Richardplex said:
Origin is run by EA, an infamous publisher. SSteam is run by Valve, which seems to be a benevolent company more concerned about making sure gamers get games than getting moneys. Valve has an amazing reputation for a very good reason, and don't need competition. I wouldn't be dissatisfied in the slightest if they expanded with their business ethics. So no, competition won't do any good, because steam is damn well near perfect. Just look at all the free stuff everyone got in the past week and a half.
I think that's a limited viewpoint. Valve is a business first and foremost--but they're a business with a rather different approach, and that's that people who like you are the sort of people who will be loyal to you. They're the sort of people who will trust what you make will be amazing, and will buy oodles of them. They're the sort of people who might not pirate out of respect.
Whereas EA has a terrible tendency to treat their consumers like dirt. People don't trust them, people blame them, but they're also savvy when it comes to marketing and hyping, so they continue to do well.
But there is never a time when more competition between big businesses is a bad thing. Not in a capitalist market. But I disagree that they're ultimate goal is to make good games, and not to make money--they just realize the two go best hand-in-hand.