Amazon thought it could easily compete with Steam by leveraging its massive size advantage over Valve. However, Prime Gaming's former VP, Ethan Evans, recently revealed that Amazon underestimated the power of user habits and existing solutions. In this insightful post, Evans shares his wisdom on why Amazon failed to disrupt the gaming platform.
As the saying goes, "just because you are big enough to build something doesn’t mean people will use it." This is a crucial lesson for app developers and companies looking to enter the competitive market of digital entertainment. Evans' experience with Prime Gaming at Amazon serves as a prime example of this principle in action.
Amazon's attempts to disrupt Steam date back to 2009, when they tried to create an online store through Reflexive Entertainment. However, this venture failed to gain traction. Later, after acquiring Twitch, Amazon attempted to build a game store, assuming that gamers would naturally buy from them because they were already using the platform. Unfortunately, this assumption was wrong.
Despite their massive size advantage, Amazon's efforts fell short. Evans attributes this failure to their underestimation of what made consumers use Steam in the first place – it wasn't just a store; it was a social network, library, and trophy case all in one. This multifaceted approach made Steam an attractive option for gamers.
Evans notes that Amazon's mistake was assuming that size and visibility would be enough to attract customers. However, they underestimated the power of existing user habits. Gamers already had the solution to their problems, and they weren't willing to switch platforms just because a new one was available.
This experience serves as a valuable lesson for app developers. Creating an excellent user experience is crucial for success in the competitive market of digital entertainment. By understanding what makes users choose certain apps or platforms over others, developers can design solutions that meet their needs and preferences.
In conclusion, Amazon's failure to disrupt Steam highlights the importance of user experience in app development. Companies must prioritize creating solutions that provide value to their customers, rather than relying solely on size and visibility. By doing so, they can increase their chances of success in a crowded market.