UK Retailers Accused of Blacklisting Steam-Required PC Games
- Thread starter John Funk
- Start date
I believe Steam should be optional, never mandatory. Steam functions like an anoying DRM, I remember buying Half Life years ago and yet I couldn't install it with the disc because I needed to register it on Steam. It wasn't till years later when I got internet access that I could finally play a game I bought.
I support any game retailer that doesn't want to sell games with that horrific DRM.
I support any game retailer that doesn't want to sell games with that horrific DRM.
I've heard of damning with faint praise but this is praising with faint damnation. Valve went under the table by offering a service nobody else did. Then they "bent [their fans] over the table" by not yet releasing the concluding episode to a game series everyone loves. They suck at being evil.MelasZepheos said:
Well, if these tantrums spread to Canada, I'll have EVEN LESS use of game retailers (considering they only stock maybe six or seven different games at a time anyways).
rather the best argue agaisnt steam ive heard. most people just shout it as an abomination,it should be purged and we should just use physical copies forever, when really, its the future of society to integrate evth possible thru online communication. that being said, games run in offline mode in steam, so your point of the RPG is a lie. there are cases where steam freaks out and doenst let you, but thats the exception glitch, not the norm. even then, you are right on some point. games bought on steam or with steam should allow for individual execution, without the need for the program to turn on. that is my one complaint of steam. that it is always mandatory to be running, even when it is pointless.RT-Medic-with-shotgun said:
There's like a two game wide 5 game tall section of the wall "devoted" to PC games at gamestops in my area, but that's it. I've been hitting up Amazon for my games lately, you preorder them and get 10-20$ Amazon CreditBobzer77 said:
Because some people do like solid merchandise, and even though I like getting my games with less hassle digitally, I can understand that. But taking those games off their shelves is only hurting the retailers, as that is lost sales to them. The game producers lose a lot less in the increased profit share they get with digital sales. When you don't have to count part of that price tag to compensation for burning discs and printing out boxart, it adds up to a lot of saved change.Abandon4093 said:
(Why do you think Steam is so crazy with sales all the time?)
I shouldn't have to install that shit Games for Windows Live on my system to play a game, and yet I don't hear the retailers complaining about that. Need I remind people that GFWL has its own digital store as well. Steam is the best digital system right now, though that can always change. And though you may have to install it to run the game, you don't have to keep it online in order to be able to run the game without having your disc in the drive.
From what I hear of the UK Retailer Game, this doesn't surprise me that they would be this stupid. This move will only hurt their own sales while trying to make a point that is entirely pointless. Do you hear GameStop complain about Steam? No. GameStop instead is rolling up their sleeves and getting into the digital marketplace themselves. There's competition and then there are petty whiners who don't want to do anything to change with the times. The internet is here people, with its big brother broadband. Having a solid disc and box is nice, but there are times when you just don't want to be bothered to go into the city and deal with long lines just to get a game. Or wait for the postal service or UPS to deliver it.
It's a brave new world. You can either adapt to it and make your own footstep, or just go away. Game is doing the latter, it would seem.
Since when did UK games stores carry PC titles anyway?
I've been to GAME, Gamestation, HMV and Game City retailers in Dorset, Hampshire, London and Cornwall respectively. Other than London (which actually did have a list of new pc releases) the best they had was a concealed corner display with some marked down 1990-ish titles and a few shelves of WoW: Cataclysm on the bestsellers.
If this is the next move of brick stores, then PC games are about to vanish from real world shops, and they put in the final nail themselves.
I've been to GAME, Gamestation, HMV and Game City retailers in Dorset, Hampshire, London and Cornwall respectively. Other than London (which actually did have a list of new pc releases) the best they had was a concealed corner display with some marked down 1990-ish titles and a few shelves of WoW: Cataclysm on the bestsellers.
If this is the next move of brick stores, then PC games are about to vanish from real world shops, and they put in the final nail themselves.
Indeed. Though I kind of like steam, I agree that it should always be optional. Unreal Tournament 3 did this, and I loved that it did this. You could install it normally, or you could activate the product key on Steam and install it that way.Xan Krieger said:
I wish more games did that.
Bah. I never buy games from brick-and-mortar games shops any more anyway. The vast majority of my purchases nowadays are through Steam, or if I feel like having a boxed copy, Amazon.
It's no wonder physical games retailers are stooping to tactics like this really. They're becoming increasingly irrelevant.
It's no wonder physical games retailers are stooping to tactics like this really. They're becoming increasingly irrelevant.
On one hand, these stores are being jerks.
On the other, you shouldn't ever HAVE to have steam for a game you buy that was not purchased on steam.
On the other, you shouldn't ever HAVE to have steam for a game you buy that was not purchased on steam.
2 thingsIrridium said:
1. You brought up UT3 because of my username, didn't you?
2. I actually have 15 games on steam, one of which I bought through steam.
I share your concern about a potential monopoly that could result in Valve deciding to drop good business practice because there's no competition to keep them on their toes, but how exactly have they "very sneakily gone behind everyone's backs, and very under the table" in setting up Steam? Was there an official announcement for "today is the day that digital distribution exists and is a thing" that they were supposed to wait for before introducing it?MelasZepheos said:
Some people don't care/use/know steam, games like The First Templar and Dawn of War 2 require you to install it to play. Even if you have a physical copy. Even if you wanna try out The Orange Box but don't have steam you HAVE to install it.Abandon4093 said:
Though I don't see why they are blacklisting games... seems like a dumb move IMO. I mean Modern Warfare 2 required steam, what if Modern Warfare 3 did as well? That's a ton of lost profit.
