half of its ‘control’ is convenience.

It's not a monopoly when there are viable alternatives. Steam users choose to use steam, that's not something to blame steam for, if anything its something worth commending. They provide a service few others can match and that's desirable to consumers. It's not a monopoly, it's just common sense.

Originally posted by Lime:

It's not a monopoly when there are viable alternatives. Steam users choose to use steam, that's not something to blame steam for, if anything its something worth commending. They provide a service few others can match and that's desirable to consumers. It's not a monopoly, it's just common sense.

You lost me at "viable". Steam has the largest market in comparison.

The Epic Games Store currently has over 2,900 PC titles available
Good Old Games has over 5,200
Steam has over 89,000.

Not even close to being Viable.

I gain money in Monopoly.

*GOG cries in a corner*

I don't want other stores. It's far more convenient that way.

I wish there would be something for movies/TV shows too where you could showcase your favorite ones

Originally posted by Beltneck:

Subsidize? ♥♥♥♥ that. I pay enough taxes. If anything, start cutting services so I can pay less.

Ok, I gotcha. But if you did help fund it, then you would be entitled to any discounts. At least in theory. I'm still thinking this out.

Again, it is not the job of others to change your mind. Do it yourself if that's your goal.

There's literally dozens of PC DRM clients btw.

Originally posted by Bassturd:

Change my mind.

https://www.epicgames.com/

https://www.gog.com/

https://itch.io/

Just because Steam is the best in it's category, and has the majority of the market share, doesn't make it a monopoly.

If it's a monopoly why are most the games I buy bought from other stores?

Originally posted by Chaosolous:

Originally posted by Bassturd:

Change my mind.

https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/home

https://www.gog.com/en/

https://itch.io/

Just because Steam is the best in it's category, and has the majority of the market share, doesn't make it a monopoly.

Gog and Itch are good competition, and actually do some things better than Valve.

Epic aint worth a bucket of piss.

I asked ChatGPT what it would cost to start up an equal competing business like Steam that hosts multiplayer portals, sales games, and has a chat forum. It said a few dollars a month and a few hours of work. And that it would likely profit millions quarterly.

Not a monopoly.
Even if it was, there are several companies that are or have been monopolies and they are NEVER broken up. The last time the US broke up a monopoly was over 40 years ago.

Originally posted by Bassturd:

Let's subsidize alternative digital store fronts for fair competition. Break up this empire and give fair competition to others. Is steam (or any digital store) even needed? Let the game developer sell the game on their own website, or let Windows,Apple sell on their marketplace.

they tried and failed badly

bethesda give up

other want to made maximum $$$ so they will relese on steam even if they have their launcher

ubisoft tried and failed, same with electronic art

cdproject is too smart to made exclusvity

also gog is probably your answer

Originally posted by LexAnimex:

I don't want other stores. It's far more convenient that way.

I wish there would be something for movies/TV shows too where you could showcase your favorite ones

Really wish there was a steam for movies/TV shows and books/manga