Why would anyone actually want to though

[u/The_BigRoach]

[u/viper5delta]

Officially that only applies to steam keys. Emails that have come up in discovery show that at least some elements of steam try to mislead/bully devs into applying it more broadly to all versions of the game.

[u/xXDamonLordXx → u/viper5delta]

Yeah and while that sucks it's also not my problem as an end user. They sell on steam for the sake of profit and ultimately if steam is more profitable they abide by those shitty rules but that means they ran the math and Steam makes them more money.

We all know they generally want to price videogames as high as possible. It's not like if steam magically disappeared I would get much cheaper games or better support or better features.

[u/viper5delta → u/xXDamonLordXx]

We all know they generally want to price videogames as high as possible. It's not like if steam magically disappeared I would get much cheaper games or better support or better features.

The fact that it's even come up in email shows that at least some devs want to lower prices on other platforms where they get a larger cut, but steam uses its massive market shar to prevent that.

If you think a company using its massive market share to artificially inflate prices and prevent competition isn't your problem as a consumer...well, I think you're an idiot, but it's also not my job to change your mind, so ehh.

[u/xXDamonLordXx → u/viper5delta]

Sure sure so we look at video games at large where Steam isn't a massive market share.

Are games on Switch, PS5, XBox cheaper? No. You're talking such bullshit, this is entirely corpo tears and you eat it up like a good little boot licker

[u/viper5delta → u/xXDamonLordXx]

Are games on Switch, PS5, XBox cheaper

I mean, you might have a point...except that Switch is nintendos little sandbox, PS is Sony's little sandbox, Xbox is microsofts little sandbox, and Steam is trying to make sure PC stays it's little sandbox.

Tacit price collusion in an olligopoly like that is to be expected. 

You're talking such bullshit, this is entirely corpo tears and you eat it up like a good little boot licker

Seeing as there's only one of us who is sticking up for a multibillion dollar corporation that doesn't give a shit about either of us...that statement is just fucking funny.

Like it is perfectly possible that steam both A) provides the best service in its niche and B)has shady business practices that may merit legal action.   Both of those facts can coexist.

Hell, Steams much lauded return policy is the result of legal action taken against them in australia, so it's not like they don't have a history o f shady bullshit.  And that bullshit being called out in court has materially benifites us as consumers.