"Steam Was Killing PC Gaming", Former Valve Dev Says

[silentbogo]

There you go. You don't like that frontpage either, you don't even go there, and Steam's inherent problem shows: you need filters and preference lists to make sense of it all and *hopefully* get what you're looking for.

It's not that "I don't like it", it's more of a "I don't mind it". The front page looks differently for every user since they've implemented a new suggestion algorithm. I visit the storefront occasionally, but not as frequently as I used to. The main reason - I still have 20+ games in my library that I haven't even touched yet. And the reason I have 20+ games on a backburner is because I visit the front page/discovery queue occasionally and buy stuff.

 

[Crackong]

The problem with that, is not all games are launching at $50. So far, Metro: Exodus has been the only one, and I imagine Epic covered the cost reimbursing Deep Silver for the $8.80 they lost per sale. It was discounted because of the outrage related to it being switched to an EGS exclusive last minute.

Well they need a legit story so they made the price cut.
And the price cut itself shown the claim was not legit (without any "Bonus under the table").
If they are doing the same prices as it would be on steam, there is no benefit for consumers, just an attempt for their own monopoly.
What a sad story.

 

[Vayra86]

It's not that "I don't like it", it's more of a "I don't mind it". The front page looks differently for every user since they've implemented a new suggestion algorithm. I visit the storefront occasionally, but not as frequently as I used to. The main reason - I still have 20+ games in my library that I haven't even touched yet. And the reason I have 20+ games on a backburner is because I visit the front page/discovery queue occasionally and buy stuff.

Right, and why do you buy stuff you don't play? Because, I reckon, it was cheap or seemed cheap at the time for what it was. I've got a similar thing going on over here. The chances of playing those games are slim at best, for me at least, as new more interesting stuff always keeps coming out.

But this isn't really about you or me, its about making the point of usability and exposure (which is the topic subject and argument it puts forward here). Can you see those problems, or do you disagree on that?

 

[Rahnak]

Everyone's so upset about the EPIC store when the real travesty is having your games tied to a launcher. I trend I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) we can all "thank" Steam for. That's the only thing this conflict opened my eyes to, so used I was to the status quo in PC gaming.
Don't really care about having different stores, that's a good thing. I have different stores to buy groceries from and they too have products exclusive to them.

Steam vs EPIC? GoG.

 

[silentbogo]

Right, and why do you buy stuff you don't play? Because, I reckon, it was cheap or seemed cheap at the time for what it was. I've got a similar thing going on over here. The chances of playing those games are slim at best, for me at least, as new more interesting stuff always keeps coming out.

No, I did not play them because I have 2 jobs and a bare-walled apartment which optimistically needs to be finished by 2020 so I can fulfill my dream of having a server room on a balcony.
I only have spare time to rant on TPU on smoke breaks and play 1 game at a time for a couple of hours in the evening. I also have a habit of getting the most out of my games (e.g. completing it several times, unlocking most achievements, finding all secrets until I get totally bored and ready to move on).
Some games were launch-date purchases (Agony, Quake Champions before F2P, DOOM), some were nostalgic/compulsive purchases (Shadow of War, Crysis, Outlast 2 etc), some were on sale, some cost me upwards of $30, some were bundles. In the long run it does not matter - I am spending money on games, devs make profit, Steam gets their share, just the way it's meant to work.

 

[Vayra86]

No, I did not play them because I have 2 jobs and a bare-walled apartment which optimistically needs to be finished by 2020 so I can fulfill my dream of having a server room on a balcony.
I only have spare time to rant on TPU on smoke breaks and play 1 game at a time for a couple of hours in the evening. I also have a habit of getting the most out of my games (e.g. completing it several times, unlocking most achievements, finding all secrets until I get totally bored and ready to move on).
Some games were launch-date purchases (Agony, Quake Champions before F2P, DOOM), some were nostalgic/compulsive purchases (Shadow of War, Crysis, Outlast 2 etc), some were on sale, some cost me upwards of $30, some were bundles. In the long run it does not matter - I am spending money on games, devs make profit, Steam gets their share, just the way it's meant to work.

All well and good, but I'm still trying to get past your N=1 situation and trying to get an opinion on the overall state of things...

Its pretty amazing how its so hard for people to step out of their personal frame of reference... man. Also, it may not matter to you. But in the long run it certainly does matter when and how a game gets sold. Developers make the lions' share of profit on a game in the early days and weeks post-release. Its why we have things like pre-orders to begin with.

 

[SoNic67]

I think it would be better without "exclusives" to stores. Each big game dev can sell directly the game on their website, and bypass the 30% steal tax. There is no value added for customers in those separate stores, except maybe for indies.

That's why I never bought a game from an online store, even if I have several accounts (play free Quake Champions, Apex Legends for a while, then got bored).

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Start one.

all it takes is a few like minded individuals to start a landslide.

Into an unemployment line.

Pretty much only auto-workers and government employees are unionized anymore in the USA. Workers that aren't unionized are happier.

 

[64K]

I like Steam. It serves me well and is why I have almost 250 games in my Library there but it's painfully obvious that there exists bias in favor of Steam. Gamers insist that stores shouldn't have exclusives but you almost never see Steam mentioned in that category even though they are the originator of the store exclusive and to this day have their own Valve Published exclusives there.

Then gamers go into a fit over DRM but when you mention Steam being the biggest DRM service the PC gaming world has ever seen they say, that's different because..........

Epic has said when they launched their store that they intended to one day rival Steam. If they do succeed and they maintain their store properly and take care of security then how can that be bad for us? Worst case they end up as being just another Origin. I have 5 games on Origin because I have to but I never have any hassle running them when I want to so it doesn't bother me.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

FYI, Epic Games Store and Steam are virtually the same in regards to DRM. Some developers put code in their games that latches on to their respective launchers which effectively makes the relationship DRM, other's don't. For example: What Remains of Edith Finch errors about not being launched from EGS if you launch the executable directly but Axiom Verge does not. Likewise, Transistor simply crashes if you try to launch the executable directly instead of through Steam but Consortium will launch via executable without problems. Neither store are enforcing a DRM scheme like, say, Origin (you try to run the executable, it starts Origin, Origin starts the game).

 

[64K]

FYI, Epic Games Store and Steam are virtually the same in regards to DRM. Some developers put code in their games that latches on to their respective launchers which effectively makes the relationship DRM, other's don't. For example: What Remains of Edith Finch errors about not being launched from EGS if you launch the executable directly but Axiom Verge does not. Likewise, Transistor simply crashes if you try to launch the executable directly instead of through Steam but Consortium will launch via executable without problems. Neither store are enforcing a DRM scheme like, say, Origin (you try to run the executable, it starts Origin, Origin starts the game).

Yes. I discovered that Steam wasn't forcing their DRM on Publishers many years ago. Most people think they do though. They believe that the only way you can launch a Steam game and not be connected to the internet is if you go into offline mode first. I did a test back them by not going into offline mode and disconnecting from the net. Most games wouldn't start but some prompted me to start in offline mode anyway and they launched. A few others didn't prompt anything and just started right up. Mostly older games.

There is a list of Steam games on a Wiki that don't require you to be connected to the net to start them.

 

[Axaion]

whats with the poll?, honestly, i dont care about the developers, i will always pick the option the benefits me over them.

 

[rtwjunkie]

whats with the poll?, honestly, i dont care about the developers, i will always pick the option the benefits me over them.

Poll is designed to get biased results.

 

[Trigger911]

I wonder what licencing cost on console?

 

[Prima.Vera]

I still dream at the day when I go to ANY of those digital stores like Steam, GOG, Unity, UPlay, Origin, GMG, GoG, One Play, Ms/Win Store, buy a game, and then can play that game at anytime, even if I uninstall that store software.
I mean how retarded it is to launch the store app first in order to play the game of your choosing??!?
Is like in order for you to wear your Adidas, Nike or Puma snickers you have to go to their stores first!! Mind blown.

 

[GoldenX]

I still dream at the day when I go to ANY of those digital stores like Steam, GOG, Unity, UPlay, Origin, GMG, GoG, One Play, Ms/Win Store, buy a game, and then can play that game at anytime, even if I uninstall that store software.
I mean how retarded it is to launch the store app first in order to play the game of your choosing??!?
Is like in order for you to wear your Adidas, Nike or Puma snickers you have to go to their stores first!! Mind blown.

Arrr, you're totally right matey.

 

[Rahnak]

I still dream at the day when I go to ANY of those digital stores like Steam, GOG, Unity, UPlay, Origin, GMG, GoG, One Play, Ms/Win Store, buy a game, and then can play that game at anytime, even if I uninstall that store software.
I mean how retarded it is to launch the store app first in order to play the game of your choosing??!?
Is like in order for you to wear your Adidas, Nike or Puma snickers you have to go to their stores first!! Mind blown.

You can do this on GOG. Unfortunately I think most publishers/devs still love their DRM and that's probably why GOG has such a small selection of games.

 

[Sora]

Into an unemployment line.

Pretty much only auto-workers and government employees are unionized anymore in the USA. Workers that aren't unionized are happier.

Ignorant people usually are happier.

they are also stupider and don't realise they are getting shafted.

 

[rtwjunkie]

and that's probably why GOG has such a small selection of games

And yet, 95% of my 350 game selection on GOG is from the last 10 years, and at least half from the last 5....because there is such a “small selection of games.”

 

[Rahnak]

And yet, 95% of my 350 game selection on GOG is from the last 10 years, and at least half from the last 5....because there is such a “small selection of games.”

Well, if you were to compare it to Steam, it is small. But one could explain that to some degree by the fact that GOG curates their selection whereas Steam does not.
I guess what I really wanted to say by small was in terms of big name games (AAA or AA titles). Looking at my wishlist, none of the games are available on GOG (no Assassin's Creed, Dragon Quest, Monster Hunter World, Nier Automata, Final Fantasy, the newer Wolfensteins). My bad for not explaining properly.

The Japanese games are probably never going to make it there since they love their drm. :\

 

[chrcoluk]

Steam has been a huge benefit to PC gaming, I can sort of remember what the market was like pre steam, and it was a hell of a lot worse than it is now. I feel this ex employee is just been salty as valve took a new direction which made him surplus to requirements, because how someone can legit think a launcher that doesnt support achievements, cloud saves, chat, reviews, offline mode, broadcasts, streaming etc. and on top of that is out to drive competitors out of business (gog laying off staff), as good for PC gaming I dont know.

 

[rtwjunkie]

and on top of that is out to drive competitors out of business (gog laying off staff

No, just no. Epic is not out to drive anyone out of business. They are grabbing a piece of the pie, as anyone who jumps into any business field attempts to do. That piece of the pie will get larger as long as Valve doesn’t adapt and compete.

As to GOG, if you didn’t know, CDPR is the parent company, and they are trimming expenses as they try to get Cyberpunk 2077 ready for release, since their last major release was 4 years ago. Other CDPR releases since have been lackluster, all combined to make money just a little tight.

GOG has never been a big moneymaker for CDPR. It’s purpose is to provide as many games as they can negotiate for DRM-free.

 

[64K]

I was curious how big GOG's library is and ran across a piece of news from them 2 years ago that they had passed 2,000 DRM-free titles available on their store.

 

[moproblems99]

Steam has been a huge benefit to PC gaming, I can sort of remember what the market was like pre steam, and it was a hell of a lot worse than it is now. I feel this ex employee is just been salty as valve took a new direction which made him surplus to requirements, because how someone can legit think a launcher that doesnt support achievements, cloud saves, chat, reviews, offline mode, broadcasts, streaming etc. and on top of that is out to drive competitors out of business (gog laying off staff), as good for PC gaming I dont know.

It's fine because everything but cloud saves is useless. Friends are fine for multiplayer games but not everyone plays multiplayer games. The Epic store does not affect your final ability to play games. You just don't get to play right away. You get to work on patience instead.