Distribution Platforms - Epic Games Store vs Steam

General discussion and socializing.

Re: Distribution Platforms - Epic Games Store vs Steam

Postby shubla » Wed Nov 10, 2021 5:53 pm

Noone forces indie devs to sell via Steam

Yea but thats not the point.
The point is that there is a large group of people who could buy your game, but they only consider it if its on steam. If its not, they will never buy it. So you basically have to publish your game on steam and give too much money to valve for your hard work to get access to this large group of people.
Are you trying to suggest they earn a lot and that's why the 30% cut should be lower?

Obviously that is one of the reasons why it should be lower.
If their expenses to run the store were legitimately very close to 30% and they only had very small margin, then I would not say that they should lower it to 2%, but fact is that they could easily lower it to 2%.
Then it would be much more fair for game developers.

Steam as a product is not very bad, but fact is that they are abusing their partial monopoly and causing great misery to many game developers by doing that.
Image
I'm not sure that I have a strong argument against sketch colors - Jorb, November 2019
http://i.imgur.com/CRrirds.png?1
Join the moderated unofficial discord for the game! https://discord.gg/2TAbGj2
Purus Pasta, The Best Client
User avatar
shubla
 
Posts: 13043
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:26 am
Location: Finland

Re: Distribution Platforms - Epic Games Store vs Steam

Postby Procne » Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:31 pm

shubla wrote:
Noone forces indie devs to sell via Steam

Yea but thats not the point.
The point is that there is a large group of people who could buy your game, but they only consider it if its on steam. If its not, they will never buy it. So you basically have to publish your game on steam and give too much money to valve for your hard work to get access to this large group of people.

But that IS exactly the point, and that's what "visibility" is. People buy on Steam, not because they are hardcore fans of it and simply refuse to buy anywhere else, but because it's convenient and that's where they find games. If those people don't buy games outside of Steam then they wouldn't buy them without Steam anyway. There were plenty of indie devs, who published their games themselves, struggling to reach their customers, simply because it's not easy to get noticed and found. With Steam it's easier. People, who buy only on Steam are casual gamers who don't research much and wouldn't find games otherwise.
Obviously that is one of the reasons why it should be lower.
If their expenses to run the store were legitimately very close to 30% and they only had very small margin, then I would not say that they should lower it to 2%, but fact is that they could easily lower it to 2%.
Then it would be much more fair for game developers.

Here's comrade shubla telling us how much things should cost and what is the fair price. What happened to "everything's worth what its purchaser is willing to pay for it"? Especially with the entertainment and mass media - price is not dictated by how much something costs, but by how much people are willing to pay
Steam as a product is not very bad, but fact is that they are abusing their partial monopoly and causing great misery to many game developers by doing that.

How are they abusing their monopoly? In what way are they limiting competition?
Do they demand exclusivity or pay for it? No.
Do they kick games out of their store when they become exclusives elsewhere? No.
Do they provide service only to the copies bought through Steam? No.
Do they badmouth other stores? No.
Do they demand equal price in all other shops as on Steam? It was rumored yes, but seems not (https://banov.itch.io/wandersong)
So, what is Steam doing so monopolistic apart from being a good product?
How are they causing misery? Because it has more active users than other shops? So now they are obligated to lower the prices and do good to everyone or else they are monopolistic tyrants?
For years various developers and publishers were joining Steam, with the same cut. Even before Steam was the "monopoly" they found the cut a good deal. There was Steam Greenlight where plenty of indie devs wanted to enter Steam. And now that the door is open to everyone and they are in, they complain that it's too expensive.

What has happened to you over 2 years to change your mind so drastically? What Valve did to you? Or did you buy inti the sweet honey from Sweeney's lips?
Procne
 
Posts: 968
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 3:04 pm

Previous

Return to The Inn of Brodgar

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests