http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/09/17/google-valve

Not sure if this is true but I tend to trust this lot. Comments?

Doesn't seem feasible. It'd be like Virgin buying Clairol.

I highly doubt this article namely, because its information came from "well placed sources" rather than an announcement or person or actual source of information.

I suppose it's possible, but I can't see any major benefit Valve would get. They've had a string of highly successful game releases, their engine is being licensed regularly, and Steam is by far the most successful digital distribution platform. They're not a publicly traded company, so they can't be taken over. Someone would have to offer them a ridiculous pile of cash to convince them to sell.

And, since Google doesn't actually make games, they'd be buying it just for the distribution system and audience. But I don't see how they could capitalize it - if anyone would want to acquire Valve, it'd probably be an already-existing PC game publisher (EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft). Maybe a media company, since a built-in audience of gamers would be a good demographic.

Google would be one of the few companies to have the cash to do it though, if they so desired. I'd consider it pretty unlikely though.

Also: There's someone on the planet that trusts the Inquirer? Learn something new every day.

I doubt it'd happen - and given the source is 'The Inquirer', I doubt its very true.

Google might buy a license to develop Steam for their own purposes (which would be good) but we'll see.

Now, if it was true, I could see it being good or bad.

Virgil:
I suppose it's possible, but I can't see any major benefit Valve would get. They've had a string of highly successful game releases, their engine is being licensed regularly, and Steam is by far the most successful digital distribution platform. They're not a publicly traded company, so they can't be taken over. Someone would have to offer them a ridiculous pile of cash to convince them to sell.

And, since Google doesn't actually make games, they'd be buying it just for the distribution system and audience. But I don't see how they could capitalize it - if anyone would want to acquire Valve, it'd probably be an already-existing PC game publisher (EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft). Maybe a media company, since a built-in audience of gamers would be a good demographic.

Google would be one of the few companies to have the cash to do it though, if they so desired. I'd consider it pretty unlikely though.

Also: There's someone on the planet that trusts the Inquirer? Learn something new every day.

Well put, but doesn't valve have some kind of deal with EA? Wouldn't that mkae this more complex?

The Inquirer is in my opinion not too good at printing well-researched stories. I've been burned by them in the past...

Knight Templar:

Well put, but doesn't valve have some kind of deal with EA? Wouldn't that mkae this more complex?

Yeah, VALVe is selling quite a few of Ubisoft and EA games, I.E. Far Cry 2, Crysis Warhead, and Rainbow Six. In exchange, VALVe gets a profit and, with EA, solid copy publishing.

No.

No.

Just no...

NO!

That would be pretty cool, Google may be a quickly growing corporation but at least they care about their products. Unlike other giants like Microsoft who continually shit on everything they touch.

I doubt valve would sell up... but then again, think of the money google could offer. It could be a good thing or a bad thing if it happens.

I see no problem with this.

Google's dev teams work in a fashion reminiscent of Google. I consider it unlikely that Google would stifle Valve. If Google buys Valve mostly for Steam then Valve may have access to more bodies to work on their games (esp the oft-delayed ones).

Plus Valve is happy to consider such business ventures.

I err on the side of doubt on the validity of the article though.

well, there is no greater force on this planet then Google, so who knows, it might happen, and i dont really see how it would be a bad thing, unless ofc Google decide to lay off good designers and use their owns instead, that might be a problem if they dont have as good designers, but i doubt it, the google people seem smart enough not to walk into such a problem

As someone already mentioned, doesn't seem like either side would particularly benefit from this... Maybe if google was trying to create their own videogame...? Unlikely.

I really don't see this happening. I mean I can't see how this purchase would really benefit either company in the long run. Besides Valve has no reason to sell, I can't see how they are in any kind of financial crisis.

i dont see how that would work..googles probs mroe focus on advertising methods like eg chrome

Whether it's true or not I still have a great deal of apathy towards Valve. Let's face it, even if Google did buy Valve, they would still go on making games so we would see a Portal 2, Team Fortress 3 and Half Life 3 (with at least 4 episodes).

As Long As Valve Does What They Do

I don't care who owns valve as long as they fuck off and let them make games without pressuring them to release.

Apparently Forbes has talked about this a few days ago, so it may valid.

Wesker_Chick:
I really don't see this happening. I mean I can't see how this purchase would really benefit either company in the long run. Besides Valve has no reason to sell, I can't see how they are in any kind of financial crisis.

They don't need to be losing money for this to be a lucrative venture. The articles I've read also discuss how this would benefit both parties. Google gets a distribution method for the coming download delivery-centric market. Valve gets more man power and capital to make larger games (or hopefully faster, at the same size).

Hey guys, don't confuse The Inquirer with "The National Enquirer" - the first one is good, the latter, is BS (on purpose).

Well, has anything negative happened out of Google's acquisition of YouTube?

To be fair even if it did happen then it wouldn't be as bad as say: EA buying them.

Then again giving google access to Steam could be quite detrimental.

Giving google access to not only what people search, say, use their browser for and the like is bad enough without them also getting access to knowing what we game.

Google must be stopped before they *DO* actually take over the world

Or realize that they probably can already......

Doug Lombardi has denied this.

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