Valve's Making Everyone Else Look Bad - WAN Show February 18, 2022

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode centers on Valve’s new commitment to repairability for Steam Deck and Index, contrasted with Nintendo’s eShop shutdown and Microsoft’s push toward account-linked Windows setup. It also covers personal and business reflections on repair, ownership, inheritance, and company continuity, plus multiple LTT Store launches: the Privateer shirt, women’s apparel, and the new “bonus bin” free-item upsell system.

Main Topics: Valve embraces repairability with iFixit (Priority: 5/5): Valve announced official replacement parts for Steam Deck and Index through iFixit, which the hosts praise as a major win for right-to-repair and user serviceability, especially compared with typical warranty-only replacement workflows. Nintendo shuts down Wii U and 3DS eShops (Priority: 5/5): The hosts criticize Nintendo for ending the only legal purchase path for digital games on aging platforms, framing it as anti-consumer and harmful to game preservation. Microsoft account requirement in Windows 11 Pro (Priority: 4/5): Microsoft’s move to require an account and internet connection during setup is discussed as further evidence of Windows becoming more controlled and service-dependent, with frustration over poor account and family controls. Business continuity, ownership, and legacy (Priority: 5/5): A long discussion explores what happens to LMG if Linus or Yvonne dies, the complications of inheritance tax, and why public ownership or employee ownership could threaten the company’s culture and mission. LTT Store expansion and apparel relaunch (Priority: 4/5): The show heavily features the launch of the Privateer shirt, the shift away from American Apparel to custom-branded blanks, women’s cropped sweatshirt and high-waisted sweatpants, and new product photography/sizing features. Merch messages and new store mechanics (Priority: 4/5): The hosts explain the new free upsell shelf/“bonus bin” idea, including sticker packs, postcards, pins, and optional charity-style alternatives like tree planting or ocean cleanup. Tech journalism, the lab, and future content strategy (Priority: 4/5): The departure of Dr. Ian Cutras from AnandTech prompts discussion of the future of tech journalism, and how LMG Labs aims to preserve deep technical analysis in a more creator-friendly format.

Key Arguments: Valve’s repair-part program matters because it gives owners a path to service devices beyond warranty, instead of replacing whole units or discarding still-functional components. Nintendo’s shutdown of legacy storefronts is especially frustrating because digital exclusivity means some games will simply disappear from legal sale. Microsoft accounts may offer convenience, but forcing them into Windows setup is more annoying because Microsoft’s ecosystem and parental controls remain clunky and underdeveloped. Repairability should be more than a warranty process; users should be able to obtain components and fix products themselves when possible. LMG’s ownership structure is a real strategic problem because standard inheritance or public-company mechanics could force a sale and destroy the company’s culture. The store’s new apparel strategy was driven by consistency and supply reliability, not novelty; maintaining the same fit/feel was the top priority. Merch messages are more meaningful than super chats because they create a real exchange of value rather than a throwaway donation. The lab is intended to make technical content more rigorous while preserving the approachable style that made the main channel successful.

Data Points: Steam Deck review score: 7/10 - Referenced while discussing Valve’s own blog post and iFixit teardown. Microsoft controller warranty length: 90 days - Mentioned in chat as the warranty period for Xbox controllers, criticized as too short. LTT Store Privateer shirts sold: 420 - The hosts celebrated hitting 420 sales live during the show. Sticker spend: over $100,000 - Used to illustrate the scale/cost of the new free-item system. Estimated sticker PO: $140,000 or something stupid like that - Described as the annual sticker cost for the bonus bin/free upsell shelf. LMG team size: about 60 people - Used in the inheritance/public-company discussion to show company scale. Years of experience cited across staff: 36 years - Sum of experience across five named staff members during the succession discussion. Windows 11 Pro build: 2255 7 - The Insider build cited for the new Microsoft account requirement and UI changes. Wii U/3DS eShop shutdown timing: late March 2023 - Date given for the storefront shutdown. Potential valuation multiple: 10x EBITDA - Used to explain how a company like LMG could become too expensive to inherit or buy out. Inheritance tax example: 30-40%+ - Approximate tax burden discussed for transferring ownership of a valuable company. Steam Deck battery replacement difficulty: rated as one of the main complaints - The battery removal and lack of modular charge port were called out as the primary repairability weak spots.

Pivotal Quotes: "Valve has committed to iFixit as one of the partners that they are going to be working through for Steam Deck replacement parts." — Linus: Explaining the significance of Valve’s repair-part announcement. "Nintendo shuts down the Wii U and 3DS eShops, cutting off the only legal option to purchase that library of games." — Linus: Introducing the Nintendo segment and framing it as anti-consumer. "Would rug pulling my own crypto coin help fund my lab would probably help fund my own small island." — Linus: A joking but pointed rejection of using a crypto coin as a funding mechanism.

Implications: The show signals growing pressure on major tech firms to support repair, preservation, and user control, while LMG is building infrastructure to make its own business, merch, and technical content more durable and less platform-dependent.