Google to Buy Valve? Ain't Gonna Happen

The Inquirer’s Charlie Demerjian, quoting “well placed sources,” reported today that Google is “going to buy Valve any second now.” If so, that’s news to Valve’s marketing veep Doug Lombardi, who should be in a position to know.

“I never heard anything about it until I woke up this morning and checked my Blackberry, which John McCain invented,” cracked Lombardi. “There’s really nothing else to say."

No one would be surprised to hear that Google might be interested in acquiring Valve: Every major game publisher in the world—with the exception of Microsoft and Vivendi (although Vivendi’s Activision division is a client) has signed up to use Valve’s Steam content-distribution system.

Steam attracts game publishers for many reasons, not the least of which is that it handily solves the piracy problem without generating the kind of negative press that has plagued EA’s Spore. And in addition to developing Steam, Valve has produced several of the best-selling games of all time, and they’re on the cusp of shipping another: Left4Dead.

Now, the big question is why would Valve be interested in selling to Google—or anyone else? The company is privately (and very closely) held, so no one really knows how much money it’s worth or what kinds of revenue it’s producing, but when you consider how much time and effort they invest in each new episode of Half-Life, and how many new projects they’ve started or acquired over the years, it’s readily apparent that they not starving for capital.

Selling to Google would undoubtedly leave Gabe Newell and company with a big pile of money, but those guys have never played the short game; it’s doubtful they’ll start now.

  • notherdude
    I really, really hope they don't sell but Google is in a position to make anyone an offer they can't refuse. I'm really starting to get sick of freaking Google.
    Reply
  • apoq
    Here here. Beware of corporations growing too big.
    Reply
  • Shadow703793
    notherdudeI really, really hope they don't sell but Google is in a position to make anyone an offer they can't refuse. I'm really starting to get sick of freaking Google.+1. True Google should be in check just like any other company (ie Micro$oft, Intel,etc)
    Reply
  • When I first heard of this, I was both excited and terrified. I'm sort of a Google fanboy, but I'm also a Valve fanboy. To me, Valve is the Google of videogames. I'd be curious to see what Google does to the Steam platform, etc., but at the same time I want Valve to just be Valve. Steam works, Valve works. There's no reason for me as a user to want anyone to change that, even if I like Google.
    Reply
  • diablo-x
    Jay.ZZWhen I first heard of this, I was both excited and terrified. I'm sort of a Google fanboy, but I'm also a Valve fanboy. To me, Valve is the Google of videogames. I'd be curious to see what Google does to the Steam platform, etc., but at the same time I want Valve to just be Valve. Steam works, Valve works. There's no reason for me as a user to want anyone to change that, even if I like Google.
    Exactly what I'm thinking! Valve and Google are amazing at what they do, merging things always always fails. Thank god it's not true, but then it would be like Valve buying Facebook, never going to happen.
    Reply
  • terror112
    what would happen if google can push steam to non-pc gamers? They could possibly incorporate a gaming section on google, and even advertise or push pc-gaming in general, hypothetically speaking. I love Valve more than google... CS:S ftw.
    Reply
  • I really don't see Valve selling up at all. I bet they're almost printing their own money these days. The creation of steam and how well it works was equivalent to building your own mint.
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  • caamsa
    Why would they want to buy a big fat bald guy with a spigot sticking out of his head anyway?
    Reply
  • thepinkpanther
    google should do what we liked them for...make stuff that no one has, or better than then the previous. Buying successful companies is what Microsoft and EA does, google should follow that path.
    Reply
  • frozenlead
    You know, I've always wondered what Valve's pirating figures were versus other companies that don't use the interface directly. I mean...if you have to submit your CD key to Valve..pirating just got a lot more difficult.
    Unless I'm missing some method to cheat it that's beyond me.
    Reply