You all have good points. I sway to hard copies and downloading from steam. The prices on steam compared to stores around me are hardly different. If you do get a hard copy from a store you can register it onto steam with the cdkey. one thing i dislike is that Some games I dont want patched which steam does automatically. steams version of Doom 3, GTA:SA, Supreme Commander and others don't work with third party mods.so many pros and cons.
Buying games from STEAM = ripoff?
- Thread starter CyberAkuma
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Regional variation for the win (or loss, depending).
Here in the UK, with the exception of CoD4, Steam is exceptional value in relation to new titles. CoD4 has regional pricing - I believe it is $50 in North America and $70 in Europe. So far this is the only time I have come across a new game that cost more on Steam than in the shops, and this is down to Activision, not Valve.
And the various people above me are correct, Steam games can be easily backed up, either to hard drive or optical media. Any time I want to uninstall a Steam game I just 'backup local files' or whatever the option is, then burn the resultant files to blank dvd.
Ultimately it's personal choice, but I love it - and I only have a half meg internet connection.
Here in the UK, with the exception of CoD4, Steam is exceptional value in relation to new titles. CoD4 has regional pricing - I believe it is $50 in North America and $70 in Europe. So far this is the only time I have come across a new game that cost more on Steam than in the shops, and this is down to Activision, not Valve.
And the various people above me are correct, Steam games can be easily backed up, either to hard drive or optical media. Any time I want to uninstall a Steam game I just 'backup local files' or whatever the option is, then burn the resultant files to blank dvd.
Ultimately it's personal choice, but I love it - and I only have a half meg internet connection.
For me it's cheap. For example: Portal.
Steam: $19.99 (£10)
My friendly neighbourhood gamestation: £19.99 ($40).
Steam: $19.99 (£10)
My friendly neighbourhood gamestation: £19.99 ($40).
I've compared your prices to what I can find, and I SERIOUSLY doubt some of them can be true. The $ rates are as low as they've been in quite a while. I can't actually remember the last time $1 was less than 5 NOK.
So no, I don't think buying games from steam is a ripoff. Even if none of the other arguments stood (convenience, etc), a lot of games are quite a lot cheaper on Steam than retail.
So no, I don't think buying games from steam is a ripoff. Even if none of the other arguments stood (convenience, etc), a lot of games are quite a lot cheaper on Steam than retail.
1. 299 SEK = 51 USD.
2. Yes, buying items in packages lowers the price per item. Isn't it like real life?
Fair enough, there are some games that are more expensive on Steam than in real life (or game stop, the HL2 package isn't cheaper than HL2 standalone from Steam btw). The nice thing about buying through Steam is that even if you lose the disc or manual (which contains the precious key that can be used online).. you'll still have your games. If you don't want to buy games through steam.. suit yourself.
2. Yes, buying items in packages lowers the price per item. Isn't it like real life?
Fair enough, there are some games that are more expensive on Steam than in real life (or game stop, the HL2 package isn't cheaper than HL2 standalone from Steam btw). The nice thing about buying through Steam is that even if you lose the disc or manual (which contains the precious key that can be used online).. you'll still have your games. If you don't want to buy games through steam.. suit yourself.
Actually a "stereotypical" P.O.V would be something like "lol...a country other than United States.Man this is fucked up!Are they some primitive tribes?".culade said:
That's exactly why they charge so much."If they ride horses/kangaroos, why not rip them off too?"
PS: Oh and before Yanks will start flaming me, it's a joke...well most of it.
AAA titles on the PC here cost upwards of RS$ 100, which right now is somewhat more than $50. So yes, for me at least, Steam games are reasonably priced, if not quite as cheap as I would like. Although this is only true for some games - some games aren't available everywhere, and some games have "regional pricing," which is indeed a major ripoff. We should appreciate the fact that Valve doesn't do that, and that Valve games on Steam are the same price and available everywhere.
It really depends on where you live, you can't make the blanket statement that games on Steam are "a ripoff." Particularly because sometimes they're the only way of (legally) getting some games (Excluding Ebay), and titles who've dropped off the back catalogs go for $5 or even less. Indie games also tend to be rather cheaper.
It really depends on where you live, you can't make the blanket statement that games on Steam are "a ripoff." Particularly because sometimes they're the only way of (legally) getting some games (Excluding Ebay), and titles who've dropped off the back catalogs go for $5 or even less. Indie games also tend to be rather cheaper.
You may complain if you're from the states but trust me, in Australia Steam is a god send. Fuck paying $100 for new release games. Jump on steam and get them for <$50 and get them when they should be released, not when the gaming gods decide that we've waited the arbitrary few weeks or months for a release down under. The only overpriced game on there is COD4 which after selling extremely well at $45 all of a sudden jumped up to $88.50 making it by far the most expensive game on steam, and the only (new) game that is more expensive on steam than in a store (most have it for ~$60 retail). I say new because obviously if you shop around the bargain bins enough you're going to find copies of older games for bargain prices.
Oh and Ilvez, yes you can backup your steam library to discs. Go to File/Backup Games.
Oh and Ilvez, yes you can backup your steam library to discs. Go to File/Backup Games.
Having only been a Steam member after purchasing the Orange Box last year, I'm no expert on their store features. However, I will say that many of the games you can purchase are not available in stores, because they're either too old or an indie game. For example, I bought Audiosurf for about $10 a little while ago and have had scads of fun with it.
Basically, Steam is worth looking into if you like indie or retro titles.
Basically, Steam is worth looking into if you like indie or retro titles.
That may be true for the US or wherever you live but in europe, steam owns.
Orange box
Steam $49.95 +19% btw = ?37.29 and $59.95
my store ?60,- +20% btw = 95$,-
So steam is the best for europe. PLUS you don't have to reinstall with cdkeys and all on a fresh install, saves time and time=money
Orange box
Steam $49.95 +19% btw = ?37.29 and $59.95
my store ?60,- +20% btw = 95$,-
So steam is the best for europe. PLUS you don't have to reinstall with cdkeys and all on a fresh install, saves time and time=money
For those pointing out how it's safer to buy games on Steam since you don't have to worry about losing your discs: won't you be kinda screwed if someone hijacks your steam account?
I don't know what measures Valve has to prevent that or to help you recover an account, but when you think about it, you're really putting all your eggs in one basket - a couple years from now that's gonna be one hell of a basket.
Another benefit from owning the discs is that you can trade/lend/sell the game when you get bored with it..
In spite of this, I'll still prefer buying games on Steam as long as they are reasonably cheaper
I don't know what measures Valve has to prevent that or to help you recover an account, but when you think about it, you're really putting all your eggs in one basket - a couple years from now that's gonna be one hell of a basket.
Another benefit from owning the discs is that you can trade/lend/sell the game when you get bored with it..
In spite of this, I'll still prefer buying games on Steam as long as they are reasonably cheaper
I don't know if you guys have ever done it, but I've only installed off the discs once, for the CS:S Multiplayer Pack and The Orange Box. After that, I can and have used steam to reinstall them from the Valve servers, so it is still better to get the discs, because even if you lose them, you can reinstall, and if you need to reinstall with shit download speeds, then you have the discs. Plus with the discs, you can do account recoveries if your username and password are stolen and changed.
Ever lost a 200 Gig HD?Singing Gremlin said:
Hey? Where I live, all PC games come in DVD boxes just as small/big as the ones for 360 and PS3.Credge said:
Huh? Precisely not, for the very point you make in your next paragraph:
It requires just a bit of backup to avoid those problems, like copying the keys on paper or in txt files.
Downloading games require backup as well, unless you don't care about downloading all the stuff again.
Of course, there's an undisputable gain in room with downloadable content, and the gap is only going to get wider.
So your problem, after all, has nothing to do with volume, but flimsy CD keys you loose?
I don't want to get argumentative, but you seem to switch back and forth between your points.
:|
Well, only if you're craving for the little bonuses which are generally irrelevant to a great lump of the population.
Playing a MMO in advance... I don't see the point. You dodge the retards, but the point of MMOs, besides being sure that you waste your life, is to have people on them, not play on empty servers.
Isn't it what they already do?
Yes, that's also an advantage of download, in theory, as you can download your content again. You're marked as the virtual owner of a copy for quite some time I think, once you've spent the money.
Or are there systems which allow for only one download?
This would be most curious, when download is supposed to get rid of the physical retail support.
Akuma: once you've downloaded the stuff, the loading time would matter little, be it from the CD or the HD. I'd rather use the HD actually.