Steam has all the disadvantages of media-less system and none of the advantages it promised. Lack of media restricts portability and even goods security (media is media, whereas if you loose all data on your pc including passwords it's going to be a hussle). Then we have restrictive security, issues with game play when system is down or malfunctioning, updates imposed on the steam that render games unplayable for days sometimes.
On the other hand you don't get any support when your account is compromised, all responsability is shifted always to the end user which can loose you big bucks, game and you'll be treated like downright criminal because neither distance selling act nor regular consumer regulations apply in any clear way to the virtual goods purchased without any service level promise across borders.
You also get rip off prices despite production chain and retail quotas being taken out of the equasion.
That alone upset me about my Steam package. I, for example was under usurped impression that the full, mega, hiper, premium package would be in some way self expanding - that by paying premium over amazon prices I buy into a package, rather than set of oldies and few new items without a carton box. Instead those who subscribed to the same package for the same price some time later got more games in it than old subscribers. It's almost like supporting steam at early stage was effectively just backstabbing yourself. Now all those benefits are gone, there isn't even like a discount on anything - $50 for Prey when it's a $14.99 game on amazon and $7.50 bargain bin item from retailers in "New and used" section??? Steam is taking a mickey!
In retrospect in monetary value it is not a good deal, I know it's bigger than retail boxes but don't care that I get old Day Of Defeat with new Day Of Defeat - it's like you were given old, dry bread with new wholemeal loaf and about as useful.
On the other hand you don't get any support when your account is compromised, all responsability is shifted always to the end user which can loose you big bucks, game and you'll be treated like downright criminal because neither distance selling act nor regular consumer regulations apply in any clear way to the virtual goods purchased without any service level promise across borders.
You also get rip off prices despite production chain and retail quotas being taken out of the equasion.
That alone upset me about my Steam package. I, for example was under usurped impression that the full, mega, hiper, premium package would be in some way self expanding - that by paying premium over amazon prices I buy into a package, rather than set of oldies and few new items without a carton box. Instead those who subscribed to the same package for the same price some time later got more games in it than old subscribers. It's almost like supporting steam at early stage was effectively just backstabbing yourself. Now all those benefits are gone, there isn't even like a discount on anything - $50 for Prey when it's a $14.99 game on amazon and $7.50 bargain bin item from retailers in "New and used" section??? Steam is taking a mickey!
In retrospect in monetary value it is not a good deal, I know it's bigger than retail boxes but don't care that I get old Day Of Defeat with new Day Of Defeat - it's like you were given old, dry bread with new wholemeal loaf and about as useful.
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