like, Even though I don't buy any of their products.
python 42 points 7 months ago
I think Valve is one of the only companies I don't actively hate. Steam is a pretty solid platform that hasn't been too enshittified over the years, even though the gambling on there is kinda concerning.
The advances in Proton are usually attributed to them. And I like how permissive the family sharing on there is (I personally only own like 2 games and just leech the rest from my husband).
But of course, they might just have a good PR team and be secretly shitty. I'm always down to just hop back to pirating games.
Oh, in that context, Humble Bundle seems pretty decent as well. That's where my husband got most of his steam games from
luthis 18 points 7 months ago
Valve, by making proton, didn't just benefit gamers. They made Linux a viable platform for most people with proton, and hence are actively fighting against windows and apple really effectively. I'd pick Valve over redbull
MissesAutumnRains 13 points 7 months ago
Yeah, honestly, companies that aren't publicly traded and just do their own thing tend to be fine to okay-ish. I like Valve. Their software works for me, they were fine to work with, and I like some of the projects they've helped advance.
I hesitate to say that they 'get a free pass'. I don't think any company should get that unless they like... cured aging and gave it away for free or something, but for the time being, they're decent.
I'd also suggest the folks at GoG are pretty good, too.
jwiggler 5 points 7 months ago
I love steam and valves hardware products, but the thing is, I'm not the primary customer in their business model. Steams product is digital shelf space in one of the most popular digital arcades, access to which they charge their real primary customers: independent game devs and publishers.
Whatever their activities are outside that, even the much appreciated proton and contribution to Linux gaming, is in the context of capturing more gamers on their platform, making their real product an irresistible choice for their real customers to release their game on, despite the steep per-purchase cut Valve takes.
That's not an entirely...erhm...nice business model imo. It's remarkabley like Amazon, but at least Valve didn't put a bunch of local bookstores out of business becoming the juggernaut they are.
obelisk_complex 6 points 7 months ago path: 0 22785108 22786022 22787641, hotness: undefined, score: 6, children: 0
Tenderizer78 3 points 7 months ago path: 0 22785108 22786022 22786465, hotness: undefined, score: 3, children: 1
obelisk_complex 1 point 7 months ago path: 0 22785108 22786022 22786465 22787619, hotness: undefined, score: 1, children: 0
Orygin 2 points 7 months ago
It's not greed, it was scams and fraud.
They would love selling you games that sit idle in your inventory, but it created a secondary market for stolen accounts and allowed card thieves to extract money after buying and gifting on Steam.
tensor_nightly69 28 points 7 months ago
No.
Munkisquisher 9 points 7 months ago
Hell no, sports washing their sugary crap that none of their sponsored sports people ever touch is so transparent.
Let alone the abuse and racism of the F1 team and it's constant infighting.
Tenderizer78 18 points 7 months ago path: 0 22786437, hotness: undefined, score: 18, children: 3
entropiclyclaude 6 points 7 months ago
The same AMD that just sold us out and decided to start purchasing US politicians?
Tenderizer78 1 point 7 months ago path: 0 22786437 22793415 22800699, hotness: undefined, score: 1, children: 0
webghost0101 14 points 7 months ago
Card against humanity… maybe..
favoredponcho 11 points 7 months ago path: 0 22784498, hotness: undefined, score: 11, children: 0
teawrecks 9 points 7 months ago
What does "free pass" mean? None, I guess. I like the companies I do because they don't cross certain lines, why would I then let them cross those lines without adjusting my view of them?
People are saying Valve, and Valve is positioned as THE primary company gamers should never give a "free pass" to (again, whatever that means). I'm not going to allow valve to start running KLA on my machine, I love Proton but the best part are the community forks, I would much rather have an open alternative/competitor to the steam launcher and storefront. The more power valve has, the more I want to see checks on their power, not capitulation from their customer base.
There is no such thing as a free pass to a corporation. All forms of competition are always welcome and encouraged.
moonshadow 3 points 7 months ago
None of em, dummy! Which shambling, ghoulish, inhuman predatory entity constructed entirely of our stolen wealth and labor is your favourite?
agentTeiko 2 points 7 months ago
None but some companies are still businesses that are privately owned by themselves and the Revenue Comes from the products and services that they make and scams where their revenue comes from scamming investors and stock market manipulation that's why Enshittification works. The manipulation is even happening when it benefits the users at the beginning.
thirdBreakfast -1 points 7 months ago
The LEGO Group are relatively un-evil
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asklemmy
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None. I'm a Millennial, I will burn any corporate loyalty I might've had in a heartbeat if you so much as think of crossing me. Do you know how many industries my generation has slaughtered in cold blood?! Watch your step and pray I don't notice you enough to decide your next.
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