UK Retailers Threaten to Ban Steam

PogMoThoin · 14-11-2010 02:29PM #1

The world's biggest digital distribution platform for games is under attack.
MCV understands that key retailers will drop titles that integrate the popular Steam service as fears mount that the service has a ‘monopoly’ on the download market.
Insiders say Steam, run by US studio Valve, serves a massive 80 per cent of the PC download sector. And retailers preparing their own rival platforms don’t want that share to grow any more.
Some of the biggest PC games – such as Call of Duty and Fallout – use Steam. But retailers are concerned that selling games with the tech built-in pushes users towards only buying games via Valve going forward.
At least two major retailers will demand that publishers remove Steam from their games – or they will not sell them in any form.
“If we have a digital service, then I don’t want to start selling a rival in-store,” said the digital boss at one of the biggest UK games retailers.
“Publishers are creating a monster – we are telling suppliers to stop using Steam in their games.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41746/Retail-threatens-Steam-ban

I'm not surprised by this at all, its 2 years since I bought a game on disk

Varik · 14-11-2010 02:52PM

PogMoThoin wrote: »

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41746/Retail-threatens-Steam-ban

I'm not surprised by this at all, its 2 years since I bought a game on disk

They probably just need to use the PC shelf for something else and that's why they're doing this.

dreamers75 · 14-11-2010 02:57PM

I like steam but hate the pricing structure.

For Steam :But steams steamworks which helps devs get their game working on steam is quite good. From the buddy system and updates (ha) it does work.

Shops wont invest time in creating something similiar and will expect development teams to make it all happen. so could be a bit of s stupid thing to do.

Against Steam: If Game matches it instore prices with online, yeah good luck steam. Res Evil 5 is €7.99 in game in Liffey valley now (2 for 15). €30 on steam

tman · 14-11-2010 02:58PM

Heh, funny that they wait until AFTER Black Ops launches before they start making threats...
If they had any cajones at all, they would have done this months ago.

Jumpy · 14-11-2010 03:19PM

Lol.

They do this and then Steam gets 90% of the market.

Go ahead suckas.

tman · 14-11-2010 03:33PM

Aye, seems extremely silly now that I think about it... They're just pushing more people towards Steam and giving them some free advertising to boot

grizzly · 14-11-2010 04:06PM

Why do steam have a monopoly in the first place? I think it's because they have made all the right moves at building the best online store possible. Retailers should concentrate on increasing their own online presence – surly it's the only way the majority of people will buy PC games in the future?

Agricola · 14-11-2010 05:12PM

Im pro Steam too but Id never buy a new game from it. The fact that almost every new release resolutely holds onto its 49.99 price tag is beyond a joke. Whats the idea behind a digitally distributed game having the same price tag as a store displayed box copy!? I bought Mafia 2 on release day from Amazon for less than €30 delivered. Compare that to 50 quid on Steam!

Cant beat it for cheap older games, dlc, updates etc though. Screw the retailers. The PC games shelf in most stores is a joke these days. They asked for this.

funky penguin · 14-11-2010 05:17PM

I don't use steam, but I would imagine the important point here is that the retailers have threatened to pull ALL platforms, not just PC. It'll be interesting to see what happenes with it anyway.

These days I use stores to scope out cheap ass 2nd hand games, or do some trade-ins. Amazon and play are where I buy my new releases.

T17cH · 14-11-2010 05:18PM

The game shops make a fortune selling second hand games that developers never see a cent from maybe they should offer developers a share as a enticement its really there biggest advantage over steam considering whats been charged for some 2nd hand games.

cherryghost · 14-11-2010 05:43PM

It's ironic to REMOVE games from their shelves in order to preserve their business

Kiith · 14-11-2010 06:37PM

cherryghost wrote: »

It's moronic to REMOVE games from their shelves in order to preserve their business

Fixed your post :P

Fnz · 14-11-2010 06:43PM

If this ban happens, I wonder if they'll come up with excuses to stock the biggest Steam games. Will they really refuse to stock Half Life: Episode 3 on PC?

Retailers are in a really awkward position - nobody likes the idea of providing a competing service to their customers.

PogMoThoin · 14-11-2010 06:45PM

Fnz wrote: »

If this ban happens, I wonder if they'll come up with excuses to stock the biggest Steam games. Will they really refuse to stock Half Life: Episode 3 on PC?

Retailers are in a really awkward position - nobody likes the idea of providing a competing service to their customers.

You know something we don't? :eek:

Retr0gamer · 14-11-2010 06:56PM

Don't really care. Only ever buy in steam sales. Get all my boxed copies from online retailers which are half the price of retail stores and have better stock.

Cuddlesworth · 14-11-2010 07:07PM

Agricola wrote: »

Im pro Steam too but Id never buy a new game from it. The fact that almost every new release resolutely holds onto its 49.99 price tag is beyond a joke. Whats the idea behind a digitally distributed game having the same price tag as a store displayed box copy!? I bought Mafia 2 on release day from Amazon for less than €30 delivered. Compare that to 50 quid on Steam!

Cant beat it for cheap older games, dlc, updates etc though. Screw the retailers. The PC games shelf in most stores is a joke these days. They asked for this.

Publishers say what price Steam have to sell at, in each country. Publishers still sell most of their games to big name retail chains. Have you not considered that their pricing might in influenced by this market relationship. They only became exspensive when they got big enough to be a threat.

Overheal · 14-11-2010 07:10PM

Brick and Mortar shops sell a dozen relevant PC titles at a time? Another 50 or so that are in the bargain box that belong in your kids playroom? All they've done over the last 10 years is relegate PC sales into a dusty corner at the back of the store. Karma's a bitch, right. Just get rid of the Token PC shelf already: this is basically what this threat amounts to.

Kinetic^ · 14-11-2010 07:45PM

Last game I bought in store was GTA4, everything since then has been mostly through steam or via online retailers for any console games. While it's great to have a store there for launch events, the bricks & mortar stores are past their sell by date. The next gen of consoles is a few years away yet, when it does arrive I can see them distributing the majority of their games via the internetz.

fuzztone · 14-11-2010 10:45PM

PogMoThoin wrote: »

I'm not surprised by this at all, its 2 years since I bought a game on disk

I really think they are missing an opportunity here. So far this month I've bought 2 PC games from the Game.co.uk download store (Black Ops and Civ V). The reasons I bought them from there were because (a) their prices were cheaper than Steam and (b) I was able to add the serials I was emailed into Steam. Game did not have to pay for any shelf space for my serial, nor did they have to pay for the bandwidth used to download the game as I did that through Steam. Looks like a win-win situation to me.

VenomIreland · 14-11-2010 10:49PM

GAME still get money from the sale of a Steamworks game, right?

Why the eff would they stop selling them then? Is it they themselves want to monopolise the games download market like STEAM is doing or like what iTunes is doing with the music downloads market?

Cuddlesworth · 14-11-2010 11:16PM

VenomIreland wrote: »

GAME still get money from the sale of a Steamworks game, right?

Why the eff would they stop selling them then? Is it they themselves want to monopolise the games download market like STEAM is doing or like what iTunes is doing with the music downloads market?

Because Sony and Microsoft are eventually going to end up selling most of the games online through downloads on their own internal networks. Which means the only online market left is the PC. Which they have been politely ignoring for the last few years.

So we know they are at their peak right now, with the most power right now. Time to start making demands now so they don't end up going bankrupt in 5 years time when store game sales heavily decline and Steam, Microsoft and Sony clean up.

Venom · 15-11-2010 12:34AM

I think the whole refusing to carry a title that is also sold via steam is gonna turn out to be very bad for brick and mortar stores in the short run never mind long term.

Fnz · 15-11-2010 03:45AM

PogMoThoin wrote: »

You know something we don't? :eek:

Unfortunately, no. I know nothing... other than the order in which titles will be released

- Left 4 Dead 3
- Portal 3
- Left 4 Dead 4 Ever
- Diablo 3
- Portal: Dimensions
- WoW 2
- Team Fortress 3
- L4D (the reboot)
- Portal 4
- Duke Nukem: Forever & Ever
- Diablo 4
- Half Life: Episode 3

Magill · 15-11-2010 03:48AM

Fnz wrote: »

Unfortunately, no. I know nothing... other than the order in which titles will be released

- Left 4 Dead 3
- Portal 3
- Left 4 Dead 4 Ever
- Diablo 3
- Portal: Dimensions
- WoW 2
- Team Fortress 3
- L4D (the reboot)
- Portal 4
- Duke Nukem: Forever & Ever
- Diablo 4
- Half Life: Episode 3

haha, idd !

I seriously dont get why valve are so slow ! Activision would be on Episode 10 by now ! Milking that cash cow for everything shes got.

Overheal · 15-11-2010 07:50AM

Magill wrote: »

haha, idd !

I seriously dont get why valve are so slow ! Activision would be on Episode 10 by now ! Milking that cash cow for everything shes got.

Thats why Im glad valve is the way it is.

While it's great to have a store there for launch events, the bricks & mortar stores are past their sell by date.

And look at the releases, when was the last AAA title that didnt release at the same time digitally as it did in stores? It's a novelty. And a lot of stores are managing to botch theirs; probably pissed off at having a midnight opening for 3 pre-orders:

http://consumerist.com/2010/11/sorry-best-buy-store-changed-their-minds-no-kinect-for-you-at-midnight.html

And ok, that was Kinect and the guy had to live out in the Goonies but you get the idea.

I agree with your assertion though: looking at appstores, wii store, xbox arcade - thats where games are going next. all digital, unless the next gen is an emphasis on blu ray and stupidly high resolution textures.

WopTittyPop · 15-11-2010 08:37AM

Overheal wrote: »

I agree with your assertion though: looking at appstores, wii store, xbox arcade - thats where games are going next. all digital

Am I the only person left alive that actually likes to have the physical disc and box in my possession as apposed to just having the game saved on a hard drive?

Apart from that, the only other flaw I can see in the solely digital distribution era, that appears to be coming closer with every new game release, is the fact that you need a credit/debit card to purchase online. I don't know about you guys, but I didn't get my first debit card until I was 15! What about the kids who still buy games with pocket money/allowances? The majority of elderly people still aren't comfortable with buying online, and unless kids start getting debit cards and their pocket money goes digital too, I can't see completely digital distribution ever fully working!

Dave_The_Sheep · 15-11-2010 09:40AM

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Don't really care. Only ever buy in steam sales. Get all my boxed copies from online retailers which are half the price of retail stores and have better stock.

I do the same, if it's a new game I'll buy it retail (though I rarely buy new games as new these days). Steam for the older titles when they go on sale.

Sure, I don't get to play the games right away - but that just means that I don't have to play the unpatched glitchy versions before they're patched properly.

folan · 15-11-2010 10:03AM

game stores are basically pawn shops now. If i could have bought Stalker in game/gamestop/HMV, i would have. but they didnt have it! Sure thats not even on PS3?

SeantheMan · 15-11-2010 10:09AM

I love STEAM,

And Valve are my favourite developers (constantly supporting and updating their titles with free content)

They can do whatever they like as far as I'm concerned, just keep updating L4D(2) , TF2 etc and releasing amazing games

SeantheMan · 15-11-2010 10:11AM

Magill wrote: »

I seriously dont get why valve are so slow ! Activision would be on Episode 10 by now ! Milking that cash cow for everything shes got.

Because they don't have to be subjected to release dates, they release the title when its finished, and near perfect

...and then they just throw more free updates at it ...oh how I love them

Varik · 15-11-2010 11:25AM

SeantheMan wrote: »

they release the title when its finished, and near perfect ...and then they just throw more free updates at it ...oh how I love them

Love that about steam and thank god it's coming in some form to ps3, i can't wait for all that free stuff on the my console stuff.

UK Retailers Threaten to Ban Steam

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