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Even if Steam remains a perfect platform that always fights for the player, why do you assume that Steam will be around as a company in 30 years, 10 years, or e

Even if Steam remains a perfect platform that always fights for the player, why do you assume that Steam will be around as a company in 30 years, 10 years, or even one? Physical games or a model like Gog ensure you will be able to play the games in the future. Digital games where you can't transfer the offline installer to any platform you want is trading convenience today for a guarantee you will buy or pirate it in the future.

c0wb0yc0d3r 2y ago
The following is mostly off topic. For those that buy games on Gog, what has been your strategy for backing up the installers? It seems they only make the last few patches available for download. Do you download every patch, or just the installers?
themaninthedark 2y ago
>Even if Steam remains a perfect platform that always fights for the player, why do you assume that Steam will be around as a company in 30 years, 10 years, or even one? Your point on Steam is good but the same holds for GOG. They could be acquired or go under just as well and I doubt that most people are keeping backups of all the installers.
- Larrikin 2y ago
  I view the installers the same as the discs or cartridges. They are yours and it's your responsibility to keep up with them if you want to play them in the future. But unlike a disc or cartridge you can have it backed up in multiple places, more similar to family photos.
Ferret7446 2y ago
Most Steam games can be "backed up" and played offline. It is the publisher's discretion whether DRM is used, including Steam's DRM. Also, fundamentally the issue of copyright is a government enforced artificial monopoly. It's ultimately up to to the governments whether you can "own" any digital media in the future. Hypothetically, the governments could come to take your physical media, and the only thing you can do to defend your rights is with arms, hence the US's fixation on their Second Amendment.

c0wb0yc0d3r 2y ago

The following is mostly off topic. For those that buy games on Gog, what has been your strategy for backing up the installers? It seems they only make the last few patches available for download. Do you download every patch, or just the installers?

themaninthedark 2y ago

>Even if Steam remains a perfect platform that always fights for the player, why do you assume that Steam will be around as a company in 30 years, 10 years, or even one? Your point on Steam is good but the same holds for GOG. They could be acquired or go under just as well and I doubt that most people are keeping backups of all the installers.

Larrikin 2y ago
I view the installers the same as the discs or cartridges. They are yours and it's your responsibility to keep up with them if you want to play them in the future. But unlike a disc or cartridge you can have it backed up in multiple places, more similar to family photos.

Ferret7446 2y ago

Most Steam games can be "backed up" and played offline. It is the publisher's discretion whether DRM is used, including Steam's DRM. Also, fundamentally the issue of copyright is a government enforced artificial monopoly. It's ultimately up to to the governments whether you can "own" any digital media in the future. Hypothetically, the governments could come to take your physical media, and the only thing you can do to defend your rights is with arms, hence the US's fixation on their Second Amendment.