Would you like all your games on Steam?
- Thread starter coughs
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 9 Jan 2007
- Posts
- 4,223
- Location
- Returning video tapes
That's the most bizarre part of it.
I use Steam and have purchased a few cheap, difficult to source titles from it, but it's massive rip off most of the time. Games like CIV 5 I will purchase from an online retailer. There's just something so nice about getting the box in your hands, and saving a few quid too.
Maybe I'm just old fashioned.
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 May 2009
- Posts
- 4,629
- Location
- Maidenhead
Games on Steam cost more, because publishers know that they can make more money via Steam (as they have zero manufacturing costs) than they can selling via stores. Sure, it's a bit annoying, but just buy pre-order or in the sales
think i will do this too then :/ i didnt realise civ 5 would be a steam game :/
Soldato
- Joined
- 28 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 11,255
- Location
- Newbury
With Civ 5 or another Steam works game it's a no brainer. You get the best of both worlds.
The reason Steam prices are higher are because the publishers set the prices.
Thats entirely your choice. I would prefer to have the box and manual. Also a boxed copy is more expensive to produce than a digital copy, hence the stean versions should always be cheaper, not more expensive than the boxed version is.
I wouldnt want a digital copy.
That's personal preference. But the argument works both ways
I understand that, some people just prefer a hard copy and some people are just enthusiastic collectors of game boxes and may not even unwrap them and buy them on steam anyway. But a manual can be downloaded and a backup disc created.
Bhavv, your arrogance aside, you are aware Steam are not responsible for there pricing? I'm not even sure they're responsible for there sales pricing. I remember during the last big sale event i picked up the Defence Grid DLC for 50% off and found out the next day that apparently the devs had intended only the game to be half price and not the DLC so it was changed, but i still got it cheaper. We know you don't have to package it and what-not, but they still have to keep retailers happy. Even if they don't sell as many copies on the PC in stores the retailers are the ones selling the console versions as theres no alternative. And unlike some other digital distribution platforms *cough* EA *cough* you get the game available to dl forever, not for x years.
Last edited:
Like this one, I'm gutted that I didnt buy it:
I was actually looking forward to the Civ 5 collectors edition very much, regardless of it requiring Steam to play, and now it seems that they arent even releasing that in the UK, because for some bizzare reason most people here prefer their digital downloads off Steam.
Its 2 reasons why Im not buying Civ 5, no CE in the UK, and it Requires Steam. Ommit either one and I'll buy it right away.
Soldato
- Joined
- 28 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 11,255
- Location
- Newbury
I think you underestimate the cost of bandwidth (for unlimited downloads) and hosting compared to stamping a CD and printing a manual.
That's ridiculously stubborn.
A unlimited amount of re-installations for life vs. an optical disk that will (regardless of how you care for it) fail eventually.
Last edited:
MMORPGs dont charge you any extra for downloading the game, and there plenty of free to download and play ones out there.
The actual download of the game in all cases that I know of is provided as a free service for online games.
Seriously? I think that youre the stubborn one not me. Ive never had an optical disk fail. I still have the CDs from my Commodore, very first PC that came with Windows 95, and all of them are barely scratched and still in full working condition.
There is far less chance for an optical disk failing for me than there is for you losing your steam account.
Also, there is no guarantee at all that Steam will even be around for all your life, or continue to support any of the games you have bought, whereas my CDs will be.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 28 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 11,255
- Location
- Newbury
Funded by advertising is not free.
I think you need to discover the meaning of the word stubborn.
I regularly buy retail copies of games, I regularly buy digital copies. I'm not the person dismissing something for no valid reason.
Last edited:
Free to the customer is free. Steam also advertise as well.
Steam also play the annoying tactic of providing bonus content with steam exclusive versions of games to entice more people to download them. They make enough money from their service, otherwise they wouldnt be offering all of those incredibly cheap gaming packs.
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 18 Jul 2009
- Posts
- 629
99% of my games are already on Steam so yes, I would like them all on there, come the sales I'll probably fill in the small gap thats left.
Jesus why are we even bothering. You actually call us stubborn too...
1. Obviously these free to play MMORPGs are actually losing excessive amounts of money... or perhaps thats because they get there money from advertising and premium services.
2. What free services for online games? Because i don't call a subscription to WoW allowing you to dl it 'free', and point 1 applies to free ones.
Soldato
- Joined
- 28 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 11,255
- Location
- Newbury
You're trying to bend an argument to fit your means. Typical free MMORPGs are not the same AAA titles that you would buy at retail or on Steam.Steam advertises it's own wares. You can turn these off in the settings.
Overclockers advertise the products they sell. Are you going to stop using the forums any time soon?
It's annoying that they provide bonus content when you buy a game??? Annoying to you maybe... I quite enjoy getting my nice free content when I buy a game!
I'll also point out that isn't steam doing this if you can't work it out... Valve don't go and make content to draw customers in. Developers and publishers provide this for Steam to give away with their game.
Last edited:
Steam advertises it's own wares. You can turn these off in the settings.
Overclockers advertise the products they sell. Are you going to stop using the forums any time soon?
Your arguments are bended to fit your means too, and the last I checked Im not the one that was complaining about advertising, you were.
Digital downloads are cheaper than boxed copies, they shouldnt cost more to the customer. That was the point I was making, it had nothing to do with advertising.
Soldato
- Joined
- 28 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 11,255
- Location
- Newbury
What crack are you smoking?
I haven't complained about advertising. You stated that free MMOs allow you to download clients and therefore bandwidth cost is minimal. I corrected this and told you that they're funding their bandwidth through advertising.
Just because there is no product associated with digital downloads, does not mean they are massively cheaper to supply to the end customer.
Last edited: