Pros & Cons - Steam vs GOG which will you pick and why?

[Zierry]

 

With GoG, I need to have a credit card which is not that common here in germany.

Credit cards are not common in Germany? What?!

 

Anyway - you don't need a credit card. You can pay through paypal or through paysafecard (paysafecard can be charged in a similar way to steam or google play - with cards that are bought in a store. They're available in Germany. You can find store near you here)

 

Credit cards which are perfectly common here in Czech Republic are working perfectly with GoG. But who knows. Maybe they havnt Visa in Germany. 

[Spike Spiegel 28]

I will go with GOG there is not even a single doubt on my mind on that one. Simply because I think games like this are meant to be bought on GOG. They are games on on oldschool genre and they just need to stand next to all the other classics of that period. And while I am in no way against Steam (using it for over 7 years now and have a nice collection) I am using Steam mostly for AAA games that are from the present and indiegames or simply games that are not on GOG at the moment  (EU IV would be a good example of that). But sooner or later I gonna get a copy on Steam aswell if it goes on discount and I will always have my phyical copy of it so I will never have a problem with not having a DRM free version.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Spike Spiegel 28

[Luckmann]

 

With GoG, I need to have a credit card which is not that common here in germany.

Credit cards are not common in Germany? What?!

 

Anyway - you don't need a credit card. You can pay through paypal or through paysafecard (paysafecard can be charged in a similar way to steam or google play - with cards that are bought in a store. They're available in Germany. You can find store near you here)

 

 

You'd be surprised. My German GF doesn't have a credit card either, and just a few years ago when me and some friends (before I met my GF) wanted to pay in a grocery store, they didn't even take VISA/Mastercard. From the perspective of a Swede, it's absolutely absurd. No-one she knows has an internet bank. I'm like "What, come again?".

 

Her older brother that plays MMO:s pays with paysafecards (or something to that effect; disposable "credit cards" you buy in shops). An adult person. I don't want to sound patronizing or offend anyone, I just want to convey how utterly weird that is to me.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Luckmann

[Pipyui]

Yar, I suppose since I'm getting the physical DRM-free disc anyway Steam makes more sense for me, but if I got to choose between the two who to give my patronage to, it would be GOG (I used to be something of an anti-DRM nazi, but I just can't summon enough passion to care much anymore ).

[achaye]

So either you have Steam:

- Convenience

 

I see this line of reasoning quite often and I think it's misleading for someone on the fence if they keep seeing Steam=convenience over and over again.

 

I, for one, find Steam extremely inconvenient; why must I install a separate program just to get a particular game that I want? GoG hands down is WAAAAAY more convenient for me: download --> install.

 

GoG all the way for no-nonsense DRM-free downloads. Big companies are really, really, really, REALLY stupid for not wanting to put their titles, triple-AA or otherwise, on GoG (or offer it DRM-free on their own sites). I don't know how many people out there are like me, but many of my friends refuse to buy games if they're not DRM-free (or at maximum, a simple CD check. We're old-school). I've been itching to play the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot for some time now, as well as Dragon Age Inquisition, Child of Light, Rayman Legends, and a few other titles. I guess stockholders for Square-Enix and Ubisoft don't want me to give money to the companies they're invested in (though they did get my money for Rayman Origins day one, guess why?).

 

Praise be to CDProjekt and GoG.

[Trebr]

Prolly going GoG as that's where all my Black Isle, Fallout, & Baldur's Gate games are.

Then d/l the install and back that up to my NAS with the others.

[Pappi_man]

My trust on Steam is very low so whenever I get a chance to get a game from GOG. I'll take it.

[Styger]

Unlocked my Royal Edition on GoG, since the differences won't be in game, and I like having all of my IE games on one platform. Additionally, the downloader is better for getting the goodies where I want them. I unlocked my Hero edition on Steam to preload it. I would've liked to share the second key, but I don't know anyone who plays RPGs, let alone CRPGs, so why not make the best of it!?

[Sardukar]

GoG, of course. I am a CDPR rent-boy, after all.

 

Praise My Polish Masters.

Seriously, this was a tough one. DRM-free and no need to have Steam running won out, though. Well, mostly. The weekly moderator beatings have impacted my sense of independen...no! I didn't say that! Praise GoG!

[Noman]

For me it's one of the easiest decisions. Of course, I'll pick up the GoG version, as it's completely DRM free. You download a simple installation file, and from then on install on any PC, reinstall, loan it to a friend (removing your own installation at the same time) and delete without ever worrying about which account to login (or remain offline at) and whether any internet connections are needed during install or not.

 

GOG's is the superior version by far. One of the best things about Kickstarter backed games, is this chance to influence the game creators to have options other than steam. I remember asking Obsidian about DRM in the early days of their Kickstarter pitch and on finding out that the game will be DRM free, I spent more on PoE compared to any single game purchase I have made in the last ten years or so. Had the game been created outside the Kickstarter method, it'd have very likely been locked to Steamworks, and I would not have paid even $2-3 on Steam for it during their sales.

 

Thanks Obsidian for keeping all options available.

[Tikigod]

 

 

I barely ever use Steam, so here's a noob question: Once I set it to Offline mode, I no longer have to connect online to play it, right? Llike it doesn't connect, then go offline, then play?

Yes, you will be able to play. In theory you could find game in your steam directory and create a direct shortcut to the exe file to start the game without running Steam.

 

I'm pretty sure this isn't the case. There's a reason it's called DRM. 

 

 

It varies from game to game and is in part based on the choice of the developer.

 

Some games on Steam really can just be launched locally without ever touching on Steams optional API utilisation. So you can download the game through Steam, then just launch the game directly and never have it really touch Steam again.

 

Other developers opt to use the available services to have Steam act as a more standard form of DRM, but still allowing offline play.

 

Whilst others design it so that it really doesn't play well with offline mode and requires at least a initial online connection.

 

It really is down to the individual title and the developers. Valve provide the API tools, developers decide the extent they want to utilise them.

 

 

Some standard Steam behaviour however seems to be that if Steam knows/thinks there is a update for a game pending, offline mode for that game generally won't work as it will keep trying to update prior to allowing you to start up the game. This can be worked around in various ways however.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Tikigod

[Zwiebelchen]

Credit cards are not common in Germany? What?!

 

Anyway - you don't need a credit card. You can pay through paypal or through paysafecard (paysafecard can be charged in a similar way to steam or google play - with cards that are bought in a store. They're available in Germany. You can find store near you here)

 

 

Believe it or not; but credit cards are not as common as in other countries here in germany. This is because germany has a pretty powerful direct debit transfer system for national transactions. That makes having a credit card only important if you want to do international purchases.

Ebay, Amazon and all major international companies also allow debit entry here, so that's even less of a reason to have a credit card. I don't get why Steam hasn't upgraded their service with that option yet, considering even Blizzard offers debit entry for WoW)

 

Also with the recent law changes of EU-wide banking which makes direct transfers within the EU free of charge, the incentive to have a credit card gets even weaker.

 

 

I won't sign up on paysafecard just for a single game if I have a steam account already anyway, even if GoG is better. Paypal is an option, though.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Zwiebelchen

[Sky_walker]

GOG just published a document that might be worth reading through: http://www.gog.com/news/state_of_bcustomer_experience_b

 

That's the complete opposite of Steam approach to the customer service.

 

 

 

This is because germany has a pretty powerful direct debit transfer system for national transactions.

 

So does Poland and yet almost everyone here own either a credit or debit card - both of which you can use for paying on GOG (I actually pay with my debit card, not a credit card, if you want to know details like that). Banks give you a card to the account, regardless if you want it or not, it's automatic. It's the first time I hear someone saying that cards are not popular in Germany and every German I know of has a card (probably because they travel a lot?) - that's why I'm surprised. But never mind me

Edited March 26, 2015 by Sky_walker

[Zwiebelchen]

GOG just published a document that might be worth reading through: http://www.gog.com/news/state_of_bcustomer_experience_b

 

That's the complete opposite of Steam approach to the customer service.

 

 

 

This is because germany has a pretty powerful direct debit transfer system for national transactions.

 

So does Poland and yet almost everyone here own either a credit or debit card - both of which you can use for paying on GOG (I actually pay with my debit card, not a credit card, if you want to know details like that). Banks give you a card to the account, regardless if you want it or not, it's automatic. It's the first time I hear someone saying that cards are not popular in Germany and every German I know of has a card (probably because they travel a lot?) - that's why I'm surprised. But never mind me

 

Debit and credit cards are not the same. Every german has a debit card. But definitely not everyone has a credit card. I don't know why this is but this is how we roll. But yes, people that travel a lot will have one, simply because cc is the default payment in hotels.

 

I haven't checked out GoG's payment methods yet. If they actually offer debit, then that will be my first choice obviously (3 hours to go, btw).

Edited March 26, 2015 by Zwiebelchen

[Tikigod]

Debit cards work perfectly fine with Steam. I've been using mine with Steam for years.

 

Don't take mention of 'Credit card' in any payment system in the literal sense. It's just used as a general name to mean both Credit and Debit cards.

 

In a lot of countries, debit cards are what your average person uses rather than credit cards. It's not exclusive to Germany.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Tikigod

[wanderon]

In the US most debit cards can be used as either debit or credit - the difference being only the manner in which the outlet processes the sale - the outcome is still the same the money is deducted from your account immediately on processing - other differences between how a debit vs credit transaction plays out may vary from card to card.

[Zwiebelchen]

Debit cards work perfectly fine with Steam. I've been using mine with Steam for years.

 

Don't take mention of 'Credit card' in any payment system in the literal sense. It's just used as a general name to mean both Credit and Debit cards.

 

In a lot of countries, debit cards are what your average person uses rather than credit cards. It's not exclusive to Germany.

 

Note that the debit payment system is location-specific. Last time I checked, debit wasn't offered by Steam in germany (only indirectly via paypal). I'll take another look today just to go sure.

 

EDIT: Did a quick check... yupp... only paypal if you want to pay via debit. Steam doesn't like germans.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Zwiebelchen

[Ashen Rohk]

Steam. I have a GoG account and it's great but I want to keep my games library as together as possible and not have yet another interface like Uplay/Origin etc on my PC.

[Aramintai]

I prefer Steam for better library, easy payment system (PayPal ftw), auto-updates and community hub. 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Aramintai

[YunikoYokai5]

I chose Steam, mostly since the rest of my library is there. I also have my physical copy coming as well, which I assume is DRM free so I may have both in the end ^.^ Maybe XD I'm not sure if the disc needs a code or anything.

[samlii]

I don't understand why they don't have a DRM Free download in addition to the key.  I like the value adds from Steam (achievements and cards), but I love being able to save a DRM Free installer to my backups just in case.

[Valsuelm]

A tip to all those who suggest you can play in 'offline' mode if you wish on Steam. Note that this does not apply to PoE specifically but to Steam in general, in particular games that are Steam only (which PoE is not, but if Paradox had their way I'm sure it would be).

 

Awhile back I was in a closed beta for a certain company's AAA title (I shouldn't say which as it would break an NDA). It came to light in the closed QA forums that some aspects of the game's AI did not work in offline mode. After some insistent prodding by some of us in the beta one of the devs finally admitted that the AI code was actually somehow tied into the Steam code associated with the game, and that the AI would not work properly if the game was in offline mode or Steam had been uninstalled (something the developer assured the players of it's game that did not like the company's transition to Steam could do (this company had previously taken a public stance against DRM, and insists that Steam isn't DRM)).

 

That's probably about all of the detail I can go into without breaking an NDA, but the short of it is that for Steam only games (again, which PoE is not), it's possible that the offline mode very well may disable or break certain aspects of a game (and not just multiplayer).

 

And all that said. Gog of course.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Valsuelm

[Arsene Lupin]

I went with Steam because I find the client convenient and I like how it tracks how long you've spent playing a game.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

GoG! And Steam... But only because I realized that I had an extra copy that I had gotten for my Ex but, since she's my Ex, I might as well activate and use. GoG is always my first choice though.

[demeisen]

GOG for me.

 

There are certain conviences to Steam, no doubt about it.  I get why people like it.  Personally though, I care a lot about the long term PC gaming picture.  I believe it's best for PC gaming that DRM-free models like GOG's succeed financially, and game companies see financial incentives to create and sell games that way.

 

As a computer gamer since the days of paper teletypes in the 70's, I've seen former powerhouse game companies "that would always be here" disappear, activation servers go offline when no longer profitable, forced upates that revoke content, etc.  I don't want to see a future where everyone is beholden to a few huge companies like that.

 

Props to Obsidian for allowing DRM free sales on GOG.  No matter how good Steam might be, GOG gets my gaming dollars, because that's the model I want to see win out, at least for single player games.