Where did you buy your last MMO and where will you buy your next? Chances are you'll be getting it on Steam or so the story goes according to Brad Wardell, head honcho over at Stardock. We're inclined to agree with his assertion that Valve's digital distribution platform holds roughly 70% of the PC market as many of us here at Massively have been buying our MMOs -- and PC games in general -- on the service for some time now.
So is it a good thing or a bad thing for MMO players? Our experience with purchasing games like Aion and Champions Online through the service has been positive, and so long as no complications arise via patches or other client issues we see no reason to stop utilizing the service unless better offers appear.
The only real MMO-related issue we can see is with collector's editions. Some games offer a different set of bonus material for people who opt out of the physical copy and go for the digital, but certain items like art books, mouse pads and other bric-a-brac can't be delivered through a wire... at least, not until sometime in the far flung future.
Now, as far as the Steamworks integration issue goes... Well, that's a whole other sack of fishes.
Reader Comments (26)
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 12:26PM (Unverified) said
I use Steam too - but there is a downside for non-Americans.
Payment is expected in U.S. dollars. Not too bad for Canadians right now, with our dollar around 95 cent U.S.
But I've lived through periods when our dollar stood at 66 cents...
What happens when retailers stop carrying titles, and only Steam is left?
Payment is expected in U.S. dollars. Not too bad for Canadians right now, with our dollar around 95 cent U.S.
But I've lived through periods when our dollar stood at 66 cents...
What happens when retailers stop carrying titles, and only Steam is left?
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 11:55AM Evy said
I don't like Steam. I guess I'm weird, but I still prefer having a boxed copy of my games.
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 11:57AM (Unverified) said
A quick Google search shows that Steam has 70% of the DOWNLOAD market, not the entire PC game market! Pretty inaccurate headline, posted 16 hours ago and no correction in sight.
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 2:09PM Sean D said
I rarely download games through any service. I use Steam primarily to communicate with my friends while we're gaming. I've had too many problems with Steam and how they run patches. Mass Effect is a good example. I crashed often while playing, sometimes in the same places in-game (the lava planet graphics bug got me), sometimes not, but I couldn't get the patch that I needed because it would cause my 'Steam version' to become unplayable. I eventually uninstalled the game, and though I think Mass Effect was a great game, I've not been able to finish it and the icon sits unused on my Steam list of games. Once in a while I'll download a game through Steam, but I never pay more than $20.00. I think I have downloaded a total of seven, maybe eight games total through Steam as a result of the Mass Effect fiasco.
Downloadable games/content is something to be very wary of in the future.
Downloadable games/content is something to be very wary of in the future.
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 3:16PM Pingles said
I had an account issue with Steam and lost access to all of my games.
Never again.
Never again.
Posted: Nov 21st 2009 5:33PM Graill440 said
Steam is spyware, regardless of what steam states. Why else does it "need" to be running when a game is launched. When i had to use steam to activate MW2 i used one email, it sent messages to all three emails i have, how is that not spyware?
I detest steam and was forced to use it for MW2, the clear choice in the future is to simply not play any games requiring steam activation or steam in any capacity. Spyware that needs to be on, no thanks.
70% of the PC market? Doubtful. Maybe kiddy consoles. If the the PC crowd is so inept that they need to use steam then a larger problem exists.
I detest steam and was forced to use it for MW2, the clear choice in the future is to simply not play any games requiring steam activation or steam in any capacity. Spyware that needs to be on, no thanks.
70% of the PC market? Doubtful. Maybe kiddy consoles. If the the PC crowd is so inept that they need to use steam then a larger problem exists.







