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How is Valve not a closed platform for the games that it sells? You can't really export the game outside of Steam, or use it with Steam disabled for any signif

How is Valve not a closed platform for the games that it sells? You can't really export the game outside of Steam, or use it with Steam disabled for any significant amount of time.

Retric 7y ago
You can link games you buy outside of Steam to your steam account. This provides users all the upsides of a steam purchase without all of the steam limitations. Further, many games purchased on Steam provide keys that work without using the steam account.
- jsgo 7y ago
  Linking games to Steam provides the library aspect and social features I believe, but I wouldn't argue it has all of the upsides of a Steam purchase. For example, I would buy Ubisoft releases way back when on Steam instead of Uplay because I could have it manage installing/uninstalling the games (even if I could've purchased it at a cheaper price via Uplay. Ghost Recon Wildlands comes to mind). For library management, GOG 2 (Alpha) is the best solution I've personally seen (have the various storefronts installed, import the connector for GOG 2, all the games from that storefront are imported into GOG 2, can install/play/etc. on a whim).
  - Retric 7y ago
    I have had steam download and install games like They are Billions I purchased outside the service, as long as it had the keys. This might not apply in all cases, but I have yet to have an issue.
- louhike 7y ago
  You can do also bought games for XboxOne and PS4 outside the store and activate them on it. I'm not sure about the Switch.
michaelt 7y ago
Presumably jsnell means PC gamers and game-makers can choose between Steam, Origin, GOG, Epic, Humble, and Microsoft Store. While on the other hand, an gamer or game-maker on iPhone or Android or Nintendo or Playstation or XBox has no choice in digital distribution channels. (And of course the latter have other flaws too - like their famously capricious acceptance processes) One could even go on to argue that PC gaming allows you to launch your own game store that allows resale if you think it's so important. Personally I don't find that a very convincing argument, though.
- oneeyedpigeon 7y ago
  Surely that's an argument that the PC platform is an open one, not the Steam platform. The Steam platform appears to be an attempt to create a walled garden in exactly the same way that the consoles are.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- philipov 7y ago
  Gamers can only choose between those when the platforms don't lock themselves down using things such as epic's store exclusive deals. Should go after those deals as being anticompetitive, and then we will have an open market.
Semaphor 7y ago
> You can't really export the game outside of Steam, or use it with Steam disabled for any significant amount of time. That isn't true for all games. There is this [0] list, but I have no idea about its quality. Essentially there are games that don't use the steamworks DRM parts, so while you do not get a steam-independent installer, those games still work after uninstalling steam (and you could probably watch the installer to make your own for a completely steam free PC). [0]: https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games
kmonsen 7y ago
Consoles also control the hw which means it is possible to make the drm stronger.
Gaelan 7y ago
My interpretation was this: - because games are software, it is hard to enforce that people “selling” them don’t keep a copy for themselves as well - apparently, this may have allowed an exemption from the “must allow reselling” rule - because iOS is a walled garden, it is easier to implement DRM to prevent this - therefore, the courts would have been more likely to force the App Store to allow resale
- jsnell 7y ago
  Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

How is Valve not a closed platform for the games that it sells? You can't really export the game outside of Steam, or use it with Steam disabled for any significant amount of time.

Retric 7y ago

You can link games you buy outside of Steam to your steam account. This provides users all the upsides of a steam purchase without all of the steam limitations. Further, many games purchased on Steam provide keys that work without using the steam account.

jsgo 7y ago
Linking games to Steam provides the library aspect and social features I believe, but I wouldn't argue it has all of the upsides of a Steam purchase. For example, I would buy Ubisoft releases way back when on Steam instead of Uplay because I could have it manage installing/uninstalling the games (even if I could've purchased it at a cheaper price via Uplay. Ghost Recon Wildlands comes to mind). For library management, GOG 2 (Alpha) is the best solution I've personally seen (have the various storefronts installed, import the connector for GOG 2, all the games from that storefront are imported into GOG 2, can install/play/etc. on a whim).
- Retric 7y ago
  I have had steam download and install games like They are Billions I purchased outside the service, as long as it had the keys. This might not apply in all cases, but I have yet to have an issue.
louhike 7y ago
You can do also bought games for XboxOne and PS4 outside the store and activate them on it. I'm not sure about the Switch.

michaelt 7y ago

Presumably jsnell means PC gamers and game-makers can choose between Steam, Origin, GOG, Epic, Humble, and Microsoft Store. While on the other hand, an gamer or game-maker on iPhone or Android or Nintendo or Playstation or XBox has no choice in digital distribution channels. (And of course the latter have other flaws too - like their famously capricious acceptance processes) One could even go on to argue that PC gaming allows you to launch your own game store that allows resale if you think it's so important. Personally I don't find that a very convincing argument, though.

oneeyedpigeon 7y ago
Surely that's an argument that the PC platform is an open one, not the Steam platform. The Steam platform appears to be an attempt to create a walled garden in exactly the same way that the consoles are.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
philipov 7y ago
Gamers can only choose between those when the platforms don't lock themselves down using things such as epic's store exclusive deals. Should go after those deals as being anticompetitive, and then we will have an open market.

Semaphor 7y ago

> You can't really export the game outside of Steam, or use it with Steam disabled for any significant amount of time. That isn't true for all games. There is this [0] list, but I have no idea about its quality. Essentially there are games that don't use the steamworks DRM parts, so while you do not get a steam-independent installer, those games still work after uninstalling steam (and you could probably watch the installer to make your own for a completely steam free PC). [0]: https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games

kmonsen 7y ago

Consoles also control the hw which means it is possible to make the drm stronger.

Gaelan 7y ago

My interpretation was this: - because games are software, it is hard to enforce that people “selling” them don’t keep a copy for themselves as well - apparently, this may have allowed an exemption from the “must allow reselling” rule - because iOS is a walled garden, it is easier to implement DRM to prevent this - therefore, the courts would have been more likely to force the App Store to allow resale

jsnell 7y ago
Yes, that's exactly what I meant.