New estimates from Alinea Analytics show that Steam could have broken a $1.7 billion September record, and Valve's own F2P games are raking in big bucks.
I like Steam, but I am trying to shop at GOG more and more. No DRM has become a big selling feature for me. I remember the days when Google was one of the “cool” companies that made tech better. Now I am suspicious of all tech companies.
I’d use GoG much more if they caught up on the Linux support side. Even their client doesn’t work on Linux, and last time I downloaded cyberpunk through a third-party launcher, it took hours because they limit the speed of downloads through the API.
When I still used windows, I’d use Steam to search for games and then buy them on Gog if they were available, but the convenience gap is just too large now :(
But Steam doesn’t want it, according to a support rep:
Unfortunately, Steam accounts and games are non-transferable. Steam Support can’t provide someone else with access to the account or merge its contents with another account. I regret to inform you that your Steam account cannot be transferred via a will.
This means you can leave your login details in your will, but Steam can block the account. Also, in case the login details in your will are not correct anymore or no login details were shared, Steam will not give access.
eh, idk, I think people worrying about passing down their antique game collections to the younger generation are sorta like all the old people thinking their kids are gonna want their stamp collections or old timey ‘country rose’ antique dish sets. Even worse, because it’s not like you can even re-sell those games to make a tiny profit at a flea market or whatever.
An outlier case, which doesn’t justify changing the setup and introducing even bigger issues/abuses to solve.
If accounts allowed transfers, I’d personally have no issue with doing something like:
Have my own personal “main” steam account
Use secondary accounts to buy games
Transfer any game I want to play longer term / figure I’ll revisit over to my main account; sell the secondary account on Facebook Marketplace/similar sites to recoop funds for myself on a quarterly/annual basis (removing that potential revenue from steam)
That sort of abuse would be far more common, than the outlier case you’ve listed for a young parent passing down games to a kid that’s fairly close in age.
I dunno, I inherited my grandparents’ SNES and my uncle’s PS1 and Sega Dreamcast. I probably played those consoles more than they ever did. Granted, those consoles weren’t that old by the time I got them
Long term that’s possibly wise. Track record being what it is I think steam is broadly ok, but definitely less safe than something you can download and keep forever.
I think as long as Gabe runs the show, it will be fine, but you know that there are venture capitalists and mega-corps all ready to maximize stakeholder value.
At least with GoG, you can at least download your installers if it ever begins the enshittification slide. Steam will take everything with it should it start down that path.
I like Steam, but I am trying to shop at GOG more and more. No DRM has become a big selling feature for me. I remember the days when Google was one of the “cool” companies that made tech better. Now I am suspicious of all tech companies.
I think Steam vs GOG is an actual healthy competition
I’d use GoG much more if they caught up on the Linux support side. Even their client doesn’t work on Linux, and last time I downloaded cyberpunk through a third-party launcher, it took hours because they limit the speed of downloads through the API.
When I still used windows, I’d use Steam to search for games and then buy them on Gog if they were available, but the convenience gap is just too large now :(
At least GoG has a good search feature for Linux games. Too bad it’s almost entirely porn.
But I got Silksong on GoG.
Heroic has worked well for me so far. I haven’t noticed download speed issues, but I grew up with dial-up…
What I dislike about Steam is that Valve doesn’t allow you to leave your account to somebody else upon your death.
How will steam know if I’ve done that?
That’s irrelevant. It’s the rule itself I don’t like.
Damn right I’ll give my game collection to my kid.
Neither does GOG
So if I die and I leave my harddrive full of offline installers to my kid, GOG will come delete every installer?
Won’t stop your heir playing the GOG games though
Can you just give them the passwords?
Yeah you can.
But Steam doesn’t want it, according to a support rep:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2347640/steam-says-you-cant-leave-games-in-your-will-but-us-law-might-disagree.html
This means you can leave your login details in your will, but Steam can block the account. Also, in case the login details in your will are not correct anymore or no login details were shared, Steam will not give access.
eh, idk, I think people worrying about passing down their antique game collections to the younger generation are sorta like all the old people thinking their kids are gonna want their stamp collections or old timey ‘country rose’ antique dish sets. Even worse, because it’s not like you can even re-sell those games to make a tiny profit at a flea market or whatever.
What if a 30 year old dies and their 10 year old kid can’t play the games anymore that they were playing by using family sharing?
An outlier case, which doesn’t justify changing the setup and introducing even bigger issues/abuses to solve.
If accounts allowed transfers, I’d personally have no issue with doing something like:
That sort of abuse would be far more common, than the outlier case you’ve listed for a young parent passing down games to a kid that’s fairly close in age.
I dunno, I inherited my grandparents’ SNES and my uncle’s PS1 and Sega Dreamcast. I probably played those consoles more than they ever did. Granted, those consoles weren’t that old by the time I got them
Long term that’s possibly wise. Track record being what it is I think steam is broadly ok, but definitely less safe than something you can download and keep forever.
I think as long as Gabe runs the show, it will be fine, but you know that there are venture capitalists and mega-corps all ready to maximize stakeholder value.
At least with GoG, you can at least download your installers if it ever begins the enshittification slide. Steam will take everything with it should it start down that path.
The question is whether or not whoever or whatever Gabe puts into his place when he steps down will act like him.
I see it as a serious likelihood he’ll proof the company against venture capital and going public