• Steam is killing the PC gaming market
    317 replies, posted
Unlike apple valve is a good monopoly.
Of course, they could try actually competing with Valve rather than just throwing a tantrum... ...but that would be the mature, professional thing to do.
I'd go out of my way to buy a Steam game. It's services and community features is extremely satisfactory.
As long as Steam is so infinitely much better than anyone else, and offer such good service and amazing prices, I'm happy. I'd rather have a game on steam than just the CD etc.
I'd rather buy the game straight away through Steam than have a long walk to a retail store on the release day, ask if the game is there yet, and walk back home in disappointment. Steam is the best.
So? Customers want good stuff. Steam is good stuff.
I almost always buy pc games in their boxes, its much cooler
[QUOTE=Swebonny;25991859]So? Customers want good stuff. Steam is good stuff.[/QUOTE] Steam can cancel your account at any time without giving you any reason. When you buy a game package you they can't.
I have to agree it wouldn't hurt to have Steam as an OPTIONAL feature on newer PC games
[QUOTE=Numidium;25991820]Unlike apple valve is a good monopoly.[/QUOTE] Apple doesn't have a monopoly on anything idiot
Oh man, so much rage will happen when it becomes "Portal 2 is integrated with steam on consoles waaaah!"
[QUOTE=The Doctor;25991879]Apple doesn't have a monopoly on anything idiot[/QUOTE] Yes they do. You don't see walkmans in circulation any more, and itunes is huge.
iTunes? Dominant? :raise:
[QUOTE=imadaman;25991925]iTunes? Dominant? :raise:[/QUOTE] They have over 70% of all legally sold music sales. Personally, I think that a major benefit to steam is the community. There isn't something that's integrated so well into any other community, it was a matter of time. VAC is another big benefit.
My reason from drifting away from retail is because the lack of content inside the box... I mean I just bought Black Ops and the only thing inside was the disk and a very thin manual. I remember some old games where they have tons of stuff inside the box. Such as detailed manual, maps, tech tree, etc.
That's capitalism. [editline]11th November 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=VvVEliminatorVvV;25991947]My reason from drifting away from retail is because the lack of content inside the box... I mean I just bought Black Ops and the only thing inside was the disk and a very thin manual. I remember some old games where they have tons of stuff inside the box. Such as detailed manual, maps, tech tree, etc.[/QUOTE] Absolutely. More devs/publishers should follow in Rockstar's footsteps and include posters with their games.
Retailers need not worry too much. For people like me who do not have means to make online purchases or just want the pretty boxset, we'll still patronise.
I'm generally against monopolies because when there is only one company, they can boost the prices without any competition, but we all know that Gabe wouldn't do that. Hence it's all ok for me. And what Eliminator said. The last game I bought on retail was Grand theft Auto: San Andreas. It had a map, poster, and a hardcover book. I think it was called Tourist's Guide to San Andreas.
Last time i would of ever gone out to buy a video game would be the Sims 3 Ambitions. Last time i went to a midnight launch was for Burning Crusade... The shops need to do more midnight launches, It was funny seeing nerds dressed up in costumes just to get it and even funnier to see some 90 year old grandmother at the front of the line waiting.
I used to play PC games when I was in middle school (Return to Castle Wolfenstein was my first game I took seriously, Doom 3 was the last) but quit when the xbox became wallet-friendly. It was just easier to have an xbox and not worry about my PC specs and how a game would run. From ~2005 through 2010 I hadn't purchased a single PC game- until I discovered Steam. It started with COD:MW2, then Fallout 3 (and all DLC), then L4D:2, and now Fallout New Vegas. I've also bought a couple games I've never even played, including SW:TFU, Sim City 2000 (this is the only game I've ever played that ran like crap because it was too OLD). My point: if it weren't for Steam making the purchase process easy (no need to go out to buy a new game, no need to manage discs), I'd still be playing my xbox. Viva la Steam Network! EDIT: The reason I came back to PC gaming was that my $500 stock PC (with just an upgrade $100 ATI Video Card) is now capable of playing even the best games. Steam just made it an easier transition for me, so I credit it as the reason I "stuck around".
Imported New Vegas from UK so it is uncensored.
[QUOTE=Best4bond;25992110] see some 90 year old grandmother at the front of the line waiting.[/QUOTE] Aw
[QUOTE=Killuah;25992172]Imported New Vegas from UK so it is uncensored.[/QUOTE] US version is censored? WTF?
[QUOTE=superdinoman;25991766] Gamestop: PC gets one small 2 sided shelf in middle of store. Rest of store is consoles.[/QUOTE] what you get two sides half of ours is wii peripherals
I like having the disks instead. I like to play some games offline. With steam, it's a nightmare. With other games that included a disk, not a problem.
[QUOTE=J. Jett;25991849]I'd rather buy the game straight away through Steam than have a long walk to a retail store on the release day, ask if the game is there yet, and walk back home in disappointment. Steam is the best.[/QUOTE] There's this radical invention called "the phone"
[QUOTE=Zezibesh;25992203]There's this radical invention called "the phone"[/QUOTE] "The Internet" is better. Steam never runs out of stock.
[QUOTE=elbrian;25992182]US version is censored? WTF?[/QUOTE] he's probably german, bro
[QUOTE=elbrian;25992210]"The Internet" is better. Steam never runs out of stock.[/QUOTE] Neither do game stores if you know where to go. People flock to major retailers, leaving the small ones unnoticed.
It's important to note that there's a difference here between the PC Gaming "Market" and PC Gaming. PC Gaming is actually slightly on the rise because of Steam being more accessible etc, but it's technically killing the market because it's hard to compete with. That and the need for retailers is going to go down in this industry over time just like other industries (see: Netflix online etc).
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.