If Valve is for sale, I certainly hope Google would be the one to buy it. EA? They'll probably limit the amount of times you can download games :P - And I have a bit of a grudge against EA for caring about the profit a heck of a lot more than making quality games.
I also think MS should focus on making an operating system to replace XP because Vista sure doesn't count

wont happen....evar....charlie, stop talking out of your ass ;)

This is good news actually. It will probably be the same as how they bought youtube. The company stays independent but gets shedload more money to work with. Whats the problem. o.O

Vaggle sounds like a vaginal toy...

But in all seriousness... if anyone were to "collaborate" with Valve like that, I actually see it being Microsoft. I mean "Games for Windows" is a joke (still) and Steam pretty well sums up exactly what it was trying to do. Could even combine OS updates. 

I'm biased though... I just love Steam. As long as I got my account info, I got an endless amount of re-downloadable games. 

Oh, and I gotta disagree with you Mark. I think Gabe knows exactly what he's doing... TF2, Portal, and HL2: Ep2 were incredible to say the least. He has a knack for getting the right people together to make a great game(s). 


They should call themselves "Vagoo". That would be awesome.

@Nobby 
The internet connection (At least on orange box) is required because you are not installing off the CD, hence the download time. The game isn't on the CD its downloaded. It might have been different when steam first started, but thats how it is now.

"Steam aren’t advocates for DRM otherwise they would use in on their own games"

So why do I need to install Steam and have an internet connection to install a shop bought boxed version of a single player game called Half-Life 2?

Denial means nothing fools. I see this everyday at work.
"No the 10,000 lbs of bombs we dropped on the village didn't cause a single civillian casualty."

But this is a great merger idea. Here is why:

1.) People hate the malware that is Direct X 10 and the whole GAMES FOR WINDOWS extortion racket. 

2.) Some mobo's already come with onboard chip Linux OS, some even have Firefox preinstalled.

3.) Combine Linux OS backed by Google dev bucks + Google Chrome Browser + Open Office + Google Mail + the hands down best gaming platform which is STEAM. For the Frickin Amazing price of FREE DOWNLOAD

or

Pay 132.93CAD$ retail(maybe 44$OEM) for VISTA shite with no Office and malware OS that eats about 20% of your hardware throughput for useless bloated code.

BYE BYE MICROSOFT.

Google getting into the business of supporting PC games? That's got to be a bad joke. It goes straight against their "cover all platforms" "webby" approach to things. 
This is a PC platform, with real games, the mountain of games getting bigger by the second, and it requires PC support and all that. 
Does not compute, at all.

I know there are equal opportunity laws in many countries, but surely something must be done about the moronic Charlie Demerjian. He obviously is a few sandwiches short of a picnic given his articles over the past several months, citing rumours (even already discredited ones) as fact, and generally contributing nothing worthwhile to IT news.

The Inq needs to put his continued employment to a vote (whether he is paid for writing articles is irrelevant, he's still a contributor).

Do the Inq a favour, please!

Windows Sucks. They just copy and paste open-source stuff and sell to ignorant tards who thinks that linux is hard to use. No wonder they are rich, ppl are lazy. L2Ubuntu.

I hope this is true. Google seems to have the Midas touch in that everything they're involved in seems to turn to gold. We may regret this later down the line when Google becomes so big it buys the universe but for now I like this big friendly giant.

WTF, Chuck?

Where exactly were these "well placed sources"?

Were they in the janitor closet behind your desk? Or were they down the hall in the mens restroom?

Or just maybe, possibly, the well placed sources were in a place where you could talk to them no matter where you roamed.

That's right, I'm talking about your head. (If you hadn't figured that out yet, I apologize for ruining the surprise.) 

Your cabesa, your melon, your noodle, your cranial cavity which houses your cerebrum, cerebellum, your hypothalamus, and your medulla oblongata. 

That source of voices which keep you up at night, that whisper softly to you telling you that you are worthless, that lead you astray and force you to write a story without actually checking the facts.

Lets face it, Chucky. If I wanted fiction, I would go read Tolkien, Lewis, or even Simpson (O.J., not Homer.)

So next time, just drown out those voices like the rest of us: with copious amounts of fermented liquid consumables. (That means alcohol; sorry to ruin it for you again.)

Sincerely,
Rath

Article about Google, Valve and Steam, and the Google context-sensitive ads on the page?

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Ha ha ha, that was a good April Fool's joke! Good one!

Nooooo!!!

Can u imagine the legal fine print?
"a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license" to anything u do through steam. Keeping records of what you do in steam for 18mths. They will probably keep record all messages u send, who knows maybe even all in-game messages!

The well placed sources weren't lying becaue they don't exist, I think you'll find INQ are just spouting their usual garbage ... but since almost everyone stopped believing a word said on this site many many years ago, meh.

"complete fabrication".

Seems your "well-placed sources" (*cough* I expect that's you then *cough*) could have just been winding you up then :>

While Gabe, etc denying it doesn't really mean much (they've been caught flat-out lying before), I still don't think it's very likely. Google isn't interested in dealing with consumers from a financial point of view. Sure, they'll store your email and dump ads on you, but they aren't really that interested in having you buy stuff from them.

They'd much rather deal with a small number of million-dollar sales to corporations than millions of small-sized transactions with consumers. While I can see them partnering up with Valve to deliver ads, I can't see them wanting to take over the retail side of the business.

Which is a pity, since many of Steam's user-hostile policies could do with a dose of "don't be evil".

Buyouts buyouts buyouts! Next thing you'll hear is AMD is gonna buy Intel, Toyota is gonna buy GM, and as for me, I'm gonna buy myself AIG. Oh wait, the Fed beat me to it! DAMMIT!

valve is thier pride,and joy!easy continual revenue,other componeys most likely hating on them ,and to top it off stick it to microsoft. i see google using it to monopoly internet sales or work it into thier froogle;yea...price tag isent worth that much.great! one more EA like bussiness around....WOOT!

If google does buy Valve it will be the end of Steam as we know it, we will be forced to look at stupid advertisements non-stop, even in all our MP games made by Valve.

Google = the Anti-Christ 

Valve has nothing to gain but has a lot to lose if this deal actually happens.

Way to go, Charlie! Even in a completely unrelated article you didn't forget to mention your sponsors... ;)

This story was just discredited by Valve's PR Dough Lombardi. Dough agreed to the terms "complete fabrication." and "Valve says Google isn’t buying the company."

Your sources were wrong.

Story - http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64445

Valve should fit right in with Google['s mind set so I don't think this is anything but good news.

So when is Google guna give us an OS?
If they could knock out Google/Linux, all the hardware boys would make the drivers it needs to game. They already have some top Linux bods, a top distribution network, a trusted brand and all the cash they need to pull it of.....

Content distribution is only good if you run on microsoft products. Steam doesn't work otherwise. (last I heard anyway)

google will use steam to spy on more people and collect more information


cause thats all google cares for more and more info about you , thats how they got so ****** big

Officials from Valve said it's a fake.
------
NoFrag: I'd like to know if there's any truth behind the information spread by
the Inquirer about a possible acquisition by Google. Any comment?

Gabe Newell: No truth. Fabrication.

Doug Lombardi: It's nothing more than rumor. Valve is focused on making Left 4 Dead a great product and supporting folks like Crytek and Ubisoft who are bringing great games to Steam this year.
------
http://www.nofrag.com/2008/sep/17/29558/

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/09/17/valve-on-rumors-of-google-buy-out/
It's completely Fake, It's amazing you people, days before you were accusing of EA buying Valve, now its Google buying Valve. Valve dismissed the EA myth and said they like exact where they are at, FREE to do what ever they want, and they are in a great financial situation. What happen? Valve is still independent like they said. Not to mention how horribly written this article is.

Everybody has always bashed MS for being the "boogeyman" "cookie monster" the "mother of all evil" the "big corporate company that eats kitens for breakfast"...

Google has always been looked at as the "cool guys in the hood that give away free stuff", there's a huge hype around Google, I'm not against or pro anyone, in the end it's all about the dough... but, watch out cause someone may very well be joining the dark side of the force!

http://kotaku.com/5051164/valve-kills-google-buy+out-rumor

I wish I could make stuff up and put it on the internet too.

Steam aren’t advocates for DRM otherwise they would use in on their own games and as for Microsoft it would be a big bonus as they could migrate it to their sh** live system and f**k everyone out of cash.

Then they would close off all the open free servers so they could and charge for gold memberships only and additional costs for updates/maps/mods and only allow a limited amount and would pork you for a platinum membership to get more content.

Then the whole thing would dry up and die and Microsoft would in all its stupendously stoopid glory ponder why it all fell apart?

One of the reasons I don't use Steam is because of their DRM structure, believe what you want, Steam is just a different name for DRM. Now Google (Ads) and Steam (DRM) together, what do you get? AdStream? AdSteam? AsStream? AssCream?

What's funny is that they'll tell you how ads in your games benefit you by hiring some consumer research company to validate it, and the masses (you) will believe it.

Get your KY Jelly and Preparation H (and lots of it) Beyatch.

Honestly can you guys post anything without completely fabricating it?

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/09/17/valve-on-rumors-of-google-buy-out/

What in the world are you talking about? The install limit was for the box/store bought copies. That limit doesn't exist on Steam. Maybe you should check your facts before you start typing.

Here come GoogleAds in Steam games...updated on the fly...

"Rumor," Valve marketing VP Doug Lombardi told Shacknews, while clarifying to MTV Multiplayer that the entire affair is a "complete fabrication."

Charlie, I think you should start writing movie scripts, your imagination is pretty good.

As soon as I saw this article was written by Charles Demerjian, it was clear as day, I would not even read it.

Valve would have to want to be bought. They're not a public company or on any stock market. So you can't just buy majority shares and own the company. Valve would have to allow someone to buy them up, and I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Dude, you don't understand sh**, do ya? If Steam is ported over to Linux, the entire game market is pretty much apart of the Linux OS also. This gives games, computer gurus, and your average consumer more of a reason to make the switch to that OS. And because of that, it wouldn't be too hard to even move it over to MAC - not that it has been mentioned [to my knowledge]. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is ALL the reason for Microsoft to be worried.

I am personally i heavy steam users when it come to games and it is my favorite way to get them. I see Google acquiring Valve as a interesting step for both Google and Valve.
It could be interesting to see how Google's ad machine could be incorporated into steam apps like what valve have been trying to kick off with its CS etc related ingame ad systems.

And Valve would get a financial and net-hardware giant in its back to sure help both Steam but also Valve's software.

Also if Steam was to be adopted by anyone it sure should be Google. As some pointed out earlier if EA or MS alike would take over Steam it would ruin the service for good.

This is one of the most interesting Gaming news this year.

Microsoft is irrelevant? Tell me, what OS does Steam use? What OS does Steam sell games for?

I don't even understand why the 360 is being discussed. Steam does not run on nor sell games for consoles.

Bioshock's DRM was NOT steam's fault, do your research

So Google wants Valve for their Steam Gaming /content delivery service? I'm a steam member and I know it as a gaming community. What would happen to the Valve software development/game development side of things? Say it aint so!! I haven't even got Orange Box yet, but am currently a frequent player on Halflife Deathmatch online....

This rumor & speculation has been totally discredited by Valve.

Reporting this kinda made-up stuff doesn't lend much credibility to The Inquirer... :\

Like, I heard from a friend who knows a guy whose brother-in-law works at...


We've written some in-depth coverage of this deal, focusing on where tie-ups could occur between the two companies - http://blog.lbi-netrank.co.uk/will-google-buy-valve/

Which means that it's even less reliable than the usually unreliable Inq :)

so if Google buys Valve, will Linux stop being a second class citizen in the near future

..... one has the right to dream! doesn't he?

valve said this is not true. so yeah...

Stop spreading FUD...geez.

Not true ùù

Charlie is an idiot.

This is a piss-poor article even for the INQUIRER's standards.

Google has now interest in taking their media off the clouds, so they don't need a software distribution method like Steam.

And they certainly don't have any interest in the gaming market - which is a completely different market strategy than content hosting and advertising.

Finally, this article is written in the tone nothing short of an overenthusiastic fanboy, StarWars Kid style.

It is a good thought, and it would be a clever move on Google's part if it had any off-the-cloud content that it needed to distribute.

Any second now...

WELL PLACED SOURCES my ass.

http://kotaku.com/5051164/valve-kills-google-buy+out-rumor

Maybe you should contact Valve and ask them for confirmation, great job on checking your sources.

"Hope they do.
Get rid of that idiot Gabe Newell, he is systematically destroying valve with his inbred Microsoft love."

Get rid of the founder of the company, the man whom is selling it too Google, created steam and is in charge and directly responsible for every single ounce of their success not to mention coding the source engine? Are you some sort of f_cking retard? or do you simply posses sh|t for brains? I'm leaning towards your a retard that has sh't for brains. Gabe doesn't even realy like the current state of Microsoft, why the hell do you think he's selling the company to Google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabe_Newell


"Oh, and why haven't Apple bought Nintendo yet?"

Apple is worth about $160 billion.
Nintendo over a year ago was worth $51 billion.
The financial times reported that Nintendo earns $1.6 million per employee in profits.
Nintendo is well on its way to being worth $100 billion. Apple can not afford that.

The other issue is the fact that Nintendo is a Japanese company. They will never sell out and have stated as much in the past (basically, "The day we stop making video game consoles is the day we stop making video games", back when everyone was talking about Sony/MS buying them out.)

As for Google buying Valve, I doubt it.
The economy isn't so hot right now, and Google really needs to do something other than sell stock and ads.
Until they start running their offices responsibly, curb ridiculous spending, and start charging for hype, I won't even consider them a real business.

i think google is going to ruin everything... when i think of valve, i think of great games with great story lines, maybe hardcore gaming. but when i think of google... i think of the kid-like google logo, and the pretty drawings they put on special occasions.

the two don't seem to go together very well.

"Hope they do.
Get rid of that idiot Gabe Newell, he is systematically destroying valve with his inbred Microsoft love."

Typical Linux idiot. Maybe if you wasn't such a Linux fanboy and acctually used an OS that works you'd acctually like Gabe Newell. Valve is nothing without him.

Linux = useless, stop using it.

Now HalfLife3 will be buried in adverts for shite and every time you shoot a headcrab you will get pop-ups asking if you would like some ointment or some mail-order porcelain crabs.
As if we aren't already all suffering from Advertising Overload! <sigh>

Google isn't the lovable start they where 8 years ago. 

What happens when a company becomes as powerful as M$ and and has EA's impact on the young generation?

What happens when they justify it all by saving us from all those evil monopolists...

DO NOT BE EVIL. at least EA is more or less frank about being the reincarnation of the devil.

Why are you guys so down on microsoft. I love the info I get on this site but you guys are rather nasty sometimes and quite frankly it ruins the expierence . Stop it!

maybe they'll drop the moronic drm in steam-distributed titles then? Bioshock was the reason I don't use steam anymore.

One can dream....

Perhaps we've finally learned the true meaning of the G-Man?

It is a good for everyone except MS and every Enduser out there.

These guys rocks. They know how to run a business.

NOOOOOOOOO....

Please don't sell Steam.
The system has just gotten good, most game companies have signed on to distribute digitally, why would you sell?
They have to wait just but another year and i think they will reap large financial benefits.

Best digital distro system ever.

Why? Because steam allows them to 'update' all games to include ingame ads, get it now?

And I'd rather chant 'death to ingame ads'

This will be very sad if it happens.

Kickass, being that Google likes open source and that Valve has been looking to port steam to Linux this might be a great thing for all. If Google gets the gaming on Linux then MS can say good bye to their pedestal. 

W00T!!!

gvole.... duh!

I hope not.

Nice One Charlie, love it love it love it. xx

I still wonder why MS didn't jump at this. I guess they figured they will develop their own system, just like they developed a great search competitor to Google. Um ya...

Microsoft have the XBox - Google want a piece of the gaming action too.

Oh, and why haven't Apple bought Nintendo yet?

I hate google, the worlds biggest HYPE machine.

This is a disaster for everyone

wrong!

Really, what could Valve possibly gain from selling to Google that they don't already have?

Other than skiploads of money?

I'm a massive Valve/Steam fan and I see this as the worst news for gaming I've read all year :(

my brethren, death to microsoft!!!!

I hope this is a pile of sh** story 'cause Valve has done very well by it self. Still if Google is buying it out at least it ain't EA or MS.

I am skeptical, these rumours strike me as really out of the blue. Anywho... I guess such an acquisition would be a total boon for the Steam network -- content servers and hardrives are something Google has plenty of. Maybe it would also mean some Linux and Mac love (at least a cross-platform steam client), that would be awesome!

Nevertheless, my heart sinks a little, i liked the fact Valve was an uber indie powering forward, charting new territories. It's a company i actually admire. Hopefully as a studio they can maintain their independence and keep on doing great stuff.

Why would MS give a damn about it, steam is for the PC market, MS has its own Xbox market, both are totally different, MS doesnt have a direct to drive service for its Windows games and at least for the time being its online appliaction services arent being catered for by steam

The service that Microsoft has stated it will do isnt quite the same deal as steam and whilst it will no doubt sell all those games with "for windows" branding on them it doesnt mean there will be a sudden power struggle and only one service will provide a game. 

So use your noddle, if your capable that is, and think of the two services as online shops which will no doubt compete on price as shops do, its not a big deal and is good for the whole industry.

How about calling the potential merge something like Vaggle?

Get rid of that idiot Gabe Newell, he is systematically destroying valve with his inbred Microsoft love.