Google Is Picking a Fight With Steam That It Can't Win

Summary

• Google Play Games is expanding to PC for Android & native PC games, becoming a direct competitor to market-leader Steam.
• Google faces challenges from past gaming failures like Stadia in its bid to attract devs and players, particularly in a market that competitor Amazon has failed to crack.
• Google must understand PC gamers' preferences, improve technology, and offer appealing games to succeed against the odds.

Google is expanding its Play Games app for PCs to include Android games and games made specifically for PCs. The goal is to compete with well-known platforms like Steam by supporting all native PC games, providing tools for developers to make in-app purchases easier and more secure, and offering up to 15% back on earnings.

Google faces tough competition from Steam and has had past failures in the gaming industry, like Stadia. The company believes this new approach will attract both developers and players. However, it’s unclear if this new venture will be successful.

Google Play Is a Lot of Fun (for Mobile)

Google Play is a very popular app store for Android users. It has millions of apps and games available, which attracts a wide range of users. The interface is user-friendly, making it easy to find and navigate apps. One of its key features is Google Play Pass, a subscription service that lets users access select games and apps without ads or in-app purchases. However, expanding into the PC gaming market comes with challenges.

Google’s strengths in mobile may not easily help it compete with established PC gaming platforms. To succeed, it would need a better understanding of PC players’ preferences and invest significantly in the technology and services needed to support a competitive gaming platform.

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Mobile gaming is popular, with billions of players around the world giving great opportunities for Google Play. Since Google owns the Android operating system, it has a huge audience that contributes to its usage and revenue. Unlike Apple’s App Store, Google Play has a more open environment that allows for a wider variety of apps.

Even though having a lot of games is appealing, PC players usually care about different aspects than mobile players do. High-quality graphics, great storytelling, and innovation are key to getting more players. These are features that mobile isn't known for. Moving Google Play's mobile games to PC without considering what players want won’t work.

An open approach to games can also lead to lower-quality options that tend to come from a lack of innovation. These often low-effort games copy a popular theme and remake it in a different skin. Unfortunately, this is something that PC players would be too aware of and will hurt the service.

Could Google Play Become Another Google Stadia?

Google

Google has had a rocky history in the gaming world, and the most notable failure was Google Stadia, a cloud gaming service launched in November 2019. Stadia aimed to change the gaming landscape by letting users stream high-quality games directly to its devices without expensive equipment. Google promoted the service by highlighting its ability to deliver 4K gaming with low delays. However, despite these promises, the service faced significant issues.

One major problem was the pricing. Users had to buy a $129.99 starter kit and pay a monthly subscription, which kept many people away. Additionally, there weren’t enough exciting exclusive games to make people want to sign up. While some existing games were available, the lack of new, high-profile releases did not help convince buyers that the service was much better than Sony's or Microsoft's offerings.

Technical issues also plagued Stadia. It depended heavily on strong and reliable internet connections, which not everyone had. Users experienced high delays and graphical problems, reducing their confidence in the service. Ultimately, a mix of unrealistic expectations, poor pricing, and major technical challenges led Google to shut down Stadia.

The shutdown was followed by difficulties in getting refunds and even today, it's hard to imagine that the Stadia will ever make a comeback. In hindsight, Google should have had a much better strategy because it felt like there wasn't enough marketing to attract more players.

Now, Google is trying to enter the PC gaming market with Google Play Games, and there are similarities with the initial launch of Stadia. Both aim to shake up established markets with new technology. However, this venture could also fail miserably if Google doesn’t learn from its previous mistakes—like improving pricing, ensuring technical reliability, and offering a strong lineup of appealing games.

If Amazon Couldn't Beat Steam, How Can Google?

Hannah Stryker / Review Geek

Amazon's attempt to enter the PC gaming market serves as a warning for Google as it plans to compete with Steam. Amazon's strategy was revealed by Ethan Evans, the VP of Prime Gaming at Amazon, in a LinkedIn post. Although Amazon is a giant in e-commerce and cloud services, its efforts to break into PC gaming were mostly unsuccessful.

The team started by buying smaller companies like Reflexive Entertainment, hoping to grow its user base. However, this didn't work because Amazon didn't really understand the players it was trying to reach.

Next, Amazon tried to use its existing platforms by acquiring Twitch, a popular live-streaming service. The company thought Twitch users would easily switch to Amazon's gaming store, but this assumption was wrong. Players didn’t change their buying habits just because they used a related service, showing that understanding consumer behavior is crucial—a lesson Amazon seemed to overlook.

Amazon also launched Luna, a game-streaming service aimed at making gaming easier for people without high-end PCs. This idea was similar to Google Stadia's efforts to bypass the technical limitations of traditional gaming. However, despite a lot of investment, Luna didn’t gain much popularity, highlighting that simply offering a new option isn’t enough for success.

Google's plan to challenge Steam could face similar, if not worse, challenges. While Google has plenty of resources, repeating Amazon’s mistakes would be a big setback. Instead of trying to build on existing platforms like Amazon did, Google might benefit from creating a new and innovative gaming experience.

It needs to appreciate the established habits and preferences of PC players. Success depends on understanding why Steam is popular—not just as a store but also as a community space and a way for players to connect and discover new content. If Google focuses only on technology and ignores these social aspects, it might encounter the same difficulties as Amazon.

Only Epic Games Has Been a Worthy Competitor to Steam

Steam's dominance in the PC gaming market goes beyond just having a big share; it reflects a strong loyalty from players. This loyalty comes from several factors that create a better experience, making Steam the preferred platform for many.

One key reason for this appeal is Steam's huge and varied game library, which includes indie games and popular AAA titles, satisfying a wide range of gaming preferences. The regular and significant sales events also offer great deals, letting players enjoy a lot of games at good prices. I buy games with no idea when I'll play them, and that's pretty common for Steam users.

In addition to the vast game selection, Steam has strong community features that foster a sense of belonging among users. Players can connect through user reviews, forums, and social networking tools, sharing experiences and helping each other make informed choices about what to buy. While it can be overwhelming at first, it is generally easy to use and navigate when you get used to it.

Features like the Steam Workshop let users make mods, which isn't very common to encourage but has gotten easier than ever. It also encourages ongoing mod development to lengthen the life cycle of games. The success of Valve's very own Linux-based handheld, the Steam Deck, has also played a role.

• 

  Valve Steam Deck

  The Steam Deck LCD is, hands down, the best budget handheld gaming PC you can get, thanks to its phenomenal price, top-notch build quality, excellent software support, and pretty solid gaming performance.

  $599 at Amazon$399 at Steam
• 

  Steam Deck OLED

  The Steam Deck OLED is a clear improvement over Valve's original handheld console, with a larger battery, more storage, faster Wi-Fi, and more. Not to forget the bigger and better-looking OLED screen that gives the device its name.

  See at Steam

Although other competitors have tried to challenge Steam, only Epic Games has seen notable success. However, Epic's approach is quite different; instead of trying to match Steam's wide appeal, the team focuses on getting exclusive titles, sometimes paying developers for limited-time exclusivity.

Epic also promotes a weekly lineup of free games, attracting players looking for specific titles or free options. While this has helped build a user base, it has also sparked controversy among players who see these exclusivity deals as unfair. Additionally, Epic's platform lacks the strong community features and extensive game library that Steam offers, making it hard to rival Steam's established position.

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For Google to break into this market share in the long run, it will need to follow Epic's example. Google must secure exclusive titles and improve its platform to compete with Steam’s well-developed features. The strong loyalty Steam has from users won't be easily broken. However, a broader and more well-rounded approach than Amazon took is the best chance to have lasting success in the PC gaming market.

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