Steam has got to be the most loved monopoly ever. It's inherently toxic to the gaming community in ways that aren't instantly apparent but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that it's not a great thing that every game you buy isn't yours, it's effectively an unlimited time rental that can be withdrawn for a multitude of reasons. GOG and the like actually sell you the game proper such that it's yours to keep forever no matter what happens to GOG. But still they sit at single digit market share for anything that's not their own game and even Cyberpunk 2077 only sold 10% of copies on GOG...
this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2023
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I think it says something that people still prefer Steam in spite of all that. Even people who pirate games appreciate it. Convenience is a wonderful thing and most people don't really care to own if the game they want will be there when and if they need it.
My issue is that I use Linux, so I either need to download games from their website (no automatic updates) or use a third party client like Heroic launcher. If GOG had first class support for Linux, I'd probably buy most of my games through them.
But Linux users are a small minority, so the main issue is probably selection. Steam has pretty much all of the popular games, whereas GOG only has the DRM-free games. It's the same problem Linux has had and continues to have, why would you use platform A if platform B is the same price and has more of the games you want to play? Splitting your library across services sucks, so most people will go with the one has most of their games.
The solution here imo it's make licenses portable so you can easily switch platforms. If I want to move my brokerage, I just need to fill out a form and wait a few days. If I want to switch game platforms, I need to repurchase or abandon my games. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is a real reason people don't switch.
Steam has got to be the most loved monopoly ever. It’s inherently toxic to the gaming community
Steam isn't a monopoly but Windows is. Money earned on Steam goes into developing open source technologies that undermine the Windows monopoly.
Not sure anyone in this thread knows what the word “monopoly” means. Steam has competition, it all just comparatively sucks.
On the one hand valve having a monopoly is bad for the industry and it's consumers.
On the other hand nobody seems to be trying to provide a truly competitive service without also being far more anti-consumer than valve from the get go.
Yup, I'm with Steam because it's better, not because I like Valve or something. If someone else provides a better service for my use case (Linux with a mix of PC and handheld PC), I'll use them.
I avoid Epic on the principle of hating exclusives (I give Valve a pass on their games because they don't make many), I avoid UPlay and EA because I hate their stupid DRM, and I don't use GOG because they don't have an official Linux client and they don't support third party clients. Any of those could win by business if they catered to what I care about, for example:
- make a Linux client
- make their games offline capable
- offer a good selection of games
That's it. They don't even need to beat Steam in terms of investing in Linux, I just want to be a first class citizen on their platform.
So GOG doesn't exist?
I should really start pirating copies of games that I buy on Steam. Servers and licenses don't last forever.
If Steam could just ban 3rd party launchers in Steam - that would be great.
Need to login to rockstar/uplay/gog/EA account? Do it in-game...
EA would pull their own games from Steam before they would ditch their own launcher...
But, counterpoint: EA would pull their own games from Steam before they would ditch their own launcher.
Yup, sounds like a win win to me.
I bought an Index bc I thought it was truly promising. It certainly delivered with games like Alex and Boneworks. I’m sad that there is so much proprietary bs and I don’t get some really good titles.
Still better than Meta vr headset
Indeed but I’d love to play Asgard's Wrath 2 ever.
Valve's VR efforts have cooled—the all-in-one Meta Quest 3 is the headset to get right now
Fuck Meta, Valve Index is still better
Been collecting games since 2007 - I love my untouched library.
Amass ! AMASS !!
meanwhile ive finally stopped using steam! very happy and proud to say i only purchase on itch and GOG now! (as well as a few indie stores) hope i can get a few friends to join me.
edit: i do not think less of people for using steam! i just like the idea of having friends who share my personal philosophies. im aware that im abnormal, lol.
hope i can get a few friends to join me.
Maybe if CD Project put their big Witcher and Cyberpunk money into Wine, SDL, DXVK, Linux HDR support, etc. instead of licensing Unreal Engine from Epic for upcoming games...
Yup. If they just port GOG Galaxy to Linux and provide a decent way to manage Proton/WINE versions, they'd get way more of my money. As it stands, I've only gotten their games through bundles, so they've made something like $20 from me, whereas Steam gets hundreds every year.
they’d get way more of my money.
Which they'd better invest into improving the Linux technology stack, just like Valve does.
That's not a requirement, my only requirement is that playing their games on Linux is a good experience.
I'd probably keep buying many games through Steam because:
- GOG doesn't have everything I want to play
- GOG probably wouldn't work as nicely on my Steam Deck
But if GOG worked well on my desktop, I'd prefer buying games from them when they have it and the experience is smooth.
haha lutris is more than satisfactory for me
whats your reason(s) to ditch steam? (honest question)
Philosophically, obviously I'm against DRM blah blah and no matter how easy it is to crack I just don't really like the idea of spending money on a license to play something instead of the something itself. I also don't really like contributing to the online services monopoly steam seems to be maintaining. There's a myriad smaller stuff that drives me away from steam that I don't really feel like explaining, but those two are the main philosophical reasons.
Practically, for reasons I obviously won't disclose, my account is at risk of spontaneous termination if they wanted to, so its not really worth investing more money into my walking time bomb of an account.
I get why steam makes sense for most people and I don't have any intention to shame people for... well, being normal where I'm not. I just like having friends who share my personal preferences!
What is it about people here thet worship this company. I can remember several years ago people screaming about how much they hate them.
I use Linux, they're pretty much the only ones that support Linux, so they get my support. It's pretty simple.
I used Linux before Steam on Linux was a thing, so I went from pretty much no games available to lots of selection to almost partity with Windows, all because of Steam.
I'm not sure about others, but that's my reasoning.
It feels really weird how so many people here seem to just...be okay with steam being to gaming what chrome is to browsers? Its for all intends and purposes a monopoly and just because they barely support linux its all happy sunshine and roses?
People should have a sledgehammer pointed at them at all times just in case, cause yall know, no matter how good the intention may or may not be for whoever gaben selects as the next big boss (not like hes that all good saviors either), once gaben is out, hes out and things will get worse sooner or later.
I don't like that steam is a de facto monopoly but it's up to their competitors to make a better product. Steam has features that benefit users, like steam input and remote play together, that other launchers are light years away from. Steam also doesn't require drm, it's just offered to devs to use at their discretion. Lastly, steam let's developers generate as many keys as they want and sell them off platform. The only requirement is that pricing has to have parity.
For a monopoly, they are shockingly consumer friendly.
Exactly. And Steam invests in Linux as a first class platform. I have used Linux since well before Steam had a client, and they won me over by actually porting their client, and they continue to earn it by making more and more games available to me.
No other platform seems to care, so I don't care about them. I'm pretty easy to please, just make your platform available, and integrate some way (that already exists) for me to try to play Windows games through the client. That's it, and I'm not firm on the Windows games thing (e.g. I'd buy Linux games from GOG if they just port their client or officially mention support for Heroic, that's it).
I agree. I would love to have an alternative, but there just isn't one, and I don't think it's Valve's fault.
Valve also hasn't really done what other monopolistic companies have done, which is use their advantages to expand into other areas and crush the smaller players there.