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[Jizz_Beard_thePirate]

JEMC said:

Captain_Yuri said:

Yea but I think what the main implications of it if it passes is that it will change the console landscape forever as they will also be forced to use third party app payments and such. But yea, I doubt it will actually pass as that would be nuts.

I doubt it will have any implication at all for consoles. After all, publishers can still sell their games phisically if they want, which means that they can avoid the tax from the digital stores.

Also, and in the case of Nintendo (it's weird that Nintendo is ahead of the other two in this digital side of the business), some third parties sell keys for their 3DS/Switch games on sites suck as the Humble Store (they had a sale a couple weeks ago or so), which is another way to avoid that fee.

Captain_Yuri said:

Opinion Piece time!

Valve should make a Steam PC that's subsidized like the Steam Deck

*snip*

I have to disagree with you here. Valve needs to make money from hardware because they don't know how the user will use the end device. A lot of people will try to install Windows and after that come GOG and EGS, for example, which means that Valve could end losing money so that others reap the profits.

But that's just the business side of it, there's also the logistics. What kind of PC can they build that can survive the shipments without any kind of problems? The most obvious answer is one with laptop-like hardware and cooling. And if they go that route, it will be very hard to make something that upgradeable besides the storage components.

By then, with fixed hardware and limited cooling, you're getting closer to a console than a PC, and console makers can get better discounts on parts and game exclusives than Valve, putting it at a disatvantage.

Yes, it will sell quite a few units, but I'm not sure if it would be profitable, worth the effort or have any meaningful impact.

Well the bill isn't about digital stores getting taxed. It's about a lot more issues:

"The terms of the bill state that any company whose app store controls more than 50 million users, such as Apple and Google, would not require developers to use its own payment systems. Additionally, these developers would be allowed to distribute their apps to alternative app stores. Senator Blackburn says that Apple’s and Google’s practices discourage a fair marketplace."

"Companies like Apple would also not take action against developers that distribute their apps elsewhere. Such firms would also need to provide these developers access to operating system interfaces, hardware and software features, and more. "

I think they can make small form factor PCs that are also upgradable as they can get OEM discounts for a lot of the parts. I think they can adjust the prices so that it will make small amounts of profits for them as there's a lot of leeway in todays market. Also most PCs these days that get shipped to places have certain packaging material inside the PCs to help prevent any damage. If small companies like iBuyPower can figure it out, I am sure Valve can.