[75089] Head-on clash in the gaming industry: Tim Sweeney attacks Gabe Newell against the backdrop of Steam Deck price hikes

A high-profile war between gaming giants: Tim Sweeney vs. Valve

A storm has erupted in the gaming industry following Valve's price hike for the Steam Deck OLED device. According to Pirat_Nation, the company justified the move due to rising costs of RAM and SSD components, but the claims were met with opposition from Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney.

Sweeney, known for his blunt approach, chose to mock Valve CEO Gabe Newell, cynically claiming that the price hikes were intended to finance Newell's "mega-yachts." According to him, as reported by Dexerto, "there was an increase in the cost of components that Steam customer funding covers... and supply chain disruptions for mega-yachts."

On the other hand, reporting sources point to counter-criticism directed at Sweeney himself. Dexerto noted that Sweeney is perceived by some in the community as a hypocrite, given Epic Games' massive investments in the "Metaverse" for Fortnite, which led to the layoffs of thousands of employees and an increase in the price of the virtual currency (V-Bucks) within the game.

While the professional discussion surrounding hardware costs remains without an official response beyond Valve's explanations, the debate reflects deep tensions in the industry, as prominent brands find themselves under fire from both competitors and users alike.