A surprising contradiction lies at the core of PC gaming: the most open platform is largely governed by a single storefront. This storefront, Valve’s Steam, has maintained its dominance for nearly two decades, despite various attempts to challenge its supremacy. One notable effort came from Amazon, whose former VP recently shared insights on why such endeavors have consistently faltered.
Insights from Amazon’s Experience
Ethan Evans, who retired as VP of Prime Gaming in 2020 after a 15-year tenure at Amazon, reflected on the company’s multiple attempts to disrupt Steam’s stronghold. In a recent LinkedIn post, he candidly stated, “We were at least 250x bigger, and we tried everything. But ultimately, Goliath lost.”
Evans outlined three key initiatives Amazon pursued in its quest to capture a share of the PC gaming market:
- Acquiring Reflexive Entertainment, a small PC game store, with hopes of scaling it.
- Developing its own PC game store and leveraging Twitch’s popularity to attract players.
- Launching Luna, Amazon’s game streaming service.
Despite these efforts, none made a significant impact. Attempts by other major publishers, including EA, Ubisoft, and Bethesda, to establish their own storefronts through proprietary launchers also fell short. Even the Epic Games Store, which debuted in 2017, has struggled to position itself as a true rival to Steam, often being perceived primarily as a launcher for Fortnite.
Evans noted, “The mistake was that we underestimated what made consumers use Steam. It was a store, a social network, a library, and a trophy case all in one. And it worked well.” He emphasized that Amazon assumed its size and visibility would be sufficient to attract customers, failing to recognize the entrenched habits of gamers. “We never validated our core assumptions before investing heavily in solutions,” he admitted.
This reflection serves as both a testament to Valve’s success and a critique of corporate misjudgments. Despite the criticisms leveled at Steam—such as its lack of moderation, poor discovery tools, and aging infrastructure—it continues to function effectively. The platform’s ecosystem lock-in, which includes social networking features and seasonal sales that enrich players’ libraries, reinforces its position.
Moreover, Steam has become the launchpad for many unexpected hits each year, contributing significantly to the gaming attention economy. In contrast, when a timed exclusive appears on the Epic Games Store, it often goes unnoticed. While the dominance of a single company in such a rapidly growing sector raises concerns, the alternative—requiring users to juggle multiple launchers—has proven equally unappealing.
Perhaps instead of vying for market share and platform supremacy, companies could take a cue from GOG and work towards a DRM-free future for PC gaming. While this vision may seem unlikely, it is no more improbable than the prospect of displacing Steam at this juncture.
