Relic: Steam "could save PC gaming from piracy"

Steam will save PC gaming, according to Relic Entertainment's Andy Lang. Speaking to PC Gamer at the launch of the PC version of their forthcoming shooter Space Marine, Andy explained that Valve's digital distribution service has provided a haven for publishers who are afraid of the piracy on our platform.

"It's too bad that piracy has been rampant on the PC," said Andy. "Publishers are so big now that it was just not worth their while to make a straight PC game. The people who are pirating are really hurting the quality of products they're getting, and it really hurts us as a PC developer, because those are the games that we really love to make. Steam has changed things. It's made it easy just to buy and download games. It just works."

Relic remain committed to making PC exclusive games. Alongside their Dawn of War games, their new shooter Space Marine will lead on PC. They're also experimenting with new ways to distribute PC games with the free-to-play strategy version of Company of Heroes Online. "It's really cool to take a game as deep as Company of Heroes," says Andy "and make it free to play. It's really going to suit that business model."