Retailers think that Steam is killing PC market

[EastCoasthandle]

Now here's the thing about PC games. Some developers are going directly to steam and not releasing a whole lot of hard copies. Codemasters with F1 2010 which had limited hard copies. Eugen Systems, the maker of R.U.S.E which was only available from Steam from what I know. So the idea that a hard copy of a game designed to work with steam is not the whole picture. I serious doubt people would care about that when they can get the game in less then 30 minutes if it takes them several hours to download (for example).

So it's not really Steam to blame here as there are other factors that do come to play. But needless to say, as it is obvious, it has been getting hard to get PC launched games in the B&M stores for sometime now (years) before this article was released. So, if retailers want to change their perspective about Steam they have to get more involved in the PC gaming market. Start stocking up on current and just release PC games. Also, make sure that developers make copies available for sale among other things.

Source


Side note:
I thought I read a similar thread here but couldn't find it.

 

[IINexusII]

well we need steam and GFWL to keep upto date with consoles with all the community side (achievements, friends etc.)

 

[sneekypeet]

If retailers came into my house and I didn't have to go anywhere, I would buy from them. Really if you are buying from STEAM or the little guy its better than "borrowing" them. So how exactly is it killing the PC market, the dev's are still getting paid??????

 

[streetfighter 2]

FTA: “Steam has made it so easy for everyone and they have lots of users."

Oh... horrors...

I suppose that's pretty different from most other companies business models, "you see that hole, we're going to fit this metal pipe in there whether they like it or not".

 

[Red_Machine]

It's because the retailers want our money. With Steam they don't get it, so they automatically hate it.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

I haven't had to get in the car and buy a PC game for a while. If I want to just play the game I get it digitally from Steam. If I want a hard copy or limited edition, I order it online, and it appears that day on the release date before I wake up. Why would anyone get in the car to get a game these days? I don't see how I am killing the game market. I buy more games knowing I don't have to leave the dark cave that is my dorm room.

 

[EastCoasthandle]

I haven't had to get in the car and buy a PC game for a while. If I want to just play the game I get it digitally from Steam. If I want a hard copy or limited edition, I order it online, and it appears that day on the release date before I wake up. Why would anyone get in the car to get a game these days? I don't see how I am killing the game market. I buy more games knowing I don't have to leave the dark cave that is my dorm room.

That because there are folk out there that embrace the open out doors.

 

[sneekypeet]

That because there are folk out there that embrace the open out doors.

But we are saving mother earth from our filthy automobile trips

 

[Chryonn]

there are pros and cons to hardcopy and digitally delivered games. my only true concern is where to get the best deal/bargain. Steam (the only online digital delivery outlet i use) offers some great bargains if you wait long enough, likewise the store in the town centre does the same from time to time. people's preference is which is most convenient to them

 

[Yukikaze]

If retailers came into my house and I didn't have to go anywhere, I would buy from them. Really if you are buying from STEAM or the little guy its better than "borrowing" them. So how exactly is it killing the PC market, the dev's are still getting paid??????

QFT.

Steam has better pricing on even semi-old games (Here's a shortened list of things I bought from Steam in the past 2 years, with prices: 2.5$ for Red Faction: Guerilla, 13$ for Metro 2033, 5$ on Mass Effect 1 prior to Mass Effect 2's release, both Crysis games for 20$, and I could go on forever), they provide the content to my house, I have no discs to scratch or misplace and my games auto-update themselves when I am not looking.

Once a retailer does all this for me, I'll consider doing business with him. Until then retailers should either put up or STFU.

 

[Bundy]

Based on my experience, software purchases increased at our house when we embraced steam. There are games we have purchased simply because they were available on steam immediately and on special. I'm not in the habit of driving to the local mall to purchase indie games or old valve games but I purchased multiple copies from steam.

Hard copy game retailers are doomed losers, along with video stores and newspapers and their bleats of indignity don't make me concerned for their welfare at all. It's been quite obvious for some time now that this would happen.

 

[Phxprovost]

yup steam is totally killing the pc market, i mean with their good prices, reasonable drm schemes and community features that make me want to use their services...damn that steam

meanwhile i can go into my local gamestop and look at huge pc selection.....oh wait...no i cant cause the only game they have is SC2

 

[KainXS]

I think they're saying that steam is killing pc gaming because they're making other digital distribution outlets go out of business and retailers don't want to stock those games on steam because steam has them cheaper and those hard copies don't sell.

I say fuk that, in my local gamestop they have like 3 shelves for pc games and im not talkin book cases im talkin shelf on top of shelf its bullshit, let em sit and rot, im not wastin gas goin to gamestop to buy a game I could have gotten cheaper and simply hit a button and got it online.

And other DD services, if they can't keep up with steams prices too bad . . . . .

they need to step up, steam is the only ones who did and it still isn't enough pc gaming is still in decline and they're whining about this.

 

[EastCoasthandle]

But we are saving mother earth from our filthy automobile trips

That's strange, I've gotten no such complaints

 

[human_error]

This is just a last-ditch attempt from an industry (that of brick-and-mortar games shops) which has failed to evolve and keep up as the world around them has changed. They neglected the PC market which forced people to buy from steam, and now they've noticed steam is making a killing while they are slowly dying they're complaining about it.

Some retailers like Game in the UK have seen the writing on the wall and are opening new online distribution systems to try and match steam but they need to get online brand recognition which will be difficult (but not impossible). Some of the retailers are also looking at revamping all stores to give them a fresh new atmosphere. I'm sure the console market will keep them going for another generation but after that I can see physical purchases take a dive as the consoles of the time will undoubtably be based around digital purchasing straight from Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo.

 

[sneekypeet]

That's strange, I've gotten no such complaints

I drive a '78 Pontiac "land yacht" that gets like a gallon per mile in gas consumption

OT: I haven't seen a good PC game selection locally ever in the time I have been on the PC. If it weren't for things like steam and D2D, I wouldn't even have any choice, just grab the one game they actually carry that month

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

"Retailers think that Steam is killing PC market"

No no. Retailers want YOU to think steam is killing the pc market.

 

[overclocking101]

imo if retailers want to sell pc games sell them cheaper at launch then people are more apt to go that route. imo f at bfbc2 launch they sold it for $40 while steam was charging 59 for it i woulda went retail. but they are doing less for us and expect the same return. we may be pc users but we arent stupid. we will go with the best choice and that for most things is steam.

 

[hat]

Steam has better prices and 100x more convenience than any B&M store.Better prices alone is enough to make someone jump ship, but when you add the fact that games auto update, there's no disc swapping, and you don't even have to leave your house (so in most cases, even someone with a relatively slow download speed would still get a game quicker than going to a store) to weigh in on Steam's favor. Of course Steam is killing the PC market... but not for gamers, for greedy, overpriced retailers who want you to swap discs and hunt down patches. They mad.

 

[kurosagi01]

I buy from either retailers from amazon,gamestation,game etc etc to steam due to fact of different prices,i don't feel like paying £40 for game like COD:BO when its £5 less in stores,also then theres Assassins creed 1 and 2 on steam thats £20 each while you could probably get both for less or same brand new in retailers that are selling it cheaper,it all comes down to price point for me on whoever sells cheaper but steam deals are amazing.

 

[erixx]

I sometimes feel bad for the shop guys in my town when I buy downloads! But the fact is it is a dieing business, and on the other hand most shops have surrendered into stupid filthy bastard console shops.

 

[qubit]

I have to agree with the other posters here that Steam isn't killing the PC market and the bricks and mortar stores don't like it because they're cut out of the loop. They're effectively obsolete and out of business, so there's no way they'll ever go for this.

What I don't understand, is why you get games released on a physical DVD that require Steam activation, such Fallout: New Vegas. Other than someone that wants to have the box to put on the shelf (like me!) there's no purpose to it other than to keep the B&M stores in business.

I know people use the argument that it saves on download times, but I don't think that this is a compelling argument any more. You still have to significantly update the game after installing it from DVD and most people today have reasonably quick broadband connections. Even a lowly 1 or 2Mb service would do.

The only reason I can find at all, is that the direct from Steam price has a habit of being higher than getting the DVD copy, which is nuts and somewhat profiteering on Steam's part. In the case of Fallout: New Vegas, it's currently £30 from Steam and £24 from Amazon. I've looked up a few other games and in each case, they're cheaper to get the DVD.

Ok, now I think about it as I write this post, I believe I know why. If Steam simply priced those games at reasonable prices and cheaper than the DVD copy, nobody would by the DVD copy and the stores would go out of business.

By pricing it higher, Steam get to charge a premium for the convenience of not having to run out or order the DVD online and have to wait. The stores then charge for the DVD copy at a more reasonable price, which people will buy if they want to save the money and are prepared to wait or drive down to the store. And the other reason why Steam is happy, is because they get a cut of this revenue, too.

Sound reasonable?

 

[Stak]

Whining retailers.....

I really don't care what they think. Like many ppl say. If i just want a game ill buy it from steam. But if i want the hard copy or limited edition ill let some site ship it to me. These sites have much more games to choose from than most retailers. And all the stores in my barely have sales. And if they do, its just for old games. like i saw last time when a store sold need for speed: pro street for €10 instead of €12.99. With a sign that said: MEGA SALE!!!! Oh yeah and 90% of the games they sell are for consoles/psp/ds. They just suck. And steam rocks.

 

[ktr]

Competition is a bitch...deal with it.

 

[Phxprovost]

Competition is a bitch...deal with it.

yea thats not how it is though, instead they stomp their feet and complain until someone pays attention