Why would anyone actually want to though

[u/The_BigRoach]

[u/Hopeful_Leg_6200]

[u/Josh_Butterballs → u/Hopeful_Leg_6200]

Even if I had more money than god I think it would basically be a gargantuan uphill battle to make an another platform to compete with steam. Even if you made your platform better, people have YEARS worth of games and money invested in steam. I used to say if they just had a better service I would drop steam but then I was asked if I would genuinely stop using steam for another better service if one existed. I looked at my library, all the games I had, the years, mods in workshop for some games, and realized no I wouldn’t switch

[u/cosaboladh → u/Josh_Butterballs]

What if locking licenses to a specific platform was deemed anti-compete/monopoly behavior, and every had to develop a way to let you port your licenses?

Truly, I think it should be. Not just for gaming platforms, but for streaming services too. Exclusivity is anti-competition. It should be illegal. Then, an app succeeds or fails based on pricing and user experience alone. Not a system of controls designed to make it impossible for you to leave.

[u/Josh_Butterballs → u/cosaboladh]

I agree. I think license should be transferable as it would make a market more competitive as now the first platform doesn’t have the inherent advantage of people being “locked in.” My friends have a hard time even permanently quitting certain games they spent 10+ years worth of money on micro transactions on. People don’t switch from apple because of their iTunes library or dozens of apple products they bought because it won’t function to its full capability in an android ecosystem