21 replies to this topic

[SailtheSeas]

Steam is this 'magical' digital downloading service offered by Valve corporation.

 

I got my Gaming PC two days ago and last night I bought Metro Last Light from Steam. I've read through their Steam Service Agreement and understand that I'm just purchasing the right to play Metro Last Light and that I don't actually own the game, I'm essentially just 'renting it'.

 

I respect this, I've agreed to their SSA policies, but what happens if Valve was to ever go bankrupt? I also vowed that Metro Last Light would be the only game that I ever purchase from Steam. So I was in a game store earlier this afternoon and I was looking at physical copies of games and 70% of those games needed an internet connection and a Steam account to function which made me question just what is the point of purchasing a physical copy when I have to verify the game with Steam and agree to their SSA terms and condition?

 

This made me question the point of buying a physical copy of a PC game when the same rules apply to that game as a downloadable game from Steam.

 

Does anyone else here use Steam? Are my fears of potentially losing all my games warranted?

Edited by SailtheSeas, 26 January 2014 - 01:06 PM.

[Nollog]

Steam is this 'magical' digital downloading service offered by Valve corporation.
 
I got my Gaming PC two days ago and last night I bought Metro Last Light from Steam. I've read through their Steam Service Agreement and understand that I'm just purchasing the right to play Metro Last Light and that I don't actually own the game, I'm essentially just 'renting it'.
 
I respect this, I've agreed to their SSA policies, but what happens if Valve was to ever go bankrupt? I also vowed that Metro Last Light would be the only game that I ever purchase from Steam. So I was in a game store earlier this afternoon and I was looking at physical copies of games and 70% of those games needed an internet connection and a Steam account to function which made me question just what is the point of purchasing a physical copy when I have to verify the game with Steam and agree to their SSA terms and condition?
 
This made me question the point of buying a physical copy of a PC game when the same rules apply to that game as a downloadable game from Steam.
 
Does anyone else here use Steam? Are my fears of potentially losing all my games warranted?

No you didn't.
In the contract they state that if they go out of business, they will unlock their DRM.

[SailtheSeas]

No you didn't.
In the contract they state that if they go out of business, they will unlock their DRM.

That bit I didn't read.

 

So if they go out of business, your games will still be available to play? How will that work when your games are on a steam account? 

[Nollog]

That bit I didn't read.
 
So if they go out of business, your games will still be available to play? How will that work when your games are on a steam account?

Neither did I, it's the rumour though.
I do remember Gaben saying it though, and you'll need to download all your games to somewhere local, as the download servers will turn off.

[SailtheSeas]

Yes it does appear to be a rumour and a rumour which I don't believe.

 

Now Valve is worth billions and Steam is becoming more and more dominant in the PC gaming sphere and as much as I like the service and want to use it a lot more, I don't want to spend £100's on games only for those games to be potentially become obsolete.

 

I just don't understand why games you purchase in shops require you to have an internet connection and force you into using Steam.

[Raiden]

I use Steam but also GoG.  Gog is basically the same as steam but DRM free. http://www.gog.com/

[Pjsprojects]

Use Steam a lot, either the deals they have or buying a steam key on Ebay is always far cheaper than in the shops.
Tried the free to play games yet? Warframe is one to try.

Price example- Tomb raider 2013 £5.60 from Ebay Steam key purchase.

[SteventheSlayer]

Yes it does appear to be a rumour and a rumour which I don't believe.

 

Now Valve is worth billions and Steam is becoming more and more dominant in the PC gaming sphere and as much as I like the service and want to use it a lot more, I don't want to spend £100's on games only for those games to be potentially become obsolete.

 

I just don't understand why games you purchase in shops require you to have an internet connection and force you into using Steam.

 

First off, the games don't require internet connection other than buying and downloading them, which is the same for every digital game.There are some exeptions, such as online games and ones that require it for other reasons, but that has nothing to do with Steam.

 

Second, if you don't want to be 'forced to use Steam' don't buy from Steam. 

 

Third, do you really think they don't have a plan for the unlikely event of them going bankrupt? 

[grahamf]

Steam go out of business? Is that possible?

[Pjsprojects]

Steam go out of business? Is that possible?

Anything is possible but unlikely with cconsole games now running at sixty quid a go.

[CUD]

I have over 300 games on my Steam account. Do I fear losing my games? No. Seems like people fearing that are being paranoid. I don't feel like I'm renting the games I own digitally, they're on my account and I have no reason to believe that Steam, Sony or Nintendo will be going out of business anytime soon causing me to lose my digital purchases; of those three companies I am least concerned about Steam going out of business.

 

I prefer physical copies of games for console and handheld but for PC it's all digital.

[SailtheSeas]

First off, the games don't require internet connection other than buying and downloading them, which is the same for every digital game.There are some exeptions, such as online games and ones that require it for other reasons, but that has nothing to do with Steam.

 

Second, if you don't want to be 'forced to use Steam' don't buy from Steam. 

 

Third, do you really think they don't have a plan for the unlikely event of them going bankrupt? 

 

I was in a retail store yesterday in the UK known as GAME and I went over to the PC section and literally most of the games on sales required an Internet connection and a Steam account to 'activate' the game. You had to agree to the Steam Service Agreement in order to use most of those games and if you didn't agree to the terms in the SSA you were told to return your game to the retailer unopened to get a refund.

 

So it seems you are forced to use Steam in this regard. The point of my post is that if physical copies of games require Steam and require you to agree to their SSA terms and conditions then surely it's not worth owning a physical copy of PC games as the same rules govern them that also govern their digital counterparts.

[MorbidGod]

Yes it does appear to be a rumour and a rumour which I don't believe.

Now Valve is worth billions and Steam is becoming more and more dominant in the PC gaming sphere and as much as I like the service and want to use it a lot more, I don't want to spend £100's on games only for those games to be potentially become obsolete.

I just don't understand why games you purchase in shops require you to have an internet connection and force you into using Steam.

Probably because they are using Steam for online connectivity and social features. That's my guess.

[Pjsprojects]

[quote name="CUD" post="268779"
I prefer physical copies of games for console and handheld but for PC it's all digital.[/quote]

Same here but that's because I don't trust the eshop tied to console method.
With pc it's so easy to just pick what you want to play from the steam list.

[Chaos]

I like the part where you described what Steam was. As if know one know what it is lol

[SailtheSeas]

I like the part where you described what Steam was. As if know one know what it is lol

 

Yeah I am a bit patronising, I apologise profoundly. 

[Auzzie Wingman]

Well, there's bound to be that one person.

 

Definitely not me. Nope. Never. I totally know what Steam is. I'm not so ecstatic right now that someone was finally able to tell me. Not one bit. I'm in the know. Ain't nothing that scares me. Well, heights. But the point is, I wholeheatedly agree with Chaos on the matter. Honest. Legit. Straight up. I am the power.

[SailtheSeas]

Man this forum is rainbow.

 

I'm off to Wii U daily forums.

[DexterousGecko]

Man this forum is carp.

 

I'm off to Wii U daily forums.

So basically you wanted us all to agree with you, and not actually discuss? right.

[grahamf]

So basically you wanted us all to agree with you, and not actually discuss? right.

Don't draw him back here. We don't have a block feature

Edited by grahamf, 28 January 2014 - 09:55 PM.