Valve is more concerned with meeting games were they are, not where they hypothetically could be. In the case of Linux (more gamers on Linux than Macs, although it's close), Valve has additional reason to care because they view Linux as insurance against anti-competitive behavior from Microsoft. Clearly they don't feel the same way about Macs (makes sense, because their Windows customers could more readily switch to Linux than Macs). So if gamers are already acquiring Windows/Linux machines to play games, why should Valve waste their resources trying to bring about a hypothetical reality where gamers choose to buy Macs instead?
It's not Valve's responsibility to engage in pro-Mac activism. It would be weird if they were doing so.
> Valve has additional reason to care because they view Linux as insurance against anti-competitive behavior from Microsoft. Clearly they don't feel the same way about Macs (makes sense, because their Windows customers could more readily switch to Linux than Macs).
Agreed, and I think that's quite wise. When it comes to escaping tight-reigned dictators that can threaten your business, Apple is out of the frying pan an into the fire. Imagine if they invested heavily into macs and then Apple required all mac software to go through their store (with 30% cut of course) like they do on iOS? That would be disastrous
As I said, Linux has more importance to Valve than can be accounted for by its popularity because Valve sees Linux as a hedge against anti-competitive behavior from Microsoft.
Why? Mac users are cornered into exclusively a mobile device(MacBooks) and will more than likely purchase game consoles... or even just use remote play services(I use GeForce Now)
Windows users are already on Windows and Windows machines are much more open to dual-booting Linux... if needed.
Apple costumers get by with Apple's risible video game offerings, which still compromises mostly of waiting lounge pasttime shovelware and glorified slot machines, by buying computers from other manufacters (Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Windows/Linux PCs, Steam, etc.)
Maybe of casual and gacha games. Unless iDevice users want to miss out on the highest selling [1] and highest rated [2] AAA games their only option is directing money to other companies.
The vast majority of mobile games are not really substitutes for PC games the way e.g. console games are, except in the super broad "Netflix: Our biggest competitor is video games because customers only have so much time" way.
Even it it had, what matters here is actual number of players.
Steam stats come in at Windows 96.94% Linux 1.63% macOS 1.43% [1].
So when they say excluded platforms account for 1%, they are right, barring rounding errors.
[1]: https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/