Retail vs. Steam

**Kain** · 05-26-10, 08:39 AM

Generally, which "format" do you prefer to buy your PC games?

One more thing! Is it true that once you install and use any recent PC game, you cannot sell it because the key has been used?

six_storm · 05-26-10, 08:42 AM

Steam. Less crap in my house and I can install/uninstall as many times as I want.

**nekrosoft13** · 05-26-10, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by six_storm

Steam. Less crap in my house and I can install/uninstall as many times as I want.

ok, but some games still have activation limits.

05-26-10, 08:58 AM

I'll usually go for whatever has the best price. If they are both the same, then I'll get it off steam.

NarcissistZero · 05-26-10, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by six_storm

Steam. Less crap in my house and I can install/uninstall as many times as I want.

What does Steam have to do with the latter part of that? They have activation DRM on Steam as well, in many cases when the retail copy does not like Risen and Batman: AA.

Anyway, I prefer retail. Steam is very convenient, but you pay for that convenience with extra DRM and an annoying client, which is not appealing to me. If a game is Steamworks I don't avoid it, and for multiplayer games I actually like Steamworks, but for a non-Steamworks game I don't see why I should pay the same amount of money for more DRM, more hassles and less product (i.e. no packaging, manual or perhaps extras).

Plus on principle I feel like people are throwing consumer rights out the window for the convenience of downloading things from home, be it games on Steam or movies on iTunes, and I dislike the road that is leading us down. One day we will own nothing, ever, and everything will be streamed and service-based, and people who support Steam and iTunes and other such things are paving the way for that. I don't want to be a part of it when I don't have to be.

Lfctony · 05-26-10, 09:15 AM

Retail. The 50-100% extra that you pay when buying from Steam... MEH!!!

NarcissistZero · 05-26-10, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lfctony

Retail. The 50-100% extra that you pay when buying from Steam... MEH!!!

True, cost on Steam is actually higher most of the time, even in the US. Steam may have weekend deals that are nice, but so does Gogamer and Amazon, and on new titles amazon often sells at much lower prices, often with $10 gift certificates toward your next purchase.

On Alpha Protocol I got the game for $6 off when I pre-ordered it, which is $44. Then I got a $10 gift certificate for amazon.com with purchase, which makes it $34. I get free release-day shipping as an amazon prime member as well, and anyone can get free shipping of the 3-5 day delivery variety.

Steam wants the full $50.

So, $34 versus $50, and the cheaper copy gets packaging and a disc, so you don't have to download it all or burn a backup, and also you are supporting point of sale rights for consumers, rather than account-based ownership.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

ViN86 · 05-26-10, 09:22 AM

Steam. No CD's, no keys to worry about, and I can access/install my games anywhere and on any of my machines even if I forget to bring the disc with me. (I shuttle back and forth between Boston and Albany often)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarcissistZero

Anyway, I prefer retail. Steam is very convenient, but you pay for that convenience with extra DRM and an annoying client, which is not appealing to me. If a game is Steamworks I don't avoid it, and for multiplayer games I actually like Steamworks, but for a non-Steamworks game I don't see why I should pay the same amount of money for more DRM, more hassles and less product (i.e. no packaging, manual or perhaps extras).

When you never play online I can see how you would find the client annoying. But I use the client to connect with friends and chat. Also the overlay in game is extremely convenient, but that can be used with any game.

six_storm · 05-26-10, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekrosoft13

ok, but some games still have activation limits.

The only games I have with activation limits blow, so I've installed once, played and uninstalled.

05-26-10, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViN86

Steam. No CD's, no keys to worry about, and I can access/install my games anywhere and on any of my machines even if I forget to bring the disc with me. (I shuttle back and forth between Boston and Albany often)

When you never play online I can see how you would find the client annoying. But I use the client to connect with friends and chat. Also the overlay in game is extremely convenient, but that can be used with any game.

Yup, I love steam. I rather have the "annoying" client over a physical media.

**WeReWoLf** · 05-26-10, 10:16 AM

steam for me, because in most cases, the games are cheaper than in stores.

Yaboze · 05-26-10, 10:22 AM

A mix of both, depending on price and such. I like the no-cd thing, but sometimes the prices are full MSRP on Steam and discounted elsewhere.

View Poll Results: Vote!
Retail	27	27.55%
Steam	71	72.45%
Voters: 98. You may not vote on this poll

05-26-10, 08:39 AM	#1
Kain Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dubai, UAE Posts: 1,264	Retail vs. Steam Generally, which "format" do you prefer to buy your PC games? One more thing! Is it true that once you install and use any recent PC game, you cannot sell it because the key has been used? __________________ Intel Core i7-3930K Corsair Hydro Series H100 with 2 x Scythe GentleTyphoon 1850 rpm fans GIGABYTE GA-X79-UD3 16 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600 MHz EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN Superclocked Signature Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD Crucial m4 256 GB Western Digital Caviar Black 2 TB Pioneer BDR-206DBK Corsair Professional Series Gold AX850 Corsair Obsidian Series 650D Samsung SyncMaster S23A700D Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500 Microsoft SideWinder X4 Logitech G9x Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit

05-26-10, 08:42 AM	#2
six_storm Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Nashvegas Posts: 11,575	Re: Retail vs. Steam Steam. Less crap in my house and I can install/uninstall as many times as I want.

05-26-10, 08:58 AM	#4
grey_1 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Retail vs. Steam I'll usually go for whatever has the best price. If they are both the same, then I'll get it off steam.

05-26-10, 09:15 AM	#6
Lfctony Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Larnaca, Cyprus Posts: 4,152	Re: Retail vs. Steam Retail. The 50-100% extra that you pay when buying from Steam... MEH!!! __________________ Fafnir: Intel Core 2 Quad 6600@3.2Ghz\|eVGA 780i SLI\|PNY GTX480 \|Kingston DDR667 4096MB\|WD Black Caviar 500GB\|Seagate SATA 250GB\|Seagate SATA 200GB\| Seagate SATA 160GB\|OptiArc AD-7173S DVDRW\|Nec 3351 DVDRW\|Creative X-FI XM\|LG Flatron W2261V\|Logitech X-530\|Thermaltake Armor\|Amptac 850W SLI PSU\|Logitech G9 Mouse\|Xigmatek HDT S-1283 CPU Cooler\|Windows 7/FW 257.21 PS2 - Wii - Xbox - Xbox360 - PSP - GC - PS3 Owner Boycott Starforce... Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

05-26-10, 10:16 AM	#11
WeReWoLf Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 5,013	Re: Retail vs. Steam steam for me, because in most cases, the games are cheaper than in stores.

05-26-10, 10:22 AM	#12
Yaboze Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: United States Posts: 2,057	Re: Retail vs. Steam A mix of both, depending on price and such. I like the no-cd thing, but sometimes the prices are full MSRP on Steam and discounted elsewhere.