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Windows 8 Thunders Past Mac OS X on Steam

Even a "failure" like Windows 8 is more popular than Mac OS X
Dec. 3, 2012 Paul Thurrott

With all the bad news about Windows 8 these days, this should help put things in perspective: After just four weeks in the market, there are already more people on the popular Steam video game service using Windows 8 than Mac OS X.

Steam has been available on Mac OS X for over two and a half years.

What’s interesting to me is how differently Steam’s Gabe Newell has treated Mac OS X and Windows 8, both of which offered closed app store platforms that ostensibly compete with his own service. Back in 2010, when Valve launched Steam for OS X, Newell noted that Steam was “transitioning from entertainment as a product to entertainment as a service” and that “customers and developers need open, high-quality Internet clients.” But when Microsoft aped Apple’s app store strategy, Newell went apoplectic, describing Windows 8 as a “catastrophe.”

Looks like its OS X that’s the catastrophe, Gabe.

According to Steam’s usage statistics, Windows 8 is already in use by almost 5 percent of Steam users. Mac OS X, meanwhile, despite the two and a half year head start, is in use by only about 3.3 percent of users. (Windows 7 is of course number one with about 77 percent usage.)

Two questions arise from this data. One, why would Steam even bother supporting the Mac, which is clearly even more of an also-ran when it comes to games. Even Linux could garner that kind of usage share. But don’t believe me: Even Steam thinks so, as it’s porting Steam to Linux!

And two, what does all this say about Gabe Newell’s ability to make good decisions? Coupled with Valve’s inability to deliver the long-awaited “Half-Life 2: Episode Three”—or, as we might call it, “the new Duke Nukem Forever”—it’s pretty clear the real problem here isn’t Windows 8. It’s Gabe Newell.

Hey, Gabe. Rather than wasting time and resources on silly dead-ends like Mac OS X and Linux, and on dissing your actual Windows 8-using customers, how about getting back to basics and finishing the job?

Discuss this Article 40

GoodThings2Life
on Dec 3, 2012

A-FREAKING-MEN!! Gabe has shown himself to be pretty clueless.

And let's also realize that if a so-called "failure" can garner that much usage in a month... where's it gonna be after 2.5 years? I'm betting the same place as Windows 7...

jeffsters
on Dec 3, 2012

Humm...sort of reminds me of the Android, and in particular Samsung, marketshare stories where in the absence of REAL sell-through numbers pundits claim Android is killing iOS. Yet web traffic and app sales would seem to paint a very different picture. Of course all this would be mute point if Samsung and Microsoft just simply reported sell-through like Apple.

lvthunder
on Dec 3, 2012

The real sell-through numbers don't mean anything to Microsoft or its shareholders. Microsoft's main clients are the OEM's. If Dell calls and says we need 1 million copies of Windows this month it doesn't matter to them if Dell only sells 500,000. Microsoft got paid for the million.

saqrkh
on Dec 3, 2012

Paul... MS fans will probably love you for this piece.

Asgard
on Dec 3, 2012

Yeah. A friend of mine just called Steam + Linux a complete hell. You must have right version of Steam, right version of OS and right version of graphics drivers to get it to work at all. And you are not going to get DirectX or DirectX-based games (almost any high-end game) so it is very much a dead end. But at least this Gabe's mission is going to proof how bad Linux is for masses :)

chilero
on Dec 3, 2012

Also noticed how 2 of the 6 primary stat boxes on top are dedicated to the Mac. They are trying to give the Mac a much larger presence than it warrants.

JonF
on Dec 3, 2012

Bit of a non-story, isn't it?

Steam is a platform already dictated by hardcore gamers, who by definition are Windows users (due to DIY culture and bleeding-edge graphics tech). Windows 8 is past OS X because a disproportionate amount of Steam users are early adopters buying new machines or upgrading their OS at the first opportunity. They would buy just about any copy of Windows if it let them keep running Steam and their SLI video cards, even if it was a hybrid of all the worst traits of ME, Vista and 8 put together.

Besides, it's smart to support OS X from a strategic perspective. As Apple learned (and companies like Acer and Microsoft itself are just learning), you should never, ever lean heavily on another company's work for your main business model -- either they mess up, or they start telling you how to run your own platform. If Microsoft ever loses its monopoly or decides to drop traditional desktop apps entirely (and likely ban Steam in the process), Valve won't want to be left hanging.

To me, the "dead-ends" are attempts to discourage competition with a Windows hegemony.

chilero
on Dec 3, 2012

Steam is a platform for gamers, which includes all types. It is not solely for DIY culture and bleeding edge graphics tech. Nor is it only early adopters. You don't need the latest hardware and software to run Steam.

Take a look at the Steam stats page linked to in the article and you'll see that 10% are on Windows XP. Hardly leading edge, hardcore gamers. Almost half are still using dual core machines.

Yes it is good for them to create a hedge against Windows by selling games to Apple users but they have been pushing it, advertising it, for 2 years with little to show. If you broke it down by revenue percentage it would be even worse for the Mac as the big games simply aren't made for Macs and never have been.

Marty
on Dec 3, 2012

I have to imagine that Valve merely wanted to have all their bases covered when it comes to selling games for computers. Once they got Steam running with Webkit, it was probably pretty easy to port it over to another OS. It was funny that they made such a big deal about it though - so much so that they had an Apple logo right up on their menu bar - to help OS X users find games - for a year or two before finally removing it.

Still, even as a fan of Valve and Steam, I think that people give Gabe Newell too much credit sometimes. Obviously he's a smart guy, and he and his team know what they are doing, but when he calls a new OS with a possibly competing platform for selling games baked right in a "catastrophe", you have to take his criticism with a grain of salt.

I hope they don't try to launch their own games platform, in the meantime. They probably hate relying on Microsoft and Apple for OS support, but I don't have much faith that Valve could do any better.

Vinny4
on Dec 3, 2012

*Claps* Thanks Paul, that man enrages me.

ariesdog
on Dec 3, 2012

Was anyone fooled that he was talking about it technology-wise, not a threat to his digital distribution system? Since the Windows 8 store was exclusive only under Windows RT it was unfounded.

WaltC
on Dec 3, 2012

The thing about Gabe is that he is rarely straightforward in what he does--he is often convoluted and opaque when it comes to his true intent. He's not stupid, either, and his true intent seems rather clear, at least to me presently...;)

Newell knows if Steam had to rely solely on OS X & Linux gaming that Steam would be insolvent in a week. He also knows that the number of Steam Windows titles dwarfs the number of Steam OS X & Linux (specifically, Ubuntu 12.04) that Steam has available.

What' he's doing is the old "bait & switch" routine...;) He makes a big splash to OS X and Linux gamers by talking up those platforms in a way designed to appeal to OS X and Unbuntu 12.04 enthusiasts, to get them *interested* in Steam. Newell knows that when these particular people actually join Steam and start looking around that they'll discover in short order just how incredibly limited their gaming options are in comparison with Windows, and he hopes that these folks will start dual-booting into Windows (8 included) in order to avail themselves of the universe of gaming software that is at the moment unavailable to them on Steam or anywhere else (for that matter.)

I can't see any other reason for his so-called "panic" over Windows 8 that makes a lick of sense...;) I don't think we can assume that Gabe is unaware of the differences between WinRT and Win8 Pro.

newyorkcitymale
on Dec 3, 2012

Now let's see how many i-bloggers site this little statistic...

JonF
on Dec 3, 2012

They won't, because it's an obvious stat. A platform built for Windows early adopters sees rapid early adoption on Windows, film at 11.

There are probably more iTunes users on Windows 8 than Xbox Music subscribers, too, but that doesn't mean Microsoft should shut down its service and start helping Apple build a Metro-native iTunes app.

Musky4
on Dec 3, 2012

Gabe needs not to fly off the handle.......

AlcorZA
on Dec 3, 2012

Gabe Newell should take his head out of his posterior. Exactly what is it in Windows 8 that he thinks limits Valve's ability to create great games for it?

Did he miss the memo or something? Last time I checked, there's still a Windows desktop and there's still a way to install applications and games the same way we've all come to love and know. Oh wait... I'm using that exact desktop right now!!! Wowzers!

Waethorn
on Dec 3, 2012

I guess Newell figured he could just shoehorn Steam onto Windows RT, since no other ARM platform is letting him do it.

Valve is just Steam Co. now. They are a has-been of game development. They have had exactly 1 notable hit release since Half-Life 2 ep.2, and even it was an overly short, yet expensive title with little-to-no replay-ability.

Game developers should not be signing contracts with Valve, whom like to lock them in with restrictive, exclusive distribution agreements.

sheehanje
on Dec 3, 2012

I don't think the verdict is out yet on Window 8 - and definitely not on future Microsoft OS Releases.

I installed 8 on my gaming rig, and it's been hit and miss as a gaming platform. My Steam Library game up with about 25% of my titles working as is. The rest had to be at least re-validated, and several others had to have serious workarounds. Frustrating at the least.

Windows 8 is definitely a consumer OS, and a consumption OS. I still think it is severely flawed for content creation - which is a big plus in the PC Gaming space for some.

While I expected some quirks going from Windows 7 to 8, I didn't expect 75% of my library to require installation intervention. Especially seeing they all use Mircosofts own API, DirectX. I'm also dismayed that the Metro interface wants to get in the way - all the time. Maybe I haven't used it enough, but it just seems to take 3 extra steps for some tasks - and the OS just doesn't know what it wants to be on a desktop. On a tablet, it works. For my desktop gaming rig - I'm glad I installed on a test disk - cause I am back to booting to Windows 7 for gaming and use Windows 8 just for testing.

epicmaster
on Dec 3, 2012

question is, how many of these Win 8 systems were pirated? Assuming these are gamers, we can assume a certain percentage of them likely pirated the OS, unlike Mac OSX.

michaelj23f
on Dec 3, 2012

LOL, this is why you are a mere blogger and dont run a large company Paul.

You need to look more than 1 year into the future, Microsoft is turning into a locked down platform, everyone sees it coming and for companies like Valve this is detrimental to their business, which is why they HAVE to support other platforms. Maybe you like living in a world with Monopolies (especially since the Microsoft monopoly is your bread and butter) but its bad for the rest of society if all software only supports windows.

You should look into more than just market share, if you go by market share alone the iPhone has less market share than android yet over 60% of all mobile profits go to them.

This article seems incredibly short sited and fan-boyish of you in an attempt to make windows 8 seem like less of a disaster than it already is. I'm not saying your wrong about the numbers but if you follow tech enough you should know that things can change rapidly with even a small amount of momentum.

My question for you is what do you have against competition? Why shouldn't a company like Valve support other platforms? If you look at Zynga they pretty much only supported Facebook and were very profitable but as soon as that relationship went sour so did Zyngas stock. Valve is smart for making a small bet on the future and diversifying their offerings rather than relying on their relationship with a single company.

Sorry if I seemed a bit harsh but I just hate when people, especially semi-public figures like yourself say its a bad idea to support other platforms and promote competition, its a better world with more competition.

pthurrott
on Dec 3, 2012

/rolls eyes.

Whatever. It's just a short blog post. Please don't infer things I did not write or mean.

WaltC
on Dec 4, 2012

@Michaelj23f:

Say what you will about Thurrott being a "mere blogger", he makes a heck of lot more sense that Newell on these points.

Windows 8 Pro is not locked down in any way, shape, or form. To put it another way, if you have trouble digesting that reality, Windows 8 in all its iterations is exactly as "locked down" as Win7--no difference at all in that respect.

It's Microsoft's tablet OS, Microsoft's ARM OS, Windows RT that is locked to its Microsoft hardware, just as iOS is locked down on the iPad, etc. Be that as it may, however, you may or may not know that Microsoft will also be licensing either Windows 8 or Windows RT to OEMs who want to build their own tablets. And this is where Apple and Microsoft part company in the tablet wars. Apple's iOS is locked exclusively to Apple-branded hardware, whereas Microsoft's Windows RT/Windows 8 will be available to OEMs for licensing to ship on their own hardware. As you can see, then, Windows is in no danger of being locked down in the foreseeable future. Sometimes the Internet is an exceptionally stupid place--never more evident than in cases like this in which falsehoods are unwittingly spread from poster to poster. It bears repeating: don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Some of it is true, some of it is false--that's not going to change. Caveat emptor.

Windows 8 is not a disaster--I just had a very pleasant time installing it as an upgrade to Win7. And every one of my installed programs ran without difficulty.

Thurrott didn't say he was "against competition"--he's against nitwits, and so am I-- against nitwits who keep getting things wrong no matter how many times the truth is laid out in front of them.

Hopefully you can digest this nugget of truth: Windows 8 is not "locked down" to anyone's hardware. It's Windows RT which is locked down--an entirely different, wholly incompatible animal.

Dragorth
on Dec 5, 2012

While Michael's argument would seem to be a slippery slope argument, by Paul on forecast, the Metro UI is the future of Windows/Microsoft, and it IS locked down. Steam cannot install Metro games, which will presumably be the only type allowed in a few versions of Windows.

A case in point is the slippery slope that Apple is already following. By default, in the latest OS, you cannot install Applications unless Apple has approved them, by signing their code. This has slowly crept up on Mac users over the last few years.

Windows 8 is not a disaster. But don't hide your head in the sand, either. This is the path Microsoft is traveling down, as is every commercial company.

Gabe is protecting his business. What would happen if the next version of Half-Life and Team Fortress where only available on Linux and Mac? Do you think their are some gamers that would switch, at least long enough for them to play?

What about a game box? With the new interface officially out of beta, it is looking more likely that their will be some kind of Steam Box. Wouldn't that interest gamers? Gabe has options, and is smartly exercising them.

His own opinion about Windows 8 UI is nothing less than that, and opinion. Many geeks dislike the new thing that comes out. This isn't surprising.

And finally, I am happy Valve is putting money into making Linux gaming better. Their work will be incorporated into many distros, and will make Linux a more robust system all around. Creating choices in the market place is no bad thing. When this flirtation with feudalism ends, their will be something to go back to.

P.S. I use Win8, Linux, BSDs, Mac, and Haiku. I like Win8. I will keep my options open.

WaltC
on Dec 6, 2012

"While Michael's argument would seem to be a slippery slope argument, by Paul on forecast, the Metro UI is the future of Windows/Microsoft, and it IS locked down. Steam cannot install Metro games, which will presumably be the only type allowed in a few versions of Windows."

Sorry, but Windows 8 is most certainly *not* locked down. And as Paul has already stated, and you can verify this yourself easily, Windows 8 is *already* 5% of active Steam users--Steam runs on Windows 8 exactly as it runs on Windows 7. I can find no difference.

Guy, Metro is a GUI. That's it. I have no trouble launching and running any game or application on my system direct from a Metro tile. I prefer the traditional desktop, however, and Windows 8 supplies that, too--just like in Windows 7. And not a single one of my applications came through the Microsoft app store. That should effectively end this nonsense about Windows 8 being locked down--it's not, and neither is Metro. Learn the difference between "a few versions of Windows from now" and present reality. There's no doubt in my mind that the original poster has confused Windows RT with Windows 8--RT is locked down to Surface--meaning that you cannot install an OS other than Windows RT to a Surface product. Windows 8 is not locked to anything, including the Microsoft store. I can dual boot or I can install Linux to my present box as the primary OS--nothing locked. You can download and install applications from any source on the Internet, including Steam and/or the Microsoft store, or you can install applications from disk.

Last, Microsoft is not Apple. While Apple invests 98% of its resources in hardware, Microsoft invests 98% of itself in *software.* They are totally different companies, under different management, and with totally different goals.

The only thing I don't care for in Windows 8 is the "refresh" option for reinstalling because the only thing it does is reinstall Windows 8 + Microsoft store apps, while it deletes all of your other apps. Perhaps you are thinking about that when you say "locked down." But...this is also customizable by the Windows 8 user so that he can change what Windows does during a refresh...so that none of his applications, regardless of source, will be deleted during a "Refresh" operation.

That particular option is the only thing that bugs me about Windows 8. It's rather ridiculous of Microsoft to say that this behavior is the result of them not knowing "which non-Windows-store application" is causing problems...;) That's ludicrous--in that case, why sell an "upgrade" version of Windows 8 at all? The upgrade preserves *all* applications regardless of source--I'm hoping that Microsoft might actually address this in a patch, because the "Refresh" feature could have been perfect.

Overall, I'm happy with Win8--and I wouldn't have bought it had it been "locked down" in some fashion.

Almost forgot--there is an option within Windows 8 which allows for the OS to "locked down" to the present computer it is installed in--but your motherboard has to support the option in order for the lock down to occur. Mine doesn't and nobody else's does, either, at the present time. Windows 8 installed as predicted, anyway.

As to half-life 3 being made available only for Mac and Linux--I believe I already mentioned that if Valve had to depend on OS X & Linux game revenue to support Steam, that Steam would be insolvent in short order. Gabe knows this--which is exactly why you cannot take what he says at face value. Also, there is no "Steam box" available--and likely there never will be. That's just another of the Internet's idiot rumors--just like this recent one which has Intel discontinuing to use motherboard sockets for its cpus--Intel finally has officially denied that silliness as well.

BTW, Newell's opinion had little to do with Windows 8 GUI--what Newell didn't like was the Microsoft Store...;) He doesn't appreciate Microsoft as a competitor--which I think is silly, but there you go.

epicmaster
on Dec 3, 2012

Just an FYI Paul, in case you are still wondering. The reason they haven't put out HL3 yet is because they've been working on a completely new next-gen Source engine from scratch, Gabe confirmed it not too long ago, they say the new engine will premier in a "new game" which is most likely HL3.

epicmaster
on Dec 3, 2012

also, something else that wasn't considered, I have a feeling most of the Mac owners that use Steam use it through things like Bootcamp, so they’re logged as Windows. While Valve’s done a lot to branch Steam out to Mac users, there’s just too many games on the service that are Windows-only.

nbr123
on Dec 3, 2012

Awesome article! Well said Paul!

Cubkyle
on Dec 4, 2012

While I love this article, I feel the need to be fair and point out that the Mac Steam game library has fewer than 400 titles, and all the big name games this year came out for Windows. Half those Windows 8 usage numbers could be people who picked up a cheap Windows 8 license for legal use in Bootcamp, because they have little choice in the matter if they want to play the new games on their computers.

On the other hand, the survey is completely voluntary, and I can't imagine a Mac user who would rather be playing games in their main OS agreeing to send in statistics that say they are using Windows for Steam. They should be pouring those numbers into the survey on the Mac client. I would also easily see happy early adopters of Windows 8 on PCs sending in that survey as soon as possible to show that they are using it, as that's exactly what I would do.

vaughan
on Dec 4, 2012

It's not complicated or adversarial. Myself and almost all the Mac users I know have a Windows machine or partition, and that's where the games are, on Steam or otherwise. As long as Windows is the best OS for gaming, people who like games are going the value having Windows to play games.

It could change if Apple decides to continue down their new path of having better graphics options and if then more and more developers continue to decide that they need to develop for OS X. But, currently, both of those changes are happening at a pretty moderate pace.

TEAMSWITCHER2
on Dec 4, 2012

Easily the most hateful and personally vindictive posts you have ever created.

So...Gabe Newell said some disparaging words about your favorite OS and you don't like Apple. Why not write a snarky little article about both. I'm so glad you don't take these things personally. I sure hope everyone else who reads this site realizes, as do I, that objectivity is not one of your core competencies.

Windows 8 is still a mess! Apple still has a better mobile strategy than Microsoft. And now everyone can see that you're an a$$hole.

pthurrott
on Dec 4, 2012

Feel free to disagree with me. But don't read into it or make baseless charges.

thunderbird32
on Dec 4, 2012

Sure, Paul drinks the Microsoft kool-aid a bit, but then everybody is a little bit biased in one way or another. I certainly don't hold it against him. If you want an Apple slant go read Pogue or Mossberg. You want a Linux slant go read anything Phoronix prints.

pthurrott
on Dec 4, 2012

While we all have our own personal experiences and preferences--"bias" is used, wrongly, to show that people are actively working against something, which isn't always the case--I'll just say this. I don't like Kool-Aid, no matter who makes it. If I'm dumping on Gabe Newell, or Valve's decision to support OS X or Linux, it's not because that's the "pro-Microsoft" view. It's because it's my view. Period. I'm not here to cheer on Microsoft or Windows. Those people are out there if that's what you want.

thunderbird32
on Dec 4, 2012

Sorry, you're right of course that "bias" may not have been the best choice of words. I perhaps took the idea that Steam for Linux, or OSX for that matter, was a "silly dead-end" a bit personally. Your articles are usually quite excellent (your coverage of Windows 8 was particularly good), this one just hit a bit of a raw nerve, if you will. Again, I apologize most profusely.

pthurrott
on Dec 4, 2012

No, no.

No need to apologize. Bias is just a word that touches off certain emotions. We all have bias. Given that, it shouldn't be such a hot-button term. But it is. People just read it and get the wrong idea.

I was more concerned about the stupidity of the comment you were commenting on.

BrownieBoy
on Dec 4, 2012

Oh dear, Paul. You do yourself little credit with such an ill-judged rant as this. Dissing OS X and Linux as "dead-ends"? Really?

Still, I guess you have to get your jollies where you can, I guess. As you say, there's not much else for you to cheer about in the world of Windows these days.

Despite the seeingly impressive "sales figures" being touted by Microsoft, nobody really wants Windows 8. Not consumers, and certainly not enterprises.

And how about Windows Phone market share? What's that at, a few per cent? So, I guess that's "dead-end" too, right? Oh, I see; that that particular bit of logic only applies to Microsoft's competitors but not to Microsoft itself.

Steam's market share figures aren't going to change overnight, but it's a start. At some stage they will reach a tipping point of available games, and then it will all change faster than you might imagine. I mean, 5 or 10 years ago, could you have predicted that you'd be writing an article about how clinging on to a 55% market share would represent some kind of minor triumph for IE?

pthurrott
on Dec 4, 2012

Dead-ends for Steam, yes. Don't read too much into a simple comment.

Waethorn
on Dec 4, 2012

If Linux isn't a dead-end, I don't know what is. Google basically controls Linux right now with Android (I thought FOSS advocates were against corporate control....). Google has no desktop OS strategy. Chrome OS is the RIM Playbook of operating systems, and all of the other Linux desktop variants combined equate to less than Apple's desktop OS, and Apple's desktop strategy is what, exactly? Continue with the less and less relevant OS X, or put iOS on PC's, or put ARM chips in desktops, or Intel chips in iPads? What exactly? All I know is that Apple's developer terms are considered a hostile environment, and getting users to find your app among the almost a million apps is like finding a legitimate search result on MyWebSearch.

BrownieBoy
on Dec 6, 2012

1.3 million Android activations per day is some dead end.

"Corporate control"? Maybe. But here's the page where I can download the source code for Android 4.1 Jellybean:

http://source.android.com/

Can anybody direct me to the source code for Windows 8? I could do with a giggle!

retroXgamer
on Dec 5, 2012

I agree that Valve should seriously release HL3 (or HL2:EP3) soon... But I'm pretty sure Gabe has nothing to do with that.

Not long ago a Valve New Employee Handbook was leaked showing how things work at Valve, and basically everyone is their own boss. When a group of employees decide to start working on HL3, they will, whether Gabe wants them to or not. However there is rumors that the game is being worked on right now, such as the recent news about the Source 2 engine.

Gabe calling Win 8 a catastrophe means nothing in the eyes of Valve, overall.

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