How is that "great"? It's literally worse for the consumer. And the 30% aren't "free money". Hell, in fact, Steam is where the 30% gives the absolute most functionalities for any publisher. And they could even sell steam keys themselves and keep 100% of the money.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
The number of PC digital storefronts/launchers is getting out of hand
- Thread starter garath
- Start date
phant0m
Member
Thats cool, until you have to spend 20 minutes before you can play updating the client then the game if you dont keep them all open all the time.
Happened to my group in GR: Wildlands at least twice, someone hadnt opened uplay for awhile so when we all sat down we had to wait like 40 minutes for him to download and install a 2.3 GB patch
Currently you have to install GOG Galaxy for Gwent, though you can get it through windows store too (and maybe Steam down the line, when the final version comes out), but all in all it seems that CDP is going to continue the same strategy with supporting multiple stores.
Thats a Greay Area
Member
If you purchase grey market keys sure.
But the wealth of options both retail and online can make console just as inexpensive. Not to mention physical games retaining some value even after they have been played.
On the topic of the launchers themselves, I don't mind them too much. A couple of extra steps is not a huge deal, sure managing passwords is a chore. But it's a small chore.
Bolivar687
Banned
There's no reason to not self-publish on PC.
Crazy Diamond
Member
Yeah, if a game isn't on Steam I just don't bother.
rodrigolfp
Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
This. First world problems
That is why I play console... It's simple.
It's simply without options
I never understood this argument. People complain if everything is in one place because then it's a monopoly. If there's competition, then people complain that there are too many store fronts and game managers. ffs people. This really isn't that hard to manage. Use your brain. And don't use the "Aww my friends are segregated" bs either. Use something like discord then and get them in one place. Your options are endless.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
I dunno, I just click on the exe and then start the game.
It's not like I have to physically move around or anything. It's just a click more or less.
It's not like I have to physically move around or anything. It's just a click more or less.
Gamegeneral
Member
I agree that the way it's implemented is bad. If I used all these storefronts the way they wanted me to, I'd have five or six running constantly in the background and I'd probably crash all the dang time.
The people that complain about "monopoly" (Steam isn't one to begin with) are not the same that would rather have everything in one place.
Huge Succeeded
Banned
That is why I play console... It's simple.
I like how you've got Destiny 1 in a folder with a bunch of other demos, betas, and unfinished games
I mean I get that running multiple launchers is annoying but honestly if I was a massive company and I could recoup 30% of the profits by selling on my own storefront I would. The trick is you have to be like EA where you're so ingrained in the mainstream consciousness that it will work out profitably for you otherwise just publish it everywhere and take the 30% loss to reach a wider audience.
I don't know about that. I have Steam and Battle.net open up at launch, because I use those for the social functions and not just simply for gaming. I like to be available at all times, or even when I'm not home I get to see the messages later. I have bad experiences with messages being delivered while the recipient is offline. Uplay only boots up when I launch Ubisoft game from Steam. I have nothing else in GOG than Gwent that I played earlier, hoping for Steam release on that. And isn't the greatness of GOG supposed to be that those games don't require any launchers. Bethesda launcher isn't mandatory for any games to my knowledge and EA has very little to offer so I never had Origin. I do kinda get the frustration though, since I also prefer to have all of my games in one place. Which would be Steam, it has the biggest library of games and way more features I like to use than any of these other platforms. But I do feel that the issue is a bit exaggerated. Booting up another launcher is very minor inconvenience. It's better than changing discs as mentioned, that's for sure.
Kassovitz28
Neo Member
In theory I'd agree, but given how lame Steam interface still is, I don't feel like competition in virtual stores has driven much progress.
Voidwolf
Member
It's just a handful of programs, it's really not that hard. And this way we have more sales to choose from. I just keep Steam and Origin running for the most part as that's where most of the games I play are. Whenever I'm gonna play some Overwatch I fire up Battlenet. That'll be happening a lot more often once Destiny 2 is released.
That's not really the launcher's fault though? People should keep their programs updated, especially if they're gonna play games on it eventually. Granted, Uplay is hot garbage so it's probably not used much unless you guys play Wildlands or any other MP game often.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
It is competition.
Objectively inferior is a ridiculous notion. While I might not like some of the practices of Uplay and Origin, I can say they had great customer service that even surprised me.
If only it was actual competition instead of the polar opposite of it, but sure.
The Dear Leader
Banned
this why I console... it simple
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
So far you haven't commented on Valve putting their games on other platforms yet you want Battle.net to put their games on Steam.
Screaming_Gremlin
My QB is a Dick and my coach is a Nutt
To have true competition you should want every game to appear on every service, whether that game is from EA, Ubisoft, Valve, Blizzard, etc. That way stores would actually have to compete on features, services, and price. Instead we are just getting a series of walled gardens that you have to use if you want to play that publisher's games.
I know you weren't responding to me, but I absolutely would love for Valve to put their games on other services. Let the companies truly compete for is providing the best service.
I know you weren't responding to me, but I absolutely would love for Valve to put their games on other services. Let the companies truly compete for is providing the best service.
rodrigolfp
Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
So you are a collector and didn't realise that you are also collecting launchers
Palabragrís
Member
I agree with the OP. However, I only use regularly two of all those lauchers: Steam and GOG.
For Origin games (mainly Mass Effects or Dragon Ages) I prefer consoles, because the client is awful and promp to fail in some way with the DLCs and 4K compatibility. And I only use uPlay because the client gets launched everytime I start a Ubisoft game. The other ones (Battle.net, etc.), are unknown to me or so seldomly used that I just forget they exists...
For Origin games (mainly Mass Effects or Dragon Ages) I prefer consoles, because the client is awful and promp to fail in some way with the DLCs and 4K compatibility. And I only use uPlay because the client gets launched everytime I start a Ubisoft game. The other ones (Battle.net, etc.), are unknown to me or so seldomly used that I just forget they exists...
dragonyeuw
Member
delete
TheRedSnifit
Member
How are they competing? Origin and Steam by and large aren't selling the same products.
Origin is a mostly functional piece of software that doesn't really do anything but launch EA games. It's hard to imagine that many people would use it over Steam or GOG if they had a choice.
martino
Member
Nice post will try it !
ToxicPhantom
Member
That's one reason why I dont enjoy gaming on PC, it's all those clients from various storefronts. Just way to many and everyone wants to have their own.
I know this is minor, but still, just a turn off.
I know this is minor, but still, just a turn off.
? Valve already puts their games on other platforms, luke Uplay.
Valve has games?
Joking aside, I think Ubisoft has the better approach when it comes to games that have their own launchers, Ubisoft releases their games on Steam and sometimes even on Origin while running the games with Uplay.
RedlineRonin
Member
I just want an API that consolidates everything. All this "competition" has done is forced me to own games across four or five different services at this point and if I'm doing the, "hey, i wanna play a game, what should I install?" I need to go in and out of five goddamn storefronts to see the complete library of games I own.
Generally this leads to me just browsing my steam library, which is hands down the biggest, and not even opening Origin, Uplay, GoG etc.
Generally this leads to me just browsing my steam library, which is hands down the biggest, and not even opening Origin, Uplay, GoG etc.
Woo-Fu
Banned
That might be because you're cherry-picking. Steam has a ton of features/capability today it didn't have way back when.
In my case I don't care how many launchers there are, I can still click on a game icon and have that game come up regardless of what launcher it is on. Shows how good we have it as PC gamers that people are sweating having more than one launcher.
CecilRousso
Member
Competition is good when they mean more options for you, but less so when they just force you one way for a game you want.
I use Steam, GOG and Humble myself. But I'm still not sure what good the existence of uPlay and Origin has been for us.
shanafan
Member
That is why I play console... It's simple.
I just add all my PC games's .exe files into Steam, and viola, one launcher.
rodrigolfp
Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
Palabragrís;252265388 said:
How the client fails in 4k with DLC? And ME and DA can run at 4k on in which consoles?
RedlineRonin
Member
But you still need to manage install/uninstall in the respective launchers right? If it isn't installed via Origin, when I click the exe in steam, nothing happens right?
Wowfunhappy
Member
They do?!?
Schucky Ducky
Banned
Yep. I can even get the Steam Controller working with then doing this. The different storefronts really don't bother me, personally.
This. I always have to have a laugh at the hyperbole thrown at clients that are not Steam. If your computer can't handle a few launchers nesting in your system tray then maybe it's time to upgrade from that Windows XP rig of yours
.Regarding the store fronts: Honestly, apart from the Windows store, I can't think of a single issue I've had with any of the digital store fronts, whether that be Steam, Origin, GOG, Uplay, etc. I simply keep Steam as my main catalog, and add all the others into it. I'm slowly transitioning it over to Launchbox though.
Palabragrís
Member
Sorry, bad redaction on my end. What I mean is: 1) the Origin client tends to present problems when installing certain DLC (e.g. the Dragon Age II DLC I had to manually uncompress it and install each archive one by one following a tutorial I found online for it to work. With the vanilla installation, there was no background sounds and all character models spoke without moving their mouths, a-la PS1 era).
2) The Origin client doesn't support 4K resolutions properly. If your are using a 4K resolution on Windows 10 (haven't tried other OSs), the client looks very tiny, with very liny letters and icons and everything. It's just not confortable to use (unless you get VERY close to the 4KTV you use as a monitor to read whatever Origin is trying to tell you).
And no, on consoles no game will work 4K60fps as they (possibly) could on PC, but speaking solely on Origin games, I prefer the 1080p30fps experience on consoles, knowing that my games will work.
Other clients? No problem there. Not even with uPlay.
Face it Tiger..
Banned
I agree with you OP, It's why Steam has all my shortcuts.
cireza
Member
I don't understand how we came to such interfaces. What's the point of having everything in an infinite line, and wasting all the space available on screen ? Where is our common sense ? That's beyond me.That is why I play console... It's simple.
CecilRousso
Member
I would say that the issue with all the clients just is the fact that you do have to run even your singleplayer games through a client, with a server depency (when you're not getting DRM free downloads). For me that has caused problems with Origin, that I don't use that often, and when I do it's almost always an update ready, that most times clear my saved credentials. That just leads me to playing the games on that client less often, then what I would done if I had them on Steam or GOG.
As it's been said it's not "free" money and they pay the same thing and more fees on console so really they are doing just because they can and it potentially gets them more money along as it covers the running cost of the service.
Yeah, it's pretty annoying how, unlike Steam and Uplay, Origin often clears the credentials.
At least I haven't been interested in EA's releases, so I don't really have to use Origin anyway.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
That is why I play console... It's simple.
I like how Stardew Valley and Earthlock go together so well that I thought you somehow made a vertical icon.
Is anyone working on a free app that basically just takes all your logins for these different services and gives you one UI to use? That would actually be super helpful.
The death of proper information density in UIs in the last five years is my single biggest gripe across all software right now. It's an awful awful design trend that harms usability.
The death of proper information density in UIs in the last five years is my single biggest gripe across all software right now. It's an awful awful design trend that harms usability.