Valve: Game Developer or Publisher?

Several years ago Valve released The Orange Box, an amazing package that included not only older games like Half Life 2 and Episode 1, but also brand new content such as Portal, Episode 2, and Team Fortress 2. This was a blockbuster "game" for consoles and the PC that was a bargain considering the amount of content it included.

Since then though, Valve has seemingly slowed on the game development front, releasing only Left4Dead games and DLC for L4D and Team Fortress 2. Why this change? Where's Episode 3? As someone who doesn't care particularly for the Left4Dead franchise and doesn't play multiplayer games like Team Fortress 2, I see this as a change from a game developer to a game publisher.

First party development has significantly slowed while Steam, the hottest online digital platform available for the PC, expands to the Apple Mac, and Valve apparently focuses more on expanding the platform instead of releasing new games. PC gamers don't necessarily see this. They see Valve as an amazing developer, one who continually releases free content for Left4Dead and Team Fortress 2, and they love the free and inexpensive games available on Steam.

And don't get me wrong, I love cheap PC games too. And I buy many more than I actually play since I'm a console gamer nowadays. But as someone who desperately wants Episode 3, I am getting tired of waiting or caring. I see Value release these co-op and multiplayer focused games and their move to the Mac, and see what's actually happening is they are focused on their Steam platform and could care less about making new single player games.

So I guess my point is although Valve had started to become a force to be reckoned with as a developer of great single player console games, they've now switched gears, apparently much happier with bigger profit margins and the fast growing Mac market. So while that's not a good thing for Xbox 360 or PS3 owners, it's definitely good for those with PCs and Macs.