Ownership of the game or software belongs to the developer.
Ownership of the game or software belongs to the developer.
Hey all There is a lot of talk about old Nintendo stores being closed and people not being able to buy and play games they own. But what about PC gaming? I can have 1000 games on Steam or Epic stores but if they go down for some reason (yes, yes I know it is Very unlikely but crazy thing do happen) we loose all games and money we spent on them. GOG is offering option to download offline installer so I could have backup of that technically…. I don’t know, it seems like we own less and less…
the problem isnt so much that the store goes down, but that the DRM will also be unable to call home at that point. (or games using steam ID's for user data in their games - that'll be broken too) also, 'less and less' is a bit of a misnomer in gaming. yes, we've lost physical media, but there's a very strong motion of smaller game companies *not* using any DRM that'll tie the game to online services. a lot of smaller games from steam will actually gladly "copypaste" over to a different computer, even without steam installed. simply, if you dont want possessive EULA's and intrusive DRM, dont buy from the big boys.
GOG is the sole platform for purchasing games in digital form with complete ownership. When you buy CP2077 on GOG, you can easily transfer it to a thumb drive and share it with others. While I appreciate having many titles on Steam, I think I should explore more options on GOG if available.
I purchase games because I enjoy playing them. I just wanted to emphasize that many people discuss Nintendo closing stores, yet few mention the reality that if Steam fails, millions would lose their games. I have no issue with DRM since companies aim to combat piracy, but I believe there should be alternative solutions. I understand you can access around 95% of games through Seven Seas, but that shouldn’t be the main focus. As @Stahlmann mentioned, the only real option is GOG. You can download your game, and if GOG encounters problems, it will still function. No need for internet or any other dependency.
When major retailers shut down unexpectedly, consider obtaining an unlocked version of the game. You already have the license for indefinite play, and legally you should be allowed to download a free copy (provided it matches the edition you paid for). The main issue isn’t the game itself but ensuring continued access. If Steam or Epic were to cease operations, the gaming landscape would shift dramatically. The industry has grown accustomed to Steam’s model. Without further competition from digital stores, a new player could seize market share with alternative systems—like GOG and Epic stepping in if needed. Picture EA introducing a radical new store model that delivers games in fragments, offering endless DLC content.
If Steam were to catch fire tomorrow, I'd feel no hesitation about exploring new titles. The creators already got my payment for their work. One of the positive aspects of Steam's built-in DRM is that it wasn't designed to stop piracy, so it's been easily bypassed. Valve hasn't really focused much on this issue. As long as the games you own haven't used extreme methods like Denuvo, locating pirated versions should be fairly straightforward. I don't know how Epic handles things, though.
According to an Oracle court decision, you own the software you purchase. There’s a detailed discussion about this on some forums too. It could be a unique situation, but downloading the game from an unauthorized source remains illegal. From what I understand, Valve has previously mentioned they might offer alternatives if Steam’s DRM changes, so it’s worth hoping they act in that case. Right now, Steam seems to be the safest option for me. They’re such a major company, and it doesn’t seem fair to dismiss this as a negative outcome.
I noticed most of the game companies' terms of service I've seen lately resemble Windows... you don't own them, just pay a fee to use them.