The issue was always DRM

[Addy]

Steam doesn't trust consumers to "purchase" products. You have to buy licenses to a product which you don't actually own, and they can hold your lack of ownership over you. If Steam weren't a DRM platform, then it wouldn't matter if they drop support for Windows 7, because you'd actually OWN your games. But because Steam is DRM, they control access to your hundreds/thousands of dollars worth of content.

Remember to place the blame where it belongs: DRM is a stupid concept, and Steam is DRM.

[Aachen]

Home/consumer software has always been licensed — you’d own the code if you paid to have it written.

“Control” is, in fact, the crux of your complaint.

[Addy]

Originally posted by Aachen:

Home/consumer software has always been licensed — you’d only own the code if you paid to have it written.

“Control” is, in fact, the crux of your complaint.

That's largely irrelevant. Because the DRM wasn't present on old game licenses, companies couldn't do a thing to stop you from modifying them, copying them, or keeping them indefinitely on old hardware. You could do whatever you like, regardless of whether the TOS forbids it.

Opening post edited for clarity.

[ุ]

Originally posted by Addy:

Originally posted by Aachen:

Home/consumer software has always been licensed — you’d only own the code if you paid to have it written.

“Control” is, in fact, the crux of your complaint.

That's largely irrelevant. Because the DRM wasn't present on old game licenses, companies couldn't do a thing to stop you from modifying them. You could do whatever you like, regardless of whether the TOS forbids it.

DRM was in a lot of older games...lot of games literally had checkpoints/clues that you'd need the box/physical manual to continue, and if you couldn't produce the puzzle solution, you couldn't progress further.

Anti-piracy measures have been around a VERY long time.

[Aachen]

Hence “control is the crux.”

DRM was absolutely present on old software.

Originally posted by Addy:

Steam doesn't trust consumers to "purchase" products anymore ….

When did Steam allow one to purchase unlicensed software?

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Addy:

Originally posted by Aachen:

Home/consumer software has always been licensed — you’d only own the code if you paid to have it written.

“Control” is, in fact, the crux of your complaint.

That's largely irrelevant. Because the DRM wasn't present on old game licenses, companies couldn't do a thing to stop you from modifying them, copying them, or keeping them indefinitely on old hardware. You could do whatever you like, regardless of whether the TOS forbids it.

Opening post edited for clarity.

Correct, they couldn't really enforce things. They tried with certain forms of DRM (limited activation DRM, look for a specific word in the booklet DRM, etc), but that didn't work. Which is also why they all jumped on digital so easily.

DRM always has been a measure from developers/publishers to assert control. That won't change anytime soon either.

[ุ]

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Originally posted by Addy:

That's largely irrelevant. Because the DRM wasn't present on old game licenses, companies couldn't do a thing to stop you from modifying them, copying them, or keeping them indefinitely on old hardware. You could do whatever you like, regardless of whether the TOS forbids it.

Opening post edited for clarity.

Correct, they couldn't really enforce things. They tried with certain forms of DRM (limited activation DRM, look for a specific word in the booklet DRM, etc), but that didn't work. Which is also why they all jumped on digital so easily.

DRM always has been a measure from developers/publishers to assert control. That won't change anytime soon either.

Sony got so desperate, they put out CDs with a rootkit on them.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Addy:

Originally posted by Aachen:

Home/consumer software has always been licensed — you’d only own the code if you paid to have it written.

“Control” is, in fact, the crux of your complaint.

That's largely irrelevant. Because the DRM wasn't present on old game licenses, companies couldn't do a thing to stop you from modifying them, copying them, or keeping them indefinitely on old hardware. You could do whatever you like, regardless of whether the TOS forbids it.

Opening post edited for clarity.

There was DRM.

They not being able to enforce an agreement, never meant it was OK to go ahead and do it. It was just cost prohibitive for them to do so. Now it cost a lost less for them to enforce.

[Haruspex]

Valve doesn't require publishers/developers to use their DRM implementation, but it's available if they want it. Many, many games on Steam have no DRM at all, and nothing is stopping you from just copying those files and running the game without Steam even being installed.

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam

[Xhoas]

I mean, it wasn't that different with the game box back in the day...

[RiO]

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

DRM always has been a measure from developers/publishers to assert control. That won't change anytime soon either.

It might actually.
There's been some rumbling in the EU regarding planned obsolescence and losing access to purchased content. And on at least one count I've heard from others that apparently the option to make it legal to bypass DRM and break copy protection for those cases, would be coming back on the table for re-evaluation.

Bear in mind: hearsay, so take it with a grain of salt.
It might be utter bunk - but if it turns out true and pans out, it could have far-reaching consequences.

It's not so far out of the realm of possibility even. Multiple EU member states used to have local laws which allowed consumers to bypass copy-protection on physical media if it was a means to achieve compatibility with their playback device of choice for music or video. (Heck; some might still have those. Cleanup in legislation moves slowly, after all.)

[Aachen]

One can hope!

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by Addy:

Steam doesn't trust consumers to "purchase" products. You have to buy licenses to a product which you don't actually own, and they can hold your lack of ownership over you. If Steam weren't a DRM platform, then it wouldn't matter if they drop support for Windows 7, because you'd actually OWN your games. But because Steam is DRM, they control access to your hundreds/thousands of dollars worth of content.

Remember to place the blame where it belongs: DRM is a stupid concept, and Steam is DRM.

Wrong. You buy a licence on all PC client, Stores. You never own a game.

Secondly - https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/drm

The Steam DRM wrapper is an important part of Steam platform because it verifies game ownership and ensures that Steamworks features work properly by launching Steam before launching the game.

Note: Ownership is why their are 3rd party requirements such as EA Play etc and it is EA who wants proof you have the game on Steam.

https://help.ea.com/en/help/account/unlink-gaming-accounts-from-ea-account/

To play our games on other platforms, you need to link your platform accounts to your EA Account. This includes PlayStation Network IDs, Xbox Gamertags, Steam accounts, Epic Games accounts, Amazon accounts, and Google Stadia.

[SKARDAVNELNATE]

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

You buy a licence on all PC client, Stores. You never own a game.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

The Steam DRM wrapper is an important part of Steam platform because it verifies game ownership and ensures that Steamworks features work properly by launching Steam before launching the game.

Really...

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by SKARDAVNELNATE:

Really...

https://store.steampowered.com/eula/292030_eula_0

2. WHAT YOU GET WITH THE GAME

We (meaning CD PROJEKT RED) give you the personal right (called a 'licence' legally) to download, install and play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on your personal computer as long as you follow these Rules. This licence is for your personal use only (so you can't give a sublicense to someone else) and doesn't give you ownership rights.

At all times we continue to own all of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, all in-game content, any updates or additional content for them, manuals or other materials about them and the intellectual property rights in them, including all copyright, trademarks, patents and legal things like that (all of this together we call the ‘Game’).

Nor Windows:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/UseTerms/Retail/Windows/11/UseTerms_Retail_Windows_11_English.htm

2. Installation and Use Rights.

a. License. The software is licensed, not sold. Under this agreement, we grant you the right to install and run one instance of the software on your device (the licensed device), for use by one person at a time, so long as you comply with the terms and restrictions contained in this agreement. Updating or upgrading from non-genuine software with software from Microsoft or authorized sources does not make your original version or the updated/upgraded version genuine, and in that situation, you do not have a license to use the software.

[SKARDAVNELNATE]

But if there's a Steam DRM wrapper then you do own the game? That the part you need to explain.