Apple Rejects Valve's Steam Link App Due to 'Business Conflicts'

[onepoint]

I hope this doesn’t remain some closed secret at Apple.



Is that true with the Adreno 630 and the A11 GPU? If so, then you should go to Android if you want to run games I guess.



That makes sense.

I imagine it more likely that it does remain closed (with an approval for Valve).

Apple has much more to lose by inviting public and legislative inquiry, particularly in Europe - my mind goes to Microsoft (packaging IE with Windows OS and not allowing removal) and Google (promoting preferred search results) which have invited a heavy government hand.

 

[IG88]

The app was initially approved, resulting in Valve having bloggers review it. The bloggers raved and commented along the lines that they couldn’t believe Apple approved it; it was a threat to Apple’s gaming-based revenue in the App Store. The app is subsequently re-reviewed and denied approval.

Yay genius bloggers for essentially calling "no balls" on Apple to ban the app.

 

[giggles]

Why no Steam Link app on the Tegra-based (so not much unlike an android device) Nintendo Switch then?

Maybe because game devs would be up in arms with pitchforks?

Probably the same thing that happened here after media coverage?

Android game economy got nothing to lose, it never got past the crackwhore-in-street stage...

iOS game economy not so much...it’s not only apple’s 30% cut at stake, it’s thousands of game devs jobs...if people could get their game fix on iOS with steam games they hoarded during sales instead of buying native iOS games...

 

[mi7chy]

This decision will only end up hurting Apple as it will drive away customers to PC and Android which Steam already own marketwise so this will have zero effect on Steam. If anything, Steam will benefit by not needing to hire app developers for niche iOS and MacOS.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

I appear to be in the minority but I support the decision. Having steam link would just dissuade developers from creating first party support for iOS and tvOS, they'll just stick to steam and expect people to steam link elsewhere. My understanding is that steam link's "server" is a running steam engine on Windows only so as an all Apple ecosystem that would also be a losing proposition for me.

 

[giggles]

This decision will only end up hurting Apple as it will drive away customers to PC and Android which Steam already own marketwise so this will have zero effect on Steam. If anything, Steam will benefit by not needing to hire app developers for niche iOS and MacOS.

Yeah ipads are so niche...
Not like they’re the only actually successful big screen mobile devices...
Good thing steam link will be available on all those android tablets..

 

[Suxamethonium]

Thanks Apple! Moves like this make me one step closer to the day I move on from your platforms (almost overcome the inertia to change).

 

[giggles]

I appear to be in the minority but I support the decision. Having steam link would just dissuade developers from creating first party support for iOS and tvOS, they'll just stick to steam and expect people to steam link elsewhere. My understanding is that steam link's "server" is a running steam engine on Windows only so as an all Apple ecosystem that would also be a losing proposition for me.

The server can run on a Mac too, you’d just be limited to mac-compatible steam games.

 

[alvindarkness]

I have an AppleTV and SteamLink device connected to the same TV. Was looking forward to moving the SteamLink elsewhere and keeping only the AppleTV there. Since news first came out about the SteamLink app I was pretty excited, and noticed a few people comment "hurry up before they decide to ban it", but never thought Apple would actually be that petty. Well played to those who realised Apple are run by bigger sons of bitches than I could ever imagine.

I'm wondering if Valve could leak the binary bundle somewhere so we could manually sideload the app onto our iOS devices? Could keep me going as I slowly move out of the Apple ecosystem.

 

[Ladybug]

Wow, great comparison. I forgot that I can play AC: Origins, Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty: WWII and Kingdom Come on my iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. According to you Apple should also remove Google Maps, Netflix, Hulu, Google Play and every app that competes with them. Denying Steam Link shows Apple's arrogance. Should we add some functionality to the Apple TV? How about no, because people wouldn't buy Duck Run, Saga Candy Crush, Where's Waldo and other crap games.

This!

 

[Art Mark]

If you have iOS to play PC games on your PHONE, well...head slap. I guess if that's the most important issue you are welcome to buy another phone. All 22 of you.

 

[Shlooky]

I think Apple was bitter about Steam not releasing Half Life 3.0

 

[giggles]

This!

No...a one-click solution that allows people to “transfer” (usage of) their whole game library from another platform to the iOS platform is not comparable to any of those examples...it can single handedly destroy a platform...compact PCs are becoming commodities, I could see some vendor marketing a self contained PC to be a “companion device” for iOS/tvOS just for the purpose of running the steam server...and that PC could probably cost half an iPhone X, not that pricey in apple land..

 

[Altis]

No...a one-click solution that allows people to “transfer” (usage of) their whole game library from another platform to the iOS platform is not comparable to any of those examples...it can single handedly destroy a platform...compact PCs are becoming commodities, I could see some vendor marketing a self contained PC to be a “companion device” for iOS/tvOS just for the purpose of running the steam server...and that PC could probably cost half an iPhone X, not that pricey in apple land..

So what if they do?

I suspect most of the people with a Steam library of games already have a PC with which to play them, anyways.

 

[zantafio]

Well we know that some departments at Apple do not communicate with others, i.e. the Siri team did not know about the HomePod.... So may be the App review team did not know about a "gaming project" that Apple is developing... may be to be revealed next week?

 

[giggles]

So what if they do?

It puts the iOS/tvOS gaming economy (and about tvOS, we can’t be even sure we know the full picture in terms of future plans) in jeopardy.

When I see ps4 remote play on xbox and steam link on nintendo switch, then ok steam link on iOS makes sense...

Android doesn’t count, there are no 10” tablets and the economy is different compared to the appstore..

 

[Wandering Wastrel]

Okay, this makes some events this past week make more sense (at least to me).

About a week ago, Valve notified some of the publishers of games on Steam that were previously approved, that now their game might be considered 'sexually explicit', and would be removed if the game wasn't edited further to remove the explicit content. Some of these games were long available on Steam, so everyone was puzzled; Valve offered no explanation. Later, they backtracked a bit, saying maybe specific games were still okay. It was a mystery.

Until now. This is just my theory, with no knowledge behind it, but I bet Apple was fine with Valve's app until they realized that some games on Valve could be considered porn. Apple doesn't want porn on their phones, even if it's really on some other machine. Even if Valve ditched the 'porn games' now, once the app was released, Valve could approve any future 'porn game' they wanted. I bet that's what Apple balked at.

 

[giggles]

That’s a good theory too.
They would be at the mercy of Valve content policing.

On the other hand, video players on the appstore allows you to play porn stored on your PC or NAS...but it’s not directly served by the company making the app like in Valve’s case..

 

[SeaFox]

Tomorrows headline: Apple acquires Steam in $2 billion buyout.

All Apple would need then is a computer capable of playing AAA titles well.

 

[Altis]

It puts the iOS/tvOS gaming economy (and about tvOS, we can’t be even sure we know the full picture in terms of future plans) in jeopardy.

When I see ps4 remote play on xbox and steam link on nintendo switch, then ok steam link on iOS makes sense...

Android doesn’t count, there are no 10” tablets and the economy is different compared to the appstore..

What about what the consumers/users want? The ones who purchased all this stuff?

I honestly don't care if Apple thinks it "puts the iOS/tVOS gaming economy in jeopardy." I'd rather my products to be the best they can be, for me. That's why I got them in the first place.

Such is the curse of the "walled garden" or "ecosystem" and why I don't want to lock myself down to any of these companies.

 

[Michael Goff]

I imagine it more likely that it does remain closed (with an approval for Valve).

Apple has much more to lose by inviting public and legislative inquiry, particularly in Europe - my mind goes to Microsoft (packaging IE with Windows OS and not allowing removal) and Google (promoting preferred search results) which have invited a heavy government hand.

Those two examples are people leveraging monopolies.

 

[ksec]

Because steam linked apps don't get any IAP, you loss any potential IAP revenue which is what the majority of App Store revenue are. Unless Valve agrees that any purchase made through Stream Link has 30% passed to apple, but that is next to impossible to happen.

 

[lolkthxbai]

well “no duh” apple sells games on the app store, what did you think was going to happen?

 

[wozmatic]

basically lets you remotely play your computer games on your handheld device. like screen sharing.

That actually sounds cool, I'd buy the app. Oh wait looks like we can't

 

[Ladybug]

No...a one-click solution that allows people to “transfer” (usage of) their whole game library from another platform to the iOS platform is not comparable to any of those examples...it can single handedly destroy a platform...compact PCs are becoming commodities, I could see some vendor marketing a self contained PC to be a “companion device” for iOS/tvOS just for the purpose of running the steam server...and that PC could probably cost half an iPhone X, not that pricey in apple land..

I get what you're saying but then why does Apple allow Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Spotify, Google etc..onto their platform? Last time I checked Apple wasn't being destroyed for allowing movies, books, tv, or music onto their platform. Why are games any different?

Whatever reason Apple had for doing this it just comes off as mean spirited to both their customers and Steam itself. Steam Link should never have been approved only to revoke it later.