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Why doesn't Steam support Android? (feddit.org)

submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Steam revenue estimated 2024: $10.8B

Google Play Store gaming revenue 2024: ~$31B

Why doesn't Valve want a part of that? I mean they already have an Android app. Several, actually. I realize there's some amount of investment but surely the payoff is worth it, and they have the necessary funds and skills? I mean if F-Droid can do it with nothing but volunteers and grants...?

Certainly plenty of games won't lend themselves well to the mobile experience but also plenty of them do.

From a personal perspective: I don't really care a whole lot for mobile games but I do like Balatro and want to play it on my phone, but if I want to do that I have to buy another license, which I can't even do because I don't run Google Play Services.

Epic got in on this already. Where's Valve?

Edit: my reflections on this conversation:

Valve could distribute their own app like Epic but they'd also probably have to remove it from the Play Store because now a cross-platform game would give them an Android version, thus breaking Google's ToS. So would doing such a thing outweigh lost sales from the Google version, and would it impact customer satisfaction? I wonder how many people are actually purchasing PC games in the Steam Android app...?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

They would have to distribute it independently. Google would have no say in the matter.

That's exactly my point. The current app lets you buy PC games despite being distributed through the store. If you can buy Android games on it, well, I doubt Google will ignore it. And even if Google was okay with it, there's no way to easily communicate to users who start using the app there that they need to download another app from a website.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I'm just saying I think there are reasons they haven't done it (yet?). I think they certainly must have considered it. I've certainly been wondering about it for a long while too.

why not both?

Sure. I would assume they would do it the same way as steam deck, where that's the priority. The wide variety of phone specs on the market might have an impact on how they could support it etc.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

That's exactly my point. The current app lets you buy PC games despite being distributed through the store.

And they could continue doing so while also distributing a separate app independently that allows you to buy Android games.

Notice if you try to buy a movie from Amazon on Google TV they redirect you to the website. They could do the same or redirect you to the non-Google version.

I'm just saying I think there are reasons they haven't done it (yet?)

I agree, I just find it very curious what those reasons are.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I don't think they would get away with selling games in the app if games were playable on Android (demonstrating Android compatibility). I think they would have to do what Amazon kindle does and tell you to go buy your game somewhere else.

Edit: Here's the policy. You might be right but it looks like a grey area to me.
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9858738?sjid=15164020873047119237-NC&visit_id=638803514547940454-2089146208&rd=1

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I don't think they would get away with selling games in the app if games were playable on Android

I'm saying they would need a separate app to purchase, install and play Android games.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Oh... I see!

I personally prefer the "also play PC games on Android" strategy so was looking at it from that angle.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Now that I'm thinking about it they'd probably have to de-list those cross-platform games from the Google app or make them unavailable, which would probably lead to a lot of confusion.