.... How many people posting here lately are releasing just another arkanoid game? I'm trying to remember when the last time I even saw one was...
(replying to RichHW first, should've started with that) You are basically saying: "We want any game that Gabe's team didn't like still have a chance to earn shitloads of money. Gabe represents all game developers and must allow us to do that." Well, see, Steam isn't a platform, PC is a platform. Mac is a platform. Steam is a distribution channel, just as BFG. They decide how they want to manage their portfolio. It's up to them to decide how open they want to be. Overflowing the catalogue "with creativity" gives a wrong vibe to new steam users that are looking for TF2, Half Life and other AAA content that has highest ROI. There's definitely a space for "more creative games" and they are filling these slots inbetween AAA releases. It's always about the portfolio management, impact on users (e.g. "WTF ARE THEY RELEASING THIS IS BS" reaction from FPS kiddies) and other things. They won't tell you that as you'll boo them to hell, but that's what they mean. Gabe's comment on newspaper biz model shouldn't be generalized to games - they are in fact different biz models. The difference between a distribution channel and a platform like Mac, iOS and Android is clear - they don't care about the game content as their users vote with dollars. You'll be equal with other games and will have to battle to get in top. Fooled ya, you aren't equal. Some games will get featured. Other games will buy CPA to get into the top. You'll be as angry that your game was never featured as "Gabe didn't send me rejection email". (And now addressing papillon) Once again. Make great games that THEIR audience will want and they'll accept you. Or proof it elsewhere and they might take your game. But don't fool yourself that "you've proved that it's great". They'll take your game cause their audience will vote with the dollar in a competing store, and they don't want to lose the dollar. It's business.
If a distribution channel controls 70% of the market then the distinction is just academic. You want to earn money out of a hardcore/indie game on PC? Gotta be on steam. Want to make money on casual games on the PC? gotta be on BFG. Also, Apple decides how to manage the apps on their platform etc. The arguments that apply to steam apply to Appstore as well.
Thankfully, it's not the only way. Steam is the biggest portal and also the hardest to get in. I don't know if the two are related. I also happen to think that just because they reject a game does not mean the said game would necessarily do bad on their portal.
That's not true at all. You can make a very very good living selling direct on the PC. I know, because I did it.
Indeed, I think the situation is much worse on the casual games side (where indeed, you're on BFG or nothing, speaking of downloadables) than Steam and the hardcore/indie market.