Retail backlash against Steam

Steam price aren't too high. If they were, they'd be out of business by now.

They're HIGHER THAN YOU'D LIKE, but that's a completely different thing. They're quite obviously making a massive profit selling games at the current high price levels.

It's simple supply and demand. Much as you might think it's a total rip-off, there are obviously an awful lot of people who don't.
 
666_Pounder said:
Worth noting Valve don't set the prices afaik, the Devs do.
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Utter rubbish, the Dev's ( by which you actually mean the distributors say like activation) set a min base price for cod BO guessing around £25, then the retailers add on there bit, steam just tend to add on a bigger bit than most.
 
iv-tecman said:
Steams prices set by them or the devs is, to be quite frankly disgusting.
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I did mention either by Valve or devs etc.... But still unless the game is in a steam sale and is the same price give or take £1 - £2 then I'm not overly interested in obtaning games via Steam.

Anyhow.... Oh and one other thing.. Its not fair how Steamworks or Steam games cannot be resold on. How many have been holding off installing black ops due to faults with the game, in fear of not being able to sell it back on again? this goes for UBI soft was well, as they're doing the same...

But that's a whole other subject. and has other issues attached to it..
 
Sleepery said:
That is the most ill thought out idea I've heard in years. If someone visits a shop, it's because they want a physical product, now. The shopkeeper might as well tell them to bugger off and download it otherwise. Which is precisely what you're suggesting.
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well it is the only way shops will get in on any of the action maybe you dont mind pc games leaving shops all together though
 
I never buy new relaeses from Steam because DVD versions from etailers tend to be £5-£10 cheaper at launch. I use Steam to download cheap Classics or the occasional Bundle deals. When Steam becomes cheaper or equal to etailers I may reconsider my buying habits.
 
Sleepery said:
That is the most ill thought out idea I've heard in years. If someone visits a shop, it's because they want a physical product, now. The shopkeeper might as well tell them to bugger off and download it otherwise. Which is precisely what you're suggesting.
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They're paying for the cards with cash though (it's an option anyway), which is what a lot of people like to do..
 
Seeing this reminds me of Blockbuster videos. It seemed it was obvious to everyone but that company that people would move away from going to the store, and towards downloading movies online (whether torrenting or via cable/satellite). Whilst companies like Netflix started up, Blockbusters stuck their head in the sand, and gradually got buried. They would have had a headstart with brand-name awareness if they had tried an online distribution method, but instead thought they could turn themselves into a big sweet shop(!), and attract customers that way.

Now we have games retail doing the same with Steam. It took the purple lot long enough to start selling games online, like Amazon. You wonder what was going on in their heads.
 
And by the way, publishers set the prices on Steam, but their hands are tied, to keep the Retail stores happy, which is why the prices are often higher than we'd like. This is to keep those retailers stocking the games. If they could be undercut by Steam, they would refuse to stock the games, and the publishers would lose a load of money, as not everyone uses or can use Steam (i.e. the console users).
 
To me it looks like retailers are just jawing off, there is no way that they would ban games with Steam integration, as it would push consumers away and onto Steam.
Steam isn't going to change a damn thing, publishers know that Steam sells. I'd love to see the sales figures of recent games and how well they sell comparatively from retailers to Steam. Publishers know that online distribution is the future, and this waffling from retailers will just make publishers drop retailers sooner.

That's not to say retailers don't have their place (consoles mainly), but I can't see a future for PC games in retail stores, especially with the proliferation of broadband.
 
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iviv said:
Can we start banning people for ignorance now?
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And what's your problem

Ignorance is paying £40 on steam when the same game with steamworks can be had for £30, Just because of sheer steam fan boyism :confused:

My point is steam is far from perfect, be it pre loads, relase timing or even the fact you cant install games anywhere else other than C:

Its a lot to put up with to play a game you have paid for after all
 
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gizmoy2k said:
And what's your problem

Ignorance is paying £40 on steam when the same game with steamworks can be had for £30, Just because of sheer steam fan boyism :confused:
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i think he was reffering to pre downloading which happens for a lot of titles but still not all of them
 
wab said:
Utter rubbish, the Dev's ( by which you actually mean the distributors say like activation) set a min base price for cod BO guessing around £25, then the retailers add on there bit, steam just tend to add on a bigger bit than most.
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quoted for emphasis. even developers have mentioned this. STEAM overprices because they have little competition and everybody who thinks otherwise is just being naive.
 
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I use Steam almost exclusively for my games now, although im not a huge PC gamer as such.

With regards to shops, in the good old days you would have half a shop filled with PC games in huge big industrial sized cardboard boxes.... now, well its a dark, dingy corner where blokes lurk with anoraks on and ladies dare not venture. Its almost embarrasing stopping and looking at the PC game section, you can see the shop assistants watching you as you venture close.... in the end its either sweat it out, or dummy back past the 2nd hand section of DS games :(
 
ScoTTyBEEE said:
They're paying for the cards with cash though (it's an option anyway), which is what a lot of people like to do..
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An option? Move every title to a unified system of pre-purchase cards? That would be a huge undertaking.

Steam does let you install to other locations than C.

As for the backlash, its the death throes of the distribution method for PC. They know the end is nigh. Steam is a fantastic service only set to improve.

Gaikai CEO David Perry told MCV Steam could become the games-equivilent of iTunes, where it dictates the terms of the market, not the other way around: “Steam has made it so easy for everyone and they have lots of users. But how long do you wait before you take control of your own digital strategy? Like with iTunes, at some point it’s going to be too late"
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Hah! Take control of their own digital strategy?! It's a laughable prospect for most. Valve have seriously invested in their technology and service. It's all mouth until they realise the investment they'd need to implement their own digital delivery strategy.
 
Bloomfield said:
Huh? I don't have a single game installed on c:, unless you count stuff like minesweeper :confused:.
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I know it can be done, infact i posted the link http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=17754657&postcount=1741

to help others see how it was done, We shouldnt have to jump through hoops and go digging though, should be a feature of steam, only recently have they given an option which involves copying and pasting data, and you still have to have it all in 1 place, you cant split it

Anyways getting OT Hope that helps your confusion
 
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