Comments on: Content Managers

By: Dan Gray

Dan Gray — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:03:51 +0000

A friend picked up a box copy of GTA4 when it came out, and found he had to register for Games For Windows: Live and Rockstar Social Club before he could even get in to a *single player game*. Admittedly it has all those community/media features, but he had zero interest in them.

The whole process was such a pain that rather than go through the whole process again, after reformatting his PC he just binned it.

Dawn of War 2 surprised me too, by requiring both Steam and Games for Windows: Live. Two services that seem to largely provide exactly the same things.

It’s getting a little ridiculous indeed.

By: Riknas

Riknas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:24:22 +0000

Bah I say. BAH. There is quite simply too much attempts at funneling me to check out this company’s site because it’s apparently really cool and may reduce my risk of cancer or some other such nonsense.

Unless this is an MMO, you can go shove it if you want me to sign up for another account. I’ll buy your DLC through my Xbox, but you’ll not get anything else from me unless I’m genuinely interested. Fortress of stubbornness!

/Shakefist

By: Tesh

Tesh — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:55:27 +0000

I say no. I’m still *very* displeased that Steam runs a check for an internet connection for the games that I’ve purchased that *don’t need the friggin’ internet*. Yes, there’s an offline mode, but if Steam itself or the game has an update pending, it *won’t play offline*, even though it should by all rights work perfectly.

There are some benefits that Steam offers over traditional box purchases, but in the balance, I still don’t like it.

By: Zubon

Zubon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:37:00 +0000

As a consumer, I benefit from these systems, and buying boxes could go the way of my land line just fine. Interoperability becomes the problem; if I could not call your cell phone from mine because we had different phone companies, I would be very put out.

By: Bhagpuss

Bhagpuss — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:32:24 +0000

No we didn’t. I’m still avoiding it and will for as long as I can, but I realise that it’s only a matter of time before these systems become the only form of distribution.

It’s safe to assume this change is not for the benefit of the consumer, although that’s how it will be sold to us.

By: Julian

Julian — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:28:03 +0000

I do very much miss the days of install > straight to game > play.

Now I have to contend with launchers, esoteric updaters, web-based sign-ups, community sites…

Did we actually -gain- anything by having all this extraneous bull?

By: mbp

mbp — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:43:27 +0000

I am pretty much wedded to Steam – It has its flaws but it works. I have avoided buying games from other online services because I really don’t want to run yet another service in the background (Steam and Xfire are already grumbling at each other in an uneasy truce).

By: Zubon

Zubon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:14:41 +0000

All of those at once and more, yes, could be a way of describing the issue.

By: Gemski

Gemski — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:21:32 +0000

Can you elaborate a bit? Is this like Steam vs Impulse? Or like xfire vs raptr? Gamespy vs Steamworks?