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Steam is still basically the only option AND they are actually helping Linux a lot with game compatibility. Altough, if I need games specifically on steam I'll be buying the key from Greenmangaming (UK) or GamersGate (Sweden). If anybody has more alternatives feel free to let me know so I can add them to my list.
GOG sadly misses a majority of games atm so I just can't replace steam with it yet.
Iโm quite fond of Fanatical. They are based in the UK and also sometimes sell DRM free books/audiobooks
Ohh I've actually been on their website sometime. Good to know they're UK based thanks!
Update:
Third party key market places are kinda iffy, and there have been numerous cases of the keys being offered on there having been bought with stolen credit cards, or otherwise generated in ways that aren't quite above board.
I remember one interview with an indy dev in which they said they prefer people pirating, because chargebacks from stolen cards are actively costing them money.
For people who feel they need the entertainment games provide, but can't afford current prices, I feel pirating games from conglomerates, and buying from smaller studios and indies is the most socially responsible way to do it, but I'm not your mum.
Edit: Huh, looks like greenmangaming gets their keys directly from the publishers. Didn't know that was a thing. Guess I was a bit quick on the trigger there, should have checked first. Sorry about that.
I don't believe gog will ever have a full library. They require all their games to be DRM free. Until corporate gaming changes GOG won't.
I think Steam might be the only private company in this.
Really says a lot.
It does.
Private companies are - often - not driven by pure greed. The people work hard for their company to be successful and they are much less likely to fuck it all over with a stupid move.
Public companies, however, are controlled by a bunch of money motivated monkeys that couldn't give a rats ass about a company's future. They'll bleed it all dry and go to the next company.
You are allowed to say Fuck on the Internet. Why are you following the self-censorship rules for Instagram and other social networks if you are making a joke about them?
Looks like it was baked into the image template they used
No excuse. Build it from scratch again. Build it better.
We can rebuild him. We have the technology
I realised that those who censor themselves on the Internet, grew up on the Internet when YouTube started demonitising profanities and thus picked up the habit.
We are getting old.
Costco is cool too! They have local products.
Most important of all they compensate their employees like they are actual humans.
And, they told the ignorant people to go fuck themselves in regards to stopping their DEI efforts.
Keep that DEI and I will keep shopping!
I sometimes feel an anxiety when pondering what will happen when daddy Gabe isn't here to keep the wolves at bay.
gabe is a very smart person, if he doesnt have a post death plan for steam i would be immensely surprised.
me: steam is terrible; it's just drm with a nice bow on top
steam: steam visual novel fest starts now
me: i love steam stuffs more items on my wishlist
(for real tho itch.io and gog are much better use them - and download the actual offline installers from gog don't use galaxy)
Steam may be a very successful business, but theyโre still the seed crystal for a whole ecosystem of gambling that preys on addicts and children with the whole CSGO loot box thing. Take a wild guess what forms of addiction have the highest suicide rates?
Fuck Valve. Fuck all Corps. No business has ever nor can ever, genuinely give a shit about anything other than increasing profit.
On the other hand, Valve wishing to seek an alternative to Microsoft's poor decision^[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_Machine_(computer)#cite_note-cvg_newell_linux-2%3A%7E%3Atext=upon+the+release+of+Windows+8+in+2012] making has been a great boon to the Linux community. Valve was also there at the start of Vulkan^[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulkan#History]. But is "funny" that Gabe Newell started off as a Microsoft employee, in fact the one that led the team that ported Doom to Windows with Doom95 and in turn also helped launch Windows (95) as the gaming OS for decades to come.
As much as I distrust and hate corporations, Valve isn't in it for the shareholders, you can't buy Valve stocks and that means they at least have a bit more soul than a lot of other corporations - even though they are profit seeking.
What I don't like about them is how they sell you a service, not an actual game. You technically buy a lifelong lease on each game, never ownership. Your shit can be gone in minutes with nothing to prove for it, except for bank statements saying Valve took your money.
Which is why I'll always buy on GOG^[https://www.gog.com/en/about_gog] if possible. DRM free and European.
No business?
I work as a software developer for a small business and they do care about us and not just profits.
Recently we were all given a pay rise and a reduction in hours as they can afford to support that.
I wouldn't have started even dual booting Linux if it wasn't for Steam after being pleasantly surprised with my Steam Deck played most of my Steam library. It's the primary why I intend to get AMD gpu next time around for the better driver support, but that won't be for a few years.
i wont delete my steam account, but lord gaben wont get my money anymore, even if hes awesome. :( sorry gabe.
Just buy future games from GOG. No need to delete Steam or already made purchases.
I'm still gonna use American stuff that's good if they keep DEI. brb checking up on Steam.
Edit: it's not looking good tbh I think I'll switch to GOG / physical media as much as feasible.
I'm just happy to see a meme template from Half Baked.
Chappelle's old stuff is fire
I love my Steam Deck and Proton, but it pisses me off how many Steam games are spyware / DRMware and wonโt start without internet on this PORTABLE console, and especially that Valve allows this kind of toxic shit.
So, my Steam Deck stays blocked from the internet in my firewall and I buy from GOG when available or get them from other places.
Also, Gabe can STFU about piracy being a service problem until Steam bans DRM and spyware.
You can just not buy the games that have stuff like Denuvo etc. If you keep buying them, of course they'll keep including the DRM etc.
Steam is the storefront, and they have plenty of games you can buy without that crap.
How Newellโs latest yacht? They still allow gambling in CS? Cool cool, nothing to see here.
I never gamed, so...
Steam isn't perfect and I sure as shit won't be the one defending a corporation, and this isn't a good excuse at ALL, but if you've never gamed you wouldn't believe how much worse it is on the other side (GOG being the only exception).
Gaben is pretty chill, ngl