Retailers Versus Steam? [Nov 11, 2010, 11:08 am ET] – Share – Viewing Comments
A story on MCV with a quote in the headline (which isn't in the article itself) stating "Valve monopoly is killing PC market," reports they understand "that at least two big-name digital retailers are facing financial difficulties as they struggle to compete" with Steam. "I've fought hard for my customer, and never before have I had to give my customers away. Steam is killing the PC market and it is no wonder digital retailers are failing," says the director of a Steam rival. "Steam is locking down the market." In a separate report they also discuss retailer dissatisfaction with Steam's dominance of the marketplace, which insiders tell them amounts to 80% of PC downloadable games. Since this competes with online sales initiatives by retailers, they say at least two major U.K. merchants will demand that publishers remove Steam integration from their games or they will refuse to sell them. With PC game sales at retail stores in steady decline, it seems an odd moment for these stores to flex their atrophying muscle, but they quote the head of sales at a big-name digital service provider saying: "At the moment the big digital distributors need to stock games with Steam. But the power resides with bricks and mortar retailers, they can refuse to stock these titles. Publishers are hesitant, but retail must put pressure on them."
Verno wrote on Nov 11, 2010, 18:35:It makes no sense to me why everyone seems to be defending steam/steamworks.
Err, why do we have pick sides? Seems kinda childish. I use Steam but I'm well aware of the potential consequences it poses to the industry. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of alternative for consumer choice right now. The PC platform would be in terrible shape without it and it does implement features that consumers want so in the end you take the good with the bad and hope for better in the future.
Please by all means, feel free to design your own Steam clone with published APIs and open systems. Then somehow manage to convince the industry that your central ownership and management of it is in their best interests while they scream and howl about DRM and whatnot. I'll be your first customer even. Until that time though, we work with what we have.
I am not asking anyone to take sides! If you like steam that is fine. I just happen to think it sucks. Maybe you misread or I did not post as plainly as I should have.
I see no need to design some other version of steam or battlenet. Again, all that needs to happen is that publishers realize that there is no reason for this dumbass DRM. It all boils down to that they are scared shitless about piracy. I know, I have said before, however, it still rings true. Once publishers realize there is not one damn thing they can do to stop it, they will stop making the same shit over and over again and actually make the customers that pay for the game happy.
Until then, steam is going to be a closed off monopoly just like live, PSN, Apple, etc.
You may think this is fine and dandy but, I have been playing games for more than 20 years on everything they have been on. Steam and everything like it sucks! Period!
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