Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is suggesting that Valve is holding gaming back with Steamworks, claiming its networking tools lock developers into a closed ecosystem. However, Valve’s own documentation suggests the situation isn’t quite that simple. Sweeney joins a discussion started by Epic’s former Principal Animation Programmer, Kiaran Ritchie, who argues that building a rival to Steam’s client wouldn’t be particularly difficult.
Ritchie also questions why Valve doesn’t let developers pay for individual Steamworks services instead of taking a 30% cut of their revenue. Sweeney backs Ritchie’s criticism in a recent social media post, claiming Valve has “held gaming back for years by locking developers’ PC games into Steamworks’ social walled garden.” He reckons that this stops players from communicating with others on iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and rival PC storefronts.
However, an X community note attached to the discussion highlights an important detail: developers can use Valve’s Steam Datagram Relay networking service across platforms, provided their game also launches on Steam. According to Valve’s official documentation, Steam Datagram Relay (SDR) routes multiplayer traffic through Valve’s network. This helps protect players and game servers against denial-of-service attacks while supporting online multiplayer.
Steam’s networking tools do have limits. Developers must meet Valve’s requirements to allow players who play outside Steam to use the service, and it doesn’t automatically let players chat or manage friends across different platforms. Still, Valve offers tools that help games connect players beyond Steam. There’s also more to Steamworks than networking. Valve gives developers tools for online multiplayer, matchmaking, achievements, and leaderboards.
Building a rival to Steam means creating all these services, too, not just making another digital store. That doesn’t mean Valve’s 30% cut is fair. Developers could argue that they should pay only for the services they actually use, rather than accept Valve’s current deal. But there’s a difference between questioning how much Valve charges and arguing that its tools offer little value.
Steamworks can provide useful services while still leaving room for debate about its pricing and the features it offers across different platforms. Sweeney’s latest remarks are just another chapter in Epic’s long-running rivalry with Valve.