Wed, 06 May 2026 21:10:37 +0000

The Shocking Truth: Valve Won’t Subsidize Steam Like Console Manufacturers—Here’s the Shock What if Steam, the undisputed king of digital game distribution, didn’t follow the same financial model as console giants like Sony and Microsoft? That’s the shocking reality: Valve refuses to subsidize Steam like console manufacturers do—a policy choice that explains many of Steam’s most controversial and surprising business shifts. ### Why Console Manufacturers Always Subsidize Platforms When you buy a game on PlayStation or Xbox, console makers often provide direct discounts, upfront funding, or promotional subsidies to boost library diversity and attract users. These subsidies help offset development costs and encourage developers to prioritize console versions—creating heavily supported, subsidized ecosystems.