I was typing a reply to that but then suddenly my router decided to stop recognizing my computer. Because sometimes consumer routers just plain fuck up for no reason. But hey, that's my problem, right? And the fact that, even if I already owned a 720, I would at this point be less inclined to purchase and play games on the platform than on comparable platforms that don't have this issue - including Steam, which only authenticates at startup - certainly is of no concern to publishers who have to pay a licensing fee to get their game on it before they can even try to make a sale.
If it sounds like I wish that Microsoft would reconsider their stance, well, you're dead wrong. I have no interest Microsoft gaming products and would love nothing more than to watch the entire division collapse from a self-inflicted wound. Here's hoping it really shakes out that way.
The problem is this:
You're already looking at this same shit on a whole lot of PC games.
And there are rumors that the PS4 will have the same limitations.
If I were a betting man, I would not put my money on Nintendo stealing away all the PC/Xbox/PS customers who are sick of this crap.
And even if the Ouya gets its shit together and offers a better library than the one it's got, it doesn't have the hardware power that the other consoles have.
Basically, MS has just given Valve TWO huge openings to change the way people play video games. And you know who else should be sitting up and paying attention right about now? Mark Shuttleworth. He thinks Amazon integration and a tablet OS are the best way to dig Ubuntu out of its money sink, well, bundling Steam into the default install would sure pick up a lot of curious new paying customers.
Realistically, though? I think MS will hold its ground, Sony may very well do the same thing, desktop Linux will continue to make modest inroads at best, and the whole thing will just be one more step in the long slow decline of the market for dedicated gaming hardware. The SteamBox COULD be a game-changer, and Valve's definitely weighing its options, but I don't expect them to come out with anything unless they're sure they can make it count.
To put it all more succinctly: as we already know, people will put up with all kinds of shit from Microsoft if there's insufficient competition in the marketplace.
