3 ms·

The greed is immeasurable and unfathomable. They could lower their cut across the board to a more reasonable 3% (single digit percentages used to be a thing on

by moogly 3y ago

The greed is immeasurable and unfathomable. They could lower their cut across the board to a more reasonable 3% (single digit percentages used to be a thing on platforms before Valve moved the Overton window with Steam) and still be the top dog company in the world. I just don't get it. The people making these decisions are insane in my eyes. Insanely rich.

bonton89 3y ago
AFAIK before Steam existed most PC games were sold in boxes in stores and they definitely didn't take a mere 3% cut.
- moogly 3y ago
  Sure, but that's physical media with physical stores. That's a different beast from digital goods IMO.
joecot 3y ago
> single digit percentages used to be a thing on platforms before Valve moved the Overton window with Steam I think people really underestimate the customer value of Steam. I have a library of 20 years of game purchases. From numerous different game companies. I can install all of them on any computer, now including my Linux machines, or a Steam Deck. If a device can't run one of those games, I can stream from another machine with Steam Link, including now to my VR headset. If a game uses Steam's multiplayer networking, multiplayer just ... works. No worrying about ports, NAT, anything. It just works every time, unlike every other multiplayer system I've used. If a game uses Steam Workshop, mods are available right in the same program, no extra tools required. Besides the hardware and the game purchases themselves, all of that was free for me, the consumer. I get that Valve takes a big cut, but the value add of Steam is almost immeasurable from the consumer end. I've bought games from GOG but the experience isn't even close. Every game I've had to buy through Origin or Ubisoft directly had made me grit my teeth at their bloated launchers. Most of the physical games I've bought outside steam have been lost, damaged, or deteriorated with time. If someone had told me 20 years ago, when I was signing up launch week and it kept crashing, that Steam would be this ubiquitous, useful, and free, I wouldn't have believed you. Steam is an incredible value add that makes PC gaming a tremendously better experience than console.
- Andrew_nenakhov 3y ago
  And more: no game developer is forced to publish on Steam. Anyone can sell directly to customer, directly installing their games. But people choose to publish on Steam because it adds value to gamers and developers. On the contrary, what Apple does is something between racketeering or extortion, only possible thanks to them having the only key to the gate. Boo, Apple.

by moogly 3y ago

bonton89 3y ago

AFAIK before Steam existed most PC games were sold in boxes in stores and they definitely didn't take a mere 3% cut.

moogly 3y ago
Sure, but that's physical media with physical stores. That's a different beast from digital goods IMO.

joecot 3y ago

> single digit percentages used to be a thing on platforms before Valve moved the Overton window with Steam I think people really underestimate the customer value of Steam. I have a library of 20 years of game purchases. From numerous different game companies. I can install all of them on any computer, now including my Linux machines, or a Steam Deck. If a device can't run one of those games, I can stream from another machine with Steam Link, including now to my VR headset. If a game uses Steam's multiplayer networking, multiplayer just ... works. No worrying about ports, NAT, anything. It just works every time, unlike every other multiplayer system I've used. If a game uses Steam Workshop, mods are available right in the same program, no extra tools required. Besides the hardware and the game purchases themselves, all of that was free for me, the consumer. I get that Valve takes a big cut, but the value add of Steam is almost immeasurable from the consumer end. I've bought games from GOG but the experience isn't even close. Every game I've had to buy through Origin or Ubisoft directly had made me grit my teeth at their bloated launchers. Most of the physical games I've bought outside steam have been lost, damaged, or deteriorated with time. If someone had told me 20 years ago, when I was signing up launch week and it kept crashing, that Steam would be this ubiquitous, useful, and free, I wouldn't have believed you. Steam is an incredible value add that makes PC gaming a tremendously better experience than console.

Andrew_nenakhov 3y ago
And more: no game developer is forced to publish on Steam. Anyone can sell directly to customer, directly installing their games. But people choose to publish on Steam because it adds value to gamers and developers. On the contrary, what Apple does is something between racketeering or extortion, only possible thanks to them having the only key to the gate. Boo, Apple.