Steam is Killing the PC Market?

The only service that comes close to Steam may be Stardock. They are almost as seamless as Steam. They just don't even come close to the library or deals that Steam offers.

Like was said previously...

Consoles are being crammed down our throats like dry cake. Steam offers us a nice tall glass of ice cold PC milk. Of course we will drink that shit up.
 
Steam's weekly deals are what get me to buy more PC games. Their bundles are great for games you haven't played before. I mean discounting games is a great way to go with Digital Distribution. Get's me buying new games instead of picking up a used copy on ebay. So the developers are getting more cash.
 
I live in a town of 50K. The only semi-reliable place to purchase PC games is the Fred Meyer grocery store (where I got StarCraft). We have a GameStop but their selection of PC games consists of one small rack of old titles. Their store is crammed full of lame console stuff though.

The bottom line is that, unless the title is a super colossal mega release, the only place I can probably find it is Steam. It's either that or do a 2 hour round trip to get to the nearest Best Buy. Figure in that gas money...
 
I for one like steam. No disk to worry about no scratches. Easy to install. Makes my pc gaming painless. Now I cannot wait for consoles to get to this point.
Oh and I like the fact that I can reinstall my games after reformatting using someone else's computer. Some people may worry about steam/valve and their control over the online distribution market, but they have been reliable so far and good to the gaming community.
 
So you are saying I should be glad to pay $60 for a game that basically brings nothing to the table then its predecessor??

Well, first of all, is there any game that is radically different than its predecessor ?
Second, you said that Steam is helping BECAUSE retail copies of rehashed games are too expensive. And I told you that that isn't the fact at all. Whatever the game is (rehashed or not), in terms of european Steam prices, they are actually the same or higher than the retail ones, so how exactly is Steam helping, even in the case of rehashed games as you put it, if they cost the same or more ?

And for that reason I suggested you stop thinking only about where you live, where Steam prices seem to be so awesome...
 
who are these... "major studios"

also, id rather Steam be in the hands of Gabe than anyone else. He at least seems more moral than the mob of a stock company
 
then it would seem steam isn't hurting anything over there so your post was pointless.

Maybe you should read to what and who I was replying to, before making such a useless post ? Understanding anything while reading, goes hand in hand with context...
 
Well, first of all, is there any game that is radically different than its predecessor ?
Second, you said that Steam is helping BECAUSE retail copies of rehashed games are too expensive. And I told you that that isn't the fact at all. Whatever the game is (rehashed or not), in terms of european Steam prices, they are actually the same or higher than the retail ones, so how exactly is Steam helping, even in the case of rehashed games as you put it, if they cost the same or more ?

And for that reason I suggested you stop thinking only about where you live, where Steam prices seem to be so awesome...



Blame your politicians for the outrageous taxes for that one bud. But overall Steam provides a better service for people as it also allows smaller companies to push out their games at lower overhead costs.
 
Maybe you should read to what and who I was replying to, before making such a useless post ? Understanding anything while reading, goes hand in hand with context...

maybe your should read your post and stop whining about europeans having it bad.
 
Let EB burn to the ground, I'll take a Steam release (or any other digital delivery) over a trip to their store.
 
Whatever the game is (rehashed or not), in terms of european Steam prices, they are actually the same or higher than the retail ones, so how exactly is Steam helping, even in the case of rehashed games as you put it, if they cost the same or more ?

Then they're likely not hurting retail sales over there anyways - making the entire point of this article moot, in a different regional context.
 
If the game is available on Steam or Blizzard, I'll always buy a digital copy, they're much more convenient, and I surely don't need more crap around my house.
 
As much as I absolutely love Steam and disagree that it is killing the retail PC game industry, they do bring up a valid point. What they are chiding at the moment isn't Steam itself, it's the integration of the service into retail versions of the game. I absolutely loath the idea of buying a retail game, only to have to create a Games for Windows account just to use their multiplayer and patch my game, and I can understand how folks would be equally upset if they had to do the same for a RETAIL game purchase with Steam. I think it is similar to the whole Windows -> IE integration debacle back in the day. Steam's quality speaks for itself and word-of-mouth is its biggest asset; keep it out of retail packaging. In fact and while your at it, remove ALL digital distribution service requirements from retail games *cough* M$, *cough* EA. Just my $0.02.
 
1) Retail likes to pretend PC gamers don't exist or don't matter
2) Retail is wanting to shaft new game sales with the used game model
3) Retail can FOAD. I have no use for them and will never buy anything that way.
 
Steam basically brought me back to the PC. It also made me upgrade just to play Dirt 2. The sales are great and I like that I can gift games to friends. I like getting boxed copies but it just takes up room so why bother buying a boxed copy if I can get a download for the same price or cheaper?
 
Good luck with that. Many people would stop buying games alltogether and with good reason.

It's extreme POVs such as yours, that make things so bad. Choice IS always needed. There should NEVER be just one way to buy something.


I am not saying you can't buy it from more than one place online. Or even a physical box set online. I am really saying that physical game stores should go away. Physical movie stores like Blockbuster Video are disappearing and physical game stores like Gamestop will follow. The majority will continue to follow the trend to go all digital.
 
What's next, retail stores want manufacturers to stop distributing to Amazon? Retail can fuck right off. Never any good sales, I have to drive there (it's a bitch in Chicago), I have to park (even worse), and then I have to deal with a long line at the checkout while the 20 year old disinterested clerk moves like a snail. Or I can just buy instantly in my underwear for 1/3 of the price. HMMMMMM
 
I love when companies become a monopoly just because they are doing things right/things people like so in turn they get popular.

Its getting to be where if you make something new and it takes off pull back on the reigns so you don't get flagged as a monopoly. :rolleyes:
 
I thought the point of the article was that Steam with virtually zero competition could hurt the consumer in the long run.

In other words, if you let Steam have a monopoly for downloads then Steam can set the price of those downloads to be whatever they want. The publishers are concerned that Steam will dictate terms to them but Steam could just as easily jack the price up to the consumer as well.

So why publishers like Electronic Arts and Blizzard are not making their own versions of Steam should be the real question here.
 
If it was not for the steam sales I would not buy maybe 1 game a year. BUT because of steam, I now buy around 5-6 older games via steam that I otherwise wouldnt buy. Games are not like wine, they dont grow in value. Get what $$ you can while you can.

Steam has me spending more $$ on games than I ever have!!!!! (including college!!!)
 
I <3 Steam.

Game Stop just needs to ... Stop. PC Gaming is not going anywhere anytime soon. Too many companies have too much money in vested into it for that to happen, and with Steam around it makes it that much better. People have been predicting PC gaming to die for years now. That hasn't come close to happening. Anyone who wines that much about PC gaming needs to STFU, leave us real gamers alone, and go play Farm Ville.

I leave you with this:
consolechartyr2yb63272359.jpg
 
I would also ad why are these brick and mortar places bitching?

At least here state side most places that sell games have (FOR YEARS, AKA: Long before steam) reduced the PC gaming section to a little more than a rolling cart. This is why I get all my games off of Steam. I got sick of going into stores and not finding what I want because of their pathetic selection.
 
Blame your politicians for the outrageous taxes for that one bud. But overall Steam provides a better service for people as it also allows smaller companies to push out their games at lower overhead costs.

What is "overall" ? The US ? Your concept of overall is very small. Even if we consider Europe and the US only, we would still have 50-50 and not "overall", but AFAIK, Steam prices outside of the US are all bad or definitely not as good as in the US, so that's not "overall" but rather only in the US...

But let's leave that for another discussion :)
 
when i go to Gamestop it's hard to find the pc game rack, they move it all the time and its always getting smaller. they used to have 50 feet of wall for pc games and you used to be able to trade in games. on top of that gamestop is always slow on reducing prices on old games and most of the time its always cheaper on steam.

Yeah I chuckled the other day when I backed into a gamestop store. Lets see, about 30 games on one rack, Two Worlds 39.99, Halo 2 49.99, I could go on and on. Haven't bought from them in years.
 
I doubt that this would even make a small dent in Valves userbase.

Hell, if anything, this will probably backfire on said retailers. Valve is a very well liked and respected developer in the PC world. They have a LOT of hardcore loyal fans that I'm sure wouldn't mind going to another store next time they want a retail game.
 
First it was piracy, now it's Steam. These guys didn't get it before and they still don't get it. Come up with decent games, offer a good selection at reasonable prices with sales, effective distribution...but no they find it easier to find a scapegoat.
 
I loves Steam and you can get awesome deals on games that Retailers usually cant touch :D Thank You Gabe Newell and Company
 
Steam is not killing them.

The game developers are killing them with Draconian Copy Protection that fracks up people's computers, limits installs, and insists on the damned CD being in the drive.

Steam just makes game purchasing easy and relatively painless.

Not to mention cheaper in a lot of cases.

Thems the facts. Go bitch at the publishers, not Steam.
 
I want MORE developers to start using the steam API, it can and should be the 'XBOXLive' for the PC. For example BF:BC2 would have been a lot better on release if they would have ditched their broken friends list and just used steam for that. I've waited for games to be released on steam to buy them since I knew they wouldn't have retarded disk copy protection or other broken DRM.
 
Just like Newspapers, these idiots are just trying to defend a dying market.

There is no need for a video game retailer today. Hopefully they will be gone before long.

I do see their point about Steam having overwhelming market share on downloads though. It would be nice to see more providers in this area.
 
What's with all this "x killing the y market"? I think it's all full of it.

Instead of whining about another company's success for doing it right, maybe they should get off their lazy bums and "do it right" too. Money doesn't grow off trees ya' know.
 
I'd rather have a boxed copy myself. Guess I'm old school :D

I'm just the opposite...I love being able to download my games and not have to worry about always having a DVD in the drive for some games, or damaging it or worse yet, losing it

I also have computer's at both my house and the girls house, so if I want to play, I don't need to bring the DVD with me to install it, I just download and go..:)
 
What is "overall" ? The US ? Your concept of overall is very small. Even if we consider Europe and the US only, we would still have 50-50 and not "overall", but AFAIK, Steam prices outside of the US are all bad or definitely not as good as in the US, so that's not "overall" but rather only in the US...

But let's leave that for another discussion :)

You're skirting around the real issue here, why should Valve lower prices to make up for the high taxes in Europe, which would essentially make Valve pay for your taxes and cut into their profits?

Again, Valve isn't the one to blame here, it's your governments and their shitty tax structures.
 
Retail stores don't like a game download service because it's taking their customers away? Gee I wonder why? Steam has a monopoly on download services? Better not tell GFWL or D2D.

Sounds more like Gamestop and Worst Buy are pissed off that people are smart enough to preload a game rather than stand outside their stores for 12+ hours waiting for a midnight opening just to pick up Black Ops. Nothing to see here, move along. :rolleyes:
 
None of the competitors in the article are even named. How can you expect to be considered competition if you cannot state your name to your argument. The only issue I see is that Steam ONLY has 80% of the market. Might as well be 100% as far as I'm concerned as they are the only ones that really seem to care about the PC gaming market.

I love having my software a download away. Discs get lost or scratched in my household. Love when I can put a game disc in and convert it to a Steam download.

Only downside is not getting accompanying material like maps or hardbound guides.
 
I'm not sure how Steam is killing the PC market but with the amazing deals that are on it, I'm buying more PC games these days than before.
Other than PS3 exclusive FPSs, I only buy FPS on PC and don't care how popular they are on consoles.
 
The future is digital distribution for more then just games. Valve gambled big and released the service ahead of it's time; now they are reaping the rewards exponentially.
It's silly to try and make Steam look bad, what is had achieved, and the scope of it's goal, is huge, but 8 years running it's made it. The first years were horrible, everyone hated it, but Steam's paid it's dues, and now is making dividends! GJ Steam!
 
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