From STEAM's backstory to the long -awaited sequel! Valve alone interview extension!

Valve Corporation's all-in-one portable gaming PC Steam Deck. The development in Japan has been announced for some time, but this time reservations for domestic have begun.

At this time, the editorial department was invited to the Valve Corporation headquarters in Belview, Washington, USA, and conducted an interview. I have heard about Arecole, which will be anxious for readers, such as the back story about Steam, the current situation of the in-house title, and the contents of the future Steam. The story of that sequel pops out, and this article will deliver the content that has become very dark.

Click here for interviews with Steam Deck. There are a lot of information about Steam Deck.

I want to arrange Nintendo's work in the Steam store someday

The interviews this time were the programmer Tom Bui (right photo) and designer Lawrence Yang (left photo) (left).

An interview was held in a very peaceful air.

ー ー Are there any plans for sequel to Dota 2, Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead 2?

TOM: I can't officially announce it now, but I'm always developing while exploring the possibility of upgrading.

ー ー Have you given up on Mac for the above titles?

TOM: I haven't given up. We want to realize Mac as much as possible.

ー ー What is the future development of the PORTAL series that gamers around the world are worried about?

TOM: I can't talk more than the fact that it was released on Nintendo Switch.

I bought Campo Santo, but afterwards seem to have no movement from the outside, but what is it actually?

TOM: As a game software, I have recently produced Half-Life: Alyx. Also, not all Campo Santo staff are producing game software, some people make game software, others support the hardware such as Steam Deck, or a general-purpose program. Some people make it. So it doesn't mean you're not doing anything.

In addition, Valve has a caster on the staff's desk, and if you want to do a specific job, you can move the desk itself and immediately enter another project. As a result, the work of each employee changes flexibly.

ー In Japan, the excitement of Dota 2 is not so large. Are you thinking about leverage or thinking about measures for Japanese users?

TOM: I don't have anything to tell today, but I always want to listen to feedback and improve.

ー ー Isn't that a collaboration project for Japanese people, such as Slayers of Lina Inverse (the original story of the character LINA)?

Tom: I've been working with other companies so far, so I would like to do that if I have such an opportunity.

-In Japan, Valorant has attracted much attention as e-sports. Is there a possibility that CS: GO will also take measures for Japan?

TOM: We are currently not considering Japan's specialized measures. However, I heard that many Japanese people are interested in CS: Go, so there is a possibility that measures for Japan will be prepared in the future.

--- Would you like to make works with 3 numbers, such as Team Fortress 3 and Left 4 Dead 3? Rumors say that VALVE employees cannot read the numbers 3...

TOM: I can't say anything for today (laughs)

ー Are you thinking about free distribution and business development like a sub-sko (such as Game Pass/Humble Choice)?

TOM: EA Play has already been implemented on Steam. I'm also thinking about other subscriptions, but I would like to consider whether to actually introduce it while looking at the user's reaction.

ー ー I think that the Epic Games store is a competition, but how do Valve appreciate it?

TOM: We are welcomed that new entrepreneurs will come because we can understand new innovation and use more options for users.

ー ー ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム ゲーム 変 変 変 変Also, how does NFT game itself look at Valve?

TOM: There is no change in and BAN policies because there is a possibility that users who use Steam can cause problems. However, the policy may change depending on how users watch NFT games in the future.

While there is a possibility that problems may occur, there is also a possibility that users will be profitable in the future, so I would like to look carefully.

ー ー From our media perspective, I feel that the Japanese market of Steam is getting excited, but how do you think of it as a platformer?

TOM: In the last month, sales (from Japan) have risen about 50%, and I feel the excitement of the Japanese market.

ー ー However, it is also true that Japanese game users have not yet penetrated the existence of Steam. I've heard earlier to sell Steam Deck in Japan as a means for rising awareness, but are you considering measures to spread Steam in the Japanese market?

TOM: I believe that people who do not know Steam Deck will actually touch Steam by actually touching Steam. As another measure, we are thinking that will contact the famous Japanese game developer to get a better work .

Actually, we wanted to go to Japan and advertise more, but the situation was not fulfilled due to Corona. However, this year, I would like to send some Valve employees to Japan and do advertising activities. As an example, this year's TGS will exhibit a communal space with Komodo, where we will provide an opportunity to experience the real Steam Deck. The same is true for Bitsummit. On those opportunities, I also want to talk to game developers and deepen cooperation.

ー What kind of sales will be in terms of domestic sales of Steam Deck? Are you planning to sell at electronics retailers?

TOM: At first it will be online. If you make a reservation immediately after the reservation is started, it will be delivered later this year. Depending on the securing of sales and number of units, it may be released at electronics retailers.

ー ー Are you considering further collaboration with console platformers and publishers, as in examples such as the return of EA?

TOM: We are constantly exploring the possibility of collaboration with any publisher. For example, Sony and Microsoft's works already exist on Steam. Eventually, I hope Nintendo's work can be published in Steam (laughs)

ー ー STEAM DIRECT has a system that allows you to send various developers to Steam. On the other hand, even if many Japanese developers have the same content, they can get out of overseas publishers without problems, and Japanese publishers are in unfairness that is rejected. Is there any possibility that some rescue will be made to the Japanese title that has been banned in light of the possibility of misconduct between languages in terms of such problems?

TOM: Of course, there are differences in culture and there are differences in understanding, but it is necessary to put the target game in the world and whether (we and developers) will not be sued. If rejected or BAN is performed, if you can contact us, it is possible to discuss whether it is due to cultural and language misconceptions while making detailed contacts.

ー ー Are there any plans to release a wide range of Japanese Knowledge-based registration processes for SteamWorks/Steam Direct?

Lawrence: If you can feed back what is difficult to understand, we will fix and add it. Actually... I can't judge because the feedback itself has not come at the moment. Also, in the forums under the NDA, all the people can be exchanged and the opinions can be exchanged freely, so if a developer that can speak Japanese gather there, we believe that the Japanese narration base in Japanese will be enhanced. increase.

ー ー In Japan, the most recently, some users have fraudulently obtained accounts in areas where prices are very inexpensive and purchased games. Will further measures take such an act take take place?

Lawrence: You can't usually do that. Automatically set the price of the area where the user lives. On the other hand, we always check for illegal buying. Of course, the final price setting is not Valve, but each developer, so it is not possible to stop setting the developer at a low price only in some areas.

ー ー st 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 基 を 基 を を を を を を を を を をJapanese games are often forced to be released overseas, and most of the other consoles have been delayed.

TOM: Usually the release date is 1. However, in the future, we plan to introduce a setting to change the release date only by specific areas **.

In addition, it is possible to set multiple release dates if we can contact us at the moment. However, we recommend that if you unify the release date to one, it is easy to advertise.

Is the gave still in New Zealand?

Mr. TOM: I don't know where you are, but... I'm definitely alive (laughs)

I'm attending a network conference.

-Is there anything that Japanese content, creators and developers are paying attention to?

TOM: I have contact with many developers and are all interesting. I would like to see many people in TGS and Bitsummit after this.

-Finally, please comment to Japanese Steam users.

TOM: The content of Steam is what we are confident in the world. So I want you to enjoy it, and if you notice something, we are always waiting for feedback.

Lawrence: I hope you enjoy this Steam content that I have been involved in for several years.

Through this interview, what I felt was that Steam was the pride of Valve employees and still evolving . It can be said that it was a result of reconfirming the feeling that Steam, which many users actually use, is a content that always evolves. 。 If you know Steam for the first time with the existence of Steam Deck this time, why not try it? There is no doubt that the evolving content will add color to your PC life. And for readers who are already using Steam, I would be grateful if you could read this article and think that it was a little interesting or useful. (This interview was held around the end of July 2022)