Poll: Origin v Steam with battlelines drawn, where r u?

[sheic99]

What makes you think you own any of your physical copies? The only thing different between digital and physical games is the disc. You own the piece of plastic and a license, it's ignorant to think otherwise.

If I were to modify my single player game with a disc could the publisher stop me? If I told the publisher to go fuck themselves and accused them of legitimized copywrite infringement and piracy could they stop me from using the purchased disc or invalidate the data on disc? Can the publisher prevent me from selling the item at my discretion? There is an astronomical world of difference between physical possession and digital licensing.

Apparently, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.280441-GeoHot-Sounds-Off-on-Sonys-PSN-Debacle] they [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.269975-No-Dragon-Age-2-for-Suspended-BioWare-Forumite-UPDATED?page=1] can. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98452-Ubisoft-Clarifies-New-Online-DRM-Scheme]

However I was not even discussing the merits of physical vs digital media. I was discussing the difference between a subscription license such as what one gets with Steam and a License of property such as one gets with say GoG or Gamers gate. The problem is ignorance abounds because people assume Steam is a benevolent benefactor and are completely oblivious to the fact that in their discretion steam can invalidate every purchase youve ever made through them and give you absolutely nothing in return because you have bought a subscription and individual licenses within that subscription, you OWN absolutely nothing. People buy into this without understanding exactly what they are doing or what can possibly happen. This is why this generation has made the old adage "A fool and his money are soon parted" so unbelievably relevant because people are perpetuating a system like this like it is a golden god, when its actually hurting the customer, and hurting the industry.

Steam is NOT the only one guilty of this. Origin is no better (and in fact they are worse because they proactively "retire" licenses) So I reassert, as far as I am concerned I hope both of them annihilate each other into oblivion because the gaming world would be better for it, even if its too thick to realize it or comprehend why.

All digital distribution has a Terms of Use when you sign up. If you violate those rules you lose all future access to the games you own.

 

[tthor]

Steam is already here, it's been here for a long time, and it's doing a damn good job. Origin is new, probably fewer games, and still has plenty of time to fuck with people during its young-age.

I already use and love Steam, so I sure as hell do not want to have to deal with another digital distributor; that would mean a second program on my taskbar, taking up more of my computer's precious processing power.

 

[Ryan Minns]

I'd go with Steam, Valve gambled and it eventually paid off, they've done so much good for the PC gaming community unlike any other developer these days so I dislike the idea of purchasing from a company who simply moves in once all the work has been done. Granted with Bioware becoming shooter/action focused I doubt I'd have bought an EA game regardless

 

[Legendsmith]

Steam will win, but it's a shame. There should be competition for it, otherwise it's a monopoly.

You're kidding, right?
Steam is NOT the only digital distribution platform out there.
Gamer's Gate, Direct2Drive, Good Old Games, Impulse are all there. They make enough money to keep going, so it's not like steam has anything approaching a monopoly, even without the competition from Origin.

 

[Sangnz]

I got C&C3 through Origin/EA store due to it not being on steam, it was only after I bought it that you only have a 1 year redownload allowance so if I loose the game installer due to a dive crash or format after a year my purchase is not available for me to redownload.

This more than anything else means I will NOT be buying shit off Origin, I will buy hardcopies of ToR, ME3 and BF3.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Steam has annoyed me by responding to my report ticket without even reading it, but still, EA is full of shit with Origin. After everything with Crysis 2 (a game I didn't care to get much anyway), I'm not getting any game that requires Origin, or Origin.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Steam will win, but it's a shame. There should be competition for it, otherwise it's a monopoly.

You're kidding, right?
Steam is NOT the only digital distribution platform out there.
Gamer's Gate, Direct2Drive, Good Old Games, Impulse are all there. They make enough money to keep going, so it's not like steam has anything approaching a monopoly, even without the competition from Origin.

Dunno about the others, but D2D and Steam are not the same. D2D give you a download that requires nothing to actually play the game, while Steam and Origin download it and are needed to launch it. Still, though, GFWL is pretty much the same as Steam and Origin.

 

[Arafiro]

Steam will crush Origin.

I just hope not too many games' sales are ruined by EA before they realise that a waste of time this is.

 

[Chris646]

I must join the Powdered Toast Men and face the onslaught of both Steam and Origin!

But in all seriousness, I'm more for Steam.

 

[TheDooD]

Steam loves their customers, Origin loves to rip off their customers and powdered toastman FTW.

 

[Monsterfurby]

Seriously, I really, REALLY don't care, no matter how much EA or Valve want me to. I am with the customers on this - if this causes EA and Valve to improve their service due to competition, that's great. If I get special offers due to competition - that is, too. I can have both installed and use them as I wish, compare prices and choose which one to buy from which is actually kind of neat. Again, competition is good.

 

[Garchomp445]

I have had very bad experiences with steam in the past. It prevented me from playing Portal 2 for almost an hour, and requires me to use the administrator account for the same game (it is unused for security). Steam is slow (yes I know about servers, I'm making a point),and updates a lot. But, I will never use origin. Because I trust VALVe, I love their games, they have awesome employees, Steam is still reliable, and the only games I ever truly liked of EA's were Spore and the various Battlefields (I hope origin is demolished by steam before Battlefield 3 is released, I'm really looking forward to it...).

 

[Bravo 21]

I could not care less, digital distribution is all about convenience, and while i do like steam, in the end, i will use origin if it has a game that I want.

 

[Tropical Bob]

>>>c) Origin still sucks but will survive anyway by pulling exclusive bullshit

3)No matter how this turns out, it's a good things that EA is doing origin

I fail to see how exclusivity bullshit is at all beneficial for gamers.

 

[Sejs Cube]

I'm with whichever side brings me a better service. Camp loyalty is kinda dumb.


Also I'm with whatever side can be bothered to spell out "are" and "you".

 

[Meatspinner]

Both. Don't see why I have to wave some stupid fanboy banner just because there is another product out there

 

[Gindil]

My money goes to whichever asks for the least amount of money, simple as.

I hate to say it, but Steam is not always the one having the cheapest price. Link [http://shockedfish.com/]

The fact is, people will find more convenience through steam than most other places.

 

[Kaymish]

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ah yes i didnt think of the issues you have raised thank you for taking the time
i agree with your points
with the background applications i think this is where services like D2D and the like where there is no background fluff will find their niche filling in the gaps where the platforms are having their fights looks like i was wrong in thinking it didn't really matter ive got both origin and steam but no games for origin yet so i don't run it

on a side note i have trouble seeing the publishers as consistent first they are bitching that sales are down to piracy and stuff then they go and alienate a huge swath of customers who don't want to shift to their platform or are not excited enough about the game to put up with the annoyance.

 

[SlayerN]

Steam, if anyone though that was still a mystery.

I LOVED ME1 and ME2, if EA wants to pull some bullsh*t by having a game that should NOT require additional updates except COSMETIC!!! DLC and has NO online...anything since the Cerberus Network was axed not be available everywhere. Why the hell do we have to register on origin even with a retail copy?

I'll end by saying this Origin crap does not interest me at all. I have used Origin in the past and hated it, not only for the service itself but also the feeling that I was a lowly cog in a new evil EA scheme.

Bioware, I love everything you do and rest assured I'll give you the money you deserve for your work even if that means finding a way to donate directly to the people in your studio, but EA isn't getting a cent of it though as long as ME3 it is an Origin showboat.

(I get angrier as the night goes on sorry if I seemed overly excited, I am pissed of though)