IMO the monopolisation is really the only problem with Steam, and that's more a problem for developers not customers. So if some new company wants to compete, they'll probably have to follow the Steam model, but not take such a large cut from the devs to promote shopping around. But, us Steam users are lazy I think we're in an Amazon-like situation now.

EA Origin is actually a pretty good software distribution client. Too bad there are no games on it though right now that I'm interested in getting. Maybe I'll get ME: Andromeda after it's been patched about 10 times.

Steam pretty much saved pc gaming in the age of consoles by taking the pain out of it. No more c++ redistributable errors, direct x missing .dll crap, searching for patches you didn't know existed etc. Not to mention indie developers have a platform to get noticed and can be successful, instead of just remaining obscure because big publishers don't take risks. All we'd get would be a few charitable console game ports. Indie games would languish in obscurity, lost on the internet, straining for attention.

Excellent points you make there RK.

I just had a hard drive go paws up..got the replacement in and set up and now heading to Steam for my stuff there,,,I like the convenience of it all have most of my games backed up but there's no muss or fuss with Steam just click install and away it goes..Same with GOG as long as i have Galaxy installed,,But still miss the box with a proper manual and key card and solid CD

I checked up on CDkeys and I can't find any instance of any key there ever reported revoked.

As for Steam, what *really* bothered me about this experience was that according to the Google search results I had, it *was* possible once upon a time to directly raise a ticket with them by creating a support account. Now however the option to write to support only enables when you go a million times trough the FAQ and only on very specific questions. The Client and the Store Website both send you to this Help FAQ, and nowhere do you have even a plain evident basic "contact human" option. In fact there isn't a single FAQ entry for "I can't activate my game", only being told that if you have a problem with a retail key to report it to the store you bought it from.

And *that* to me is just disrespectful to the paying customer. If I pay money for a title and can't activate it (or get a clear error code that the key is invalid) then you are keeping me from playing what I paid for, and you can't even be bothered to offer help.

Alas as I said above, given my mode of operations it's not actually a problem because I know my way around. But it's one more reason why I hate this product, and the posted by Adorante lists plenty more problems.

Gents,

My MMORPG Steam game Sphere III has been almost continuously down for a month with just a very brief 20 minute access two days ago. It's OK until I reach the character selection screen and that's as far as I can get.

Particularly frustrating because I am only one and a half levels from the all-powerful 50!

Every time I see a thread like this, I buy a Steam game (or ten.)

Seriously, though, you're not a paying customer of Steam, RS. At best you're a customer of and paying someone undercutting Steam. No offense, but that's the truth.

Depends where you are buying from. Valve takes a 30% cut. Some of the good sites just take less of a cut (say 10%) which is why the price is lower. The developers will still make the same money.

Explain that to me please.

Steam accepts these keys as legit. The site I bought them from is not making them up from thin air obviously so they must have come from somewhere at Valve in a legal way.

So, I'm guilty of a supporting a business practice that Steam also supports?

Re: Undercutting ->

Steam and GOG take 30% cut of revenue vs. Humble Bundle 5% says Fez creator

My understanding is that you bought something from CDKeys. My understanding is that they buy region free games in bulk, say in Russia where the economy is trash, at very depressed prices. Then they use the codes from that to sell globally. That is shady at best, and most certainly means you are not a customer of Steam/Valve. I would be stunned if in the licensing agreement that isn't verboten.

Assuming it is verboten, any play you get out of it is a gift.

But maybe I'm wrong. I'm obviously not a Valve insider.

Well, if Steam disagrees with the practice they can always region-code the keys.

Valve uses any legal loophole in the book with their TOS. I certainly don't feel shady using a reseller who might do the same.

This is becoming a problem for some developers, so now you can no longer gift games to people in other regions if the prices vary a decent bit. So your issue is being addressed. The problem, I probably can't buy a game on Steam and gift it to a friend in Europe, or Australia, ect. That was a truly wonderful feature and it is sad to see it get limited. What other gift could you send to a friend across borders without being charged more than its worth in duties and shipping?