Steam #17 - PC gaming, sales, discussion, etc.

[Commander Clueless]

Looks like someone high up over on the Metro team decided to try to have their cake and eat it too.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

It's refreshing to see them pissed off about this. Especially with a well known IP.

 

[Beau Knows]

I'll gladly download all the free games the Epic Games Store is offering, but I don't plan on buying anything from them anytime soon.

The 90% developer share might sound good compared to the 70% share of Steam. But what are they offering to warrant even getting 10%? They don't have cloud saves, achievements, a big picture mode (I have a HTPC/gaming PC in my living room, Steam works great on it), user reviews, etc. etc.

If this launcher was meant to go after Steam immediately they needed to actually finish it first. The store isn't good enough yet to compete with Steam. What does it offer? GOG offers DRM-free games, Steam offers a feature-rich launcher with a massive library, this has nothing but Epic's ability to buy exclusives which isn't going to buy them any goodwill.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

I'll gladly download all the free games the Epic Games Store is offering, but I don't plan on buying anything from them anytime soon.

The 90% developer share might sound good compared to the 70% share of Steam. But what are they offering to warrant even getting 10%? They don't have cloud saves, achievements, a big picture mode (I have a HTPC/gaming PC in my living room, Steam works great on it), user reviews, etc. etc.

If this launcher was meant to go after Steam immediately they needed to actually finish it first. The store isn't good enough yet to compete with Steam. What does it offer? GOG offers DRM-free games, Steam offers a feature-rich launcher with a massive library, this has nothing but Epic's ability to buy exclusives which isn't going to buy them any goodwill.

Seriously, it's 2019 and the lack of cloud saving is f***ing hilarious. No achievements in 2019 is hilarious (I'm looking at you as well, Switch). No user reviews is just awful.

Honestly, I think this EGS timed exclusive shit will end sooner than later. Give it a year and these probably won't be a thing with EGS.

Also, as a side note, the Bethesda Launcher doesn't even have a friends list outside of their games. Like what the f***?

 

[Beau Knows]

Seriously, it's 2019 and the lack of cloud saving is ****ing hilarious. No achievements in 2019 is hilarious (I'm looking at you as well, Switch). No user reviews is just awful.

Honestly, I think this EGS timed exclusive **** will end sooner than later. Give it a year and these probably won't be a thing with EGS.

Also, as a side note, the Bethesda Launcher doesn't even have a friends list outside of their games. Like what the ****?

I didn't even know Bethesda had their own launcher, I hope I don't have to buy Elder Scrolls 6 through it.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

I didn't even know Bethesda had their own launcher, I hope I don't have to buy Elder Scrolls 6 through it.

You need their launcher for Fallout 76.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I'll gladly download all the free games the Epic Games Store is offering, but I don't plan on buying anything from them anytime soon.

I feel the same way. I made an account to get Subnautica, but that's about it.

Although I am tempted to try out Hades....


Big Picture mode is a great example of the benefits of Steam. If Epic truly wants to compete, they need to put a ton of work in.

Then again, why do that when they can just buy exclusives and push them out on a vastly inferior platform?

 

[SniperHF]

Then again, why do that when they can just buy exclusives and push them out on a vastly inferior platform?

Maybe the current firestorm will be enough to blunt this, but I dunno. Like I said earlier people eventually learned to live with Uplay and Origin. If publishers stick to their guns and Epic keeps trying to buy exclusives, people will probably get over it. Metro is big enough a fish of a franchise to cause a stir over this but probably not big enough to get most people to notice.

If someone like Rockstar signed an exclusive for say a RDR2 PC version? Then maybe it would be enough to actually get enough people riled up to do anything about it and actually vote with their wallets instead of just saying they will.

I'd wager a ton of people complaining about this loaded up Fortnite right after ripping off a nasty comment.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Maybe the current firestorm will be enough to blunt this, but I dunno. Like I said earlier people eventually learned to live with Uplay and Origin. If publishers stick to their guns and Epic keeps trying to buy exclusives, people will probably get over it. Metro is big enough a fish of a franchise to cause a stir over this but probably not big enough to get most people to notice.

If someone like Rockstar signed an exclusive for say a RDR2 PC version? Then maybe it would be enough to actually get enough people riled up to do anything about it and actually vote with their wallets instead of just saying they will.

I'd wager a ton of people complaining about this loaded up Fortnite right after ripping off a nasty comment.

True, we tend to be just happy to be getting games on PC rather than left out in the cold for console exclusives.

I think it leads to an unfortunate place where we are willing accept these compromises rather than actually push for true consumer-benefiting competition like better features, etc., rather than just developer-benefiting competition like revenue share.

Like I said before, there's no reason Epic couldn't do both and improve their service at the same time, but I'm not holding out hope. Providing an inferior product, shoving it full of crap, and then shrugging your shoulders and blaming your customer base when you can't have your cake and eat it too seems to be the gaming industry standard these days.

 

[SniperHF]

Heh some random Dungeon Crawler announced Epic exclusivity.

So it looks like Epic will try and get anybody

 

[God King Fudge]

Lmao at the Metro folks saying if this game doesn't sell well on PC, the next game won't be on PC.

What a bunch of pricks. Alienate a huge portion of your fans and then come out and say buy this game on this launcher or else.

These guys need some PR help bad.

 

[RandV]

True, we tend to be just happy to be getting games on PC rather than left out in the cold for console exclusives.

I think it leads to an unfortunate place where we are willing accept these compromises rather than actually push for true consumer-benefiting competition like better features, etc., rather than just developer-benefiting competition like revenue share.

Like I said before, there's no reason Epic couldn't do both and improve their service at the same time, but I'm not holding out hope. Providing an inferior product, shoving it full of crap, and then shrugging your shoulders and blaming your customer base when you can't have your cake and eat it too seems to be the gaming industry standard these days.

Another part of the problem is a digital platform rather than just being a store is more like some hybrid halfway between a retail store and a console.

The market doesn't need more than 3 consoles, and on PC we're well served between Steam and GOG. It would be a shit show if EA and other big publishers stopped making games for PS/Xbox and instead made their own exclusive consoles for their own exclusive games, but that's not something they could actually get away with. With a digital storefront on the other hand, being something in-between, they have a little more wiggle room to give it a try.

They're not actually providing anything to the customer though, it's not like they're saying we pay Steam x% of the sales so if we sell on our own store front we can charge the customer y% less. No we're just going to get charged the exact same thing (sales aside) whether it's on Steam or GOG or Origin or whatever Epic's new platform is called. It's just big companies chasing trends for an extra buck at the customers inconvenience.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Lmao at the Metro folks saying if this game doesn't sell well on PC, the next game won't be on PC.

What a bunch of pricks. Alienate a huge portion of your fans and then come out and say buy this game on this launcher or else.

These guys need some PR help bad.

Seriously, the Epic Game Store thing made them feel all high and mighty but it's all grandstanding bullshit. They are trying their hardest to make you buy it on there to give them the most money, but it's going to go so, SO badly for them.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I am really glad I'm 35 now and don't play games as much.

Having to deal with multiple launchers and timed exclusives on PC sucks. Looks like I wasn't born 10 years too early after all .

 

[SeidoN]

I didn't realise Metro was only 2 weeks away .I thought it was a summer game for some reason. Well that's one I'm gonna a wait for a new GPU to play. And since they're shunning Steam, I'll pick up the exclusive CPY edition

 

[Commander Clueless]

Another part of the problem is a digital platform rather than just being a store is more like some hybrid halfway between a retail store and a console.

The market doesn't need more than 3 consoles, and on PC we're well served between Steam and GOG. It would be a **** show if EA and other big publishers stopped making games for PS/Xbox and instead made their own exclusive consoles for their own exclusive games, but that's not something they could actually get away with. With a digital storefront on the other hand, being something in-between, they have a little more wiggle room to give it a try.

They're not actually providing anything to the customer though, it's not like they're saying we pay Steam x% of the sales so if we sell on our own store front we can charge the customer y% less. No we're just going to get charged the exact same thing (sales aside) whether it's on Steam or GOG or Origin or whatever Epic's new platform is called. It's just big companies chasing trends for an extra buck at the customers inconvenience.

Agreed.

That's what the problem is with this type of "competition" - nothing benefits the consumer here.


In my mind, the only platform that has actually tried to truly compete is GOG, but one of their biggest selling points (lack of interfering DRM) is also one of the reasons why a lot of games aren't on their platform (despite companies like Ubisoft straight up admitting it doesn't do anything outside of maybe the first few days after launch).

 

[Frankie Spankie]

New Steam sale today, didn't even know they were having one this month.

Does anyone have any recommendations for games that can be played in like 5-15 minute spurts? I'm getting so sick of Hearthstone and looking for some games I can replace for those moments where I only have a few minutes. It doesn't have to be a card game.

 

[Beau Knows]

New Steam sale today, didn't even know they were having one this month.

Does anyone have any recommendations for games that can be played in like 5-15 minute spurts? I'm getting so sick of Hearthstone and looking for some games I can replace for those moments where I only have a few minutes. It doesn't have to be a card game.

I'm kind of interested in seeing what people reccommend actually, I don't think I have many games that fit that mold.

Rocket League and Dic Jam (warning low player count online) work well when I have a small amount of time to play. But a lot of times I'll just open LaunchBox and play something simple on SNES or arcade or something.

 

[flyingkiwi]

New Steam sale today, didn't even know they were having one this month.

Does anyone have any recommendations for games that can be played in like 5-15 minute spurts? I'm getting so sick of Hearthstone and looking for some games I can replace for those moments where I only have a few minutes. It doesn't have to be a card game.

Seconded Rocket League. I'm also enjoying Papers, Please. You can get through an in-game day in about 10 minutes.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Seconded Rocket League. I'm also enjoying Papers, Please. You can get through an in-game day in about 10 minutes.

Papers, Please is a great little game. I need to buy his second game, Return of the Obra Dinn. Heard it was a fantastic puzzle game.

 

[God King Fudge]

Papers, Please is a great little game. I need to buy his second game, Return of the Obra Dinn. Heard it was a fantastic puzzle game.

It's awesome. One of my favorite releases last year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's awesome. One of my favorite releases last year.

I am going to buy it tonight or tomorrow. I am really excited for it.

 

[Scygen]

Never played Borderlands before.. Should I start with the first one? or go straight for #2?
Last really good RPG I played was the Witcher 3 with all the DLCs.. need some recommendations for some new stuff..

 

[Papa Francouz]

New Steam sale today, didn't even know they were having one this month.

Does anyone have any recommendations for games that can be played in like 5-15 minute spurts? I'm getting so sick of Hearthstone and looking for some games I can replace for those moments where I only have a few minutes. It doesn't have to be a card game.

Moonlighter was enjoyable enough, in my opinion. Over too soon, but easy to play in spurts and the gameplay is varied enough to make it worthwhile. I played it on Switch, but I don’t think the PC version and Switch version should vary all that much.

 

[aleshemsky83]

You know, as barebones as Epic Games store is, the AAA games they've got on there are really cheap. 50 bucks canadian for metro exodus and 60 bucks canadian for division 2. I can respect that competitive pricing. Of course thats going away as soon as they establish the install base, but its a nice offering at the moment.

Oh yeah and Axiom Verge free tomorrow.