That’s the problem imho. Right now they are “benevolent monopoly” for most of it’s users, except:
currency conversions (famously Poland has the highest game prices on Steam in the world because Steam does not want to update the currency rates).
innovation (Steam does not innovate Steam, they r&d othe products)
accessibility (no way to make fonts bigger)
(Those are my issues with it, there’s definitely more)
We know since at least 70’s, that when a company hits 4% market share, it stops innovating and competing with other companies, because buying the competition out and increasing the market share is safer and higher return (every 5% increase was 10% increase in profit, because they have to compete less).
innovation (Steam does not innovate Steam, they r&d othe products)
But do they not?
Proton is a clear innovation they’ve implemented into their store front.
They have new lab experiments every so often, currently there’s a release calendar.
Family sharing.
Game recording.
For some of those you could argue it’s an already existing concept, but even so. The implementation is certainly novel. And they are certainly continuing to improve a store front unmatched in features by any other.
That’s the problem imho. Right now they are “benevolent monopoly” for most of it’s users, except:
We know since at least 70’s, that when a company hits 4% market share, it stops innovating and competing with other companies, because buying the competition out and increasing the market share is safer and higher return (every 5% increase was 10% increase in profit, because they have to compete less).
But do they not?
Proton is a clear innovation they’ve implemented into their store front.
They have new lab experiments every so often, currently there’s a release calendar.
Family sharing.
Game recording.
For some of those you could argue it’s an already existing concept, but even so. The implementation is certainly novel. And they are certainly continuing to improve a store front unmatched in features by any other.