It is hard to deny that the Epic Games Store is, to understate things, divisive among PC gamers. On the one hand, the new digital distribution platform is giving its users free games, while also offering developers a more profitable deal than Steam. On the other, many gamers are furious about the Epic Games Store’s ongoing bid for exclusive titles, with Borderlands 3 being the latest in a long line of games that have been ripped away from Steam. Now, a former Valve employee has opened up about the debate, suggesting that “Steam was killing PC gaming,” but Epic Games is saving it.

Epic Games’ founder, Tim Sweeney, recently spoke out about allegations that the new store is spyware, outright denying said allegations. During this discussion, former Valve employee Richard Geldreich jumped in to give his two cents from an insider’s perspective. “Steam was killing PC gaming,” Geldreich said. “It was a 30% tax on an entire industry. It was unsustainable.” Geldreich went even further to suggest that we “have no idea how profitable Steam was for Valve,” and that “it was a virtual printing press. It distorted the entire company. Epic is fixing this for all gamers.”

Steam was killing PC gaming. It was a 30% tax on an entire industry. It was unsustainable. You have no idea how profitable Steam was for Valve. It was a virtual printing press. It distorted the entire company. Epic is fixing this for all gamers.

— Richard Geldreich (@richgel999) April 5, 2019

Given that Geldreich is an ex-Valve employee, many have chalked his words up to him simply being disgruntled, though it is difficult to deny that, at the very least, Valve must be reconsidering its stance on profit sharing on Steam by now, else the platform will end up falling to the wayside. According to Geldreich, that can only be a good thing.

So, thoughts on the ongoing struggle between the Epic Games Store and Steam? How do you feel about platform-specific game exclusives? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, stay tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers for all the latest gaming and entertainment news! Don’t forget to follow DFTG on Twitter for our 24/7 news feed!