Valve: PC is "centre of innovation"

The PC platform is a "centre of innovation" and key to the future of gaming according to Valve boss Gabe Newell.

Speaking to Develop, Newell explained, "We see [the PC] as the centre of innovation of everything that's going on, whether it's microtransactions, MMOs, free-to-play, or something like CityVille which – after its first month – has 84 million people playing.

"To us, this is just an indication of why open platforms are where innovations are going to occur."

Even thought the traditionally PC-focussed studio behind the likes of Half Life, Portal and Left 4 Dead has now embraced console development too, Newell insisted that he was "tremendously excited about the future of PC gaming."

Despite many commenters' claims that PC gaming has seen better days, a number of high profile developers have joined Newell in sticking up for the platform in recent months.

Back in October, Blizzard's Rob Pardo said, "I always laugh because as long as I've been in the games industry, every year I'm asked 'is PC gaming dead?' But it keeps on growing despite the fact it's been pronounced dead 20 times."

And in September, id Software boss Tim Willits told Eurogamer, "In my opinion the PC will always be the core of the gaming industry - it is the timeless stable platform that as developers we will always be able to rely on.

"Unlike consoles, the PC doesn't disappear because one company decided it wasn't profitable or decided to make a new version. The PC platform is always evolving but staying stable."

Next up from Valve is Portal 2, due out on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 21st April.