STEAM/U-Play-Origin

[Guy from the 80's]

How many will there be in 5 years?

I bought a new desktop and along with the AMD came Bioshock infinite and Crysis 3. I already had STEAM of course so in order to play Crysis I had to install Origin....then I bought Anno2070 and then I had to get U-play. Each of these "things" has achievements and unlockables and what not or what ever. I've been on steam for 7 years so I don't mind STEAM, not to mention STEAM has a billion games.

So what if Capcom and every other company out there creates their own STEAM? I'm so sick and tired of filling out my e-mail and entering my password in order to play A game.

So how many Origin/U-plays will there be in 5 years? The only (THE ONLY) thing that makes me hostile towards shit is when you have to register and enter your email and create a username (thats already taken) in order to play your shit.

 

[Not Gabe Newell]

I think Jim Sterling mentioned this in one of his blog posts. He claimed that if EVERY publisher/developer had their own digital distribution system, we would have situations where gamers would have to have like nine different accounts just to play all their games.


Steam is alright because it's been around for years and it unites our entire PC gaming experience into one simple easy-to-use service.

 

[InsanityRequiem]

How's that lack of a used game market helping you, PC? /fakesarcasmscorn

Truth be told, I'm not surprised that publishers will try to sell through themselves now instead of another publishing house for digital distribution. Essentially why go through Steam when you can do it yourself? I do have an inkling that Steam, having been the monopoly for Digital Distribution on PCs for a while now, said or did something that has caused some issues between them and EA/Ubisoft.

So far I've seen Steam, Origin, U-Play, Desura, GOG, Green Man Gaming, and a bunch of non-distributor means of getting your games. Buying PC games in stores is nearly non-existant, so that avenue is basically gone, and we'll soon have Publishers locking their games to their own distribution services. EA did that with Origin, so I don't expect Ubisoft to continue with Steam, and who knows if Acti-Blizz will make their own, or Square Enix either.

In five years? Digital Distribution will really only be a fight for indies at this point, as Steam may lose the AAA publishers to their own self-made services. They themselves don't do enough in the game making, so their main source of funds might run dry if they do bad in the indie scene.

 

[linwolf]

Better than steam being the only source, prefer gog or gmg myself.

 

[tilmoph]

I really hope not many. Steam works because it's a single thing that houses pretty much all my game. the ones it doesn't are ones I got off of gog or gamergate. Those don't require me to log in to anything, so that's fine. It would annoy me to no end to have download and install a whole pile of Steam like programs just to play games from different publishers.

 

[Tazzman]

A good question and whereas I don't mind steam/origin wanting me to register, seeing as both offer me a chance to buy games, needing a Uplay account annoys me no end cause it's just there for the sake of it. If other publishers go down this route I'm probably going to have to go retro and buy an arcade machine.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

While I do use Steam for my games mainly, I do however still use manual installs for some games not tied to Steam along with Anno 2070 with Ass creed 3 on U-play and I don't ever want to touch Origin and I have no interest in GoG or GmG.

With that said I don't really have much of an issue with how things are going at the moment but in 5 years only time will tell for most of us.

 

[Tayh]

The more popular steam is, the more likely it is that other companies will try to copy it.
Can't say I've got much sympathy. Afterall, you've shown them that you don't mind DRM-services.

Getting most of my games from GOG.com and DRM-free kickstarters these days, saves me so much hassle.

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

This is the reason I stick to consoles. Steam as a drm client? Fine whatever but eventually I can see every pub getting their own. After Uplay got hacked, my main problem is that now instead of having personal data with one or 2 companies suddenly everyone gets a piece. It's fucking bullshit. I'll find other ways of getting games before I'm subjected to 20 different drm clients and distribution systems

 

[B5Alpha]

It's a DRM thing. GOG exists to provide completely DRM-free things. Steam's DRM doesn't harm the customer much, and has some benefits too (crazy sales and the like). Ubisoft and EA decided that Valve wasn't being obtrusive enough to player's gaming, so they made their own distribution (and monitoring) platforms. Unless more publishing companies end up like those two there shouldn't be a large increase in distribution platforms anytime soon.

 

[porous_shield]

I dislike having my games spread out through multiple distribution systems but the more there are the more competition there is and that's good for the consumer.

 

[Ticklefist]

steam doesnt just provide drm, it provides control over your customers.
it binds you to it and gives you no choice as to accept whatever they feel like in the future.
dont like it, your account gets closed with no refunds on all the games you purchased so far..

and please dont start saying that valve are the good guys and they will never be corrupted and abuse their power in the future..

Citation required. I'm not familiar with any situation where a person lost access to their purchases because they "don't like it." And what's not to like? The ominous what-ifs of your vague doomsday prophecy? What plausible threat does Steam DRM present?

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Hopefully not too many more.

If EA is anything to go by, having games on only one service is terrible news. They'll crank up the price to a premium and never waver, not until almost everyone has already bought it. Seriously, screw Origin, I may have actually got Doorfighter if it was on Steam.

It's likely we'll see a few attempts. I think Ubisoft and EA were talking about removing Ubisofts games off Steam and putting them on Origin but I just don't see all the major developers having exclusive services to buy from. If that actually happened I think indie games would skyrocket since they would be more convenient.

 

[Something Amyss]

Better than steam being the only source, prefer gog or gmg myself.

Steam wasn't the only source, even without Origin and EA's "take my ball and go home" option. GMG and GOG were two options you already listed, and what's more, they didn't divide distribution--they expanded it.

 

[wulf3n]

What's worse is when you buy a game through Steam but also then required to install and log in to U-Play.

 

[Ticklefist]

steam doesnt just provide drm, it provides control over your customers.
it binds you to it and gives you no choice as to accept whatever they feel like in the future.
dont like it, your account gets closed with no refunds on all the games you purchased so far..

and please dont start saying that valve are the good guys and they will never be corrupted and abuse their power in the future..

Citation required. I'm not familiar with any situation where a person lost access to their purchases because they "don't like it." And what's not to like? The ominous what-ifs of your vague doomsday prophecy? What plausible threat does Steam DRM present?

http://wegotthiscovered.com/gaming/valve-accept-steam-subscriber-agreement-disable-account/
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/xor0j/i_asked_steam_support_if_i_could_keep_playing_my

that should provide you with some reading material.

and thast how they shoved their "you cant make a class action suit against us" paragraph down your throat..

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/08/01/steams-sub-agreement-prohibits-class-action-lawsuits/

That's not someone that lost their account because they "don't like it." That's giving up your account because... rules? Be petty to your own detriment.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

I can't tell you exactly where the "tipping point" is because it's different for everyone.

However the notion that "people will pay for convenience" has some merit to it and the more inconvenient publishers make it to actually buy their games, the more likely people are to just pirate the damn things.

As it stands I already have a small list of games that I never played because they aren't on Steam and are presently only available through Origin or Uplay.