CJ_Parker wrote on Jul 18, 2011, 12:18:

Illumin wrote on Jul 18, 2011, 11:49:
Let's see...

(-) Steamworks games that won't run without Steam (no game should force you to install a certain client that is technically not required to run the game)
(-) Steam DRM - often times on top of other DRM like SecuROM, doubling the annoyance
(-) Wonky offline mode
(-) Buggy and slow as fuck integrated browser
(-) Generally poor performance (it's gotten better over the years but still a far cry from a smooth, flawless user experience)
(-) Spyware features - Steam knows what you play, where you play, when you play, how often you play, with whom you play, what hardware you prefer playing on... you name it. In terms of gaming it knows everything about you
(-) Retarded region locking
(-) Censorship instead of age verification (big negative for Germans and Aussies and others with restrictive gov'ts)
(-) "Our servers are currently too busy to handle your request - Please try again in a few minutes" = Totally unacceptable message if I want to download and install a game I purchased and own. I must be able to play whenever I want to. I don't give a fuck whether they have to set up a server farm the size of Texas. Not being able to play a game is unacceptable.
(-) Mod compatibility not always ensured
(-) Delayed patches (sometimes massively)

If any other major player like EA or Microsoft had a negative list like that people would tar and feather them. But Valve gets aways with it "cuz HL was kewl" .
Steam does have its good sides, no doubt, but wouldn't it be much better if like GOG they would just be a decent digital sales platform without a client requirement and all the other peripheral bullshit? Yes, it would.

Very good points. The Spyware features are especially BS in many respects.

But Valve gets away with it "cus HL was kewl". LOL! Now that is funny!