Steam pass

[triple_agent]

Hi dudes, quick one:

XBOX game pass.
Origin subscription pass / vault access.

Both of these include free access to collections of games, based on monthly/yearly subscription fee of reasonable size, plus significant discounts for selected games included in the range of the deal. I say perfect opportunity for people who either play a lot or want to try out shortly plenty of titles. I once calculated that if to play two hours daily, a 20 hours campaign at original price of thirty dollars can be instantly had on subscription pass terms at the price of, say, a soda can.

Two words and a question mark:

Steam pass?

[eram]

Discussed in 2005 and never implemented. The issue is Steam is just a platform to purchase games. They don't have deals in place to allow a rental/sub system.

I can just imaging the headache getting every dev and publisher to agree or opt out of such a system yet i see how the platform could be seen as falling behind by not offering such a service.

[triple_agent]

Originally posted by eram:

Discussed in 2005 and never implemented. The issue is Steam is just a platform to purchase games. They don't have deals in place to allow a rental/sub system.

I can just imaging the headache getting every dev and publisher to agree or opt out of such a system yet i see how the platform could be seen as falling behind by not offering such a service.

Steam is great in terms of abundance of offer and it is the most powerful digital distribution platform of nowadays, if one has eyes it is hard to miss. But that magnitude stands in the way in the case mentioned, such as you speak. For now, often discounts, next to array of choices, as well as background features such as dedicated community hubs are the strong points of the service. Though there are outerior offers, for example, making use of this platform on own terms. Well, everything falls under the organic order. But I believe if there is will, there is way.

[Spawn of Totoro]

We already get getter discounts then consoles here as well as more often, so I don't see a need for it. Besides, why pay for a discount to begin with? Steam can't charge for on-line access and neither i is needed or practical for PC as it is an open platform, so all you would be doing is paying for discounts...and that basicaly removes the discounts.

Valve has always treated every customer the same, reguardless of how much, or how little, they have spent on Steam and I don't see that changing, plus they don't abuse their customer base by forcing them to spend money for basic usage.

[Washell]

Microsoft can dictate the terms on their platform. EA uses it as a loss leader[en.wikipedia.org] to get people on Origin. Valve can't do the first and does not need to do the latter.

[triple_agent]

"Loss leader", thanks, have learned a new term.

@Spawn of Totoro, indeed but mind on subscription terms there are games permanently available for free also. Some games can be bought, but it is unnecessary. When it comes to Origin in particular, I calculated that getting a one month subscription and purchasing a handful of games during that time - such as a very well priced Dead Space series - is much more profitable than purchasing these games without the subscription pass. There is the hook, I know, since once you have the subscription and the Origin thing on your PC, you will be tempted to check out what the free stuff is, and you will maybe stay. But prices are prices. Loss leader tactics or not, wallet wisdom. Actually there is little comparison between Steam price of Dead Space and the Origin price. EA certainly dictated inflated amount for Steam to make people go to their platform to get the game, but well, come on, is it a bad deal after all with that subscription?

I value Steam for communities and people involved. But games, I do buy places, including secondhand PC-CD retail market, mainly auctions. Sometimes the difference in price is like with that mentioned Dead Space case. I know money spent this way benefits actual gaming industry in a doubtful way, but this is organic, I simply make use of the bits of reason that I still may have. I am impatient, but I am willing to search for the best way out.

Thusfar I have skipped Dead Space, so this is not yet a particular case, just an example.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

EA publishes Dead Space. They publish all the titles on Origin. They can offer those deals because of that. Valve publishes very few games. Would you like to have a monthly sub service for all the Valve titles? Cheaper to purchase the Valve Complete Pack.

[Start_Running]

Not gonna happen. Since in all the other subscriptions the platform owner has control over the distribution. Steam does not. In short You would never get the prospective publishers to agree on an equitable split. Most would really just make sales.

[triple_agent]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

EA publishes Dead Space. They publish all the titles on Origin. They can offer those deals because of that. Valve publishes very few games. Would you like to have a monthly sub service for all the Valve titles? Cheaper to purchase the Valve Complete Pack.

I understand what you say. If Steam said, listen up people, new deal open for those who wish to sign up. The deal is you pay us 5$ a month or already 50$ a year with 10$ discount and get instant free access to 200+ games that you can view beforehand and decide whether they are something you are willing to put your hands on. You need to use Steam DRM all the time. Possibly you need to have stable Internet connection and when the connection will be down, you will be unable to play. Alternatively, we offer you permanent grave discount on any of the mentioned 200+ games if you wanted to buy one on regular terms during the subscription lasting, to be able to play without the Internet connection.

Far from every Steam game to be included in the Steam pass box of offers, but for sure with the amount of titles already present on the service, some considerable baits would be found.

Mind Origin also has external titles included, some of them being acclaimed indie scene representatives. Few of them, but it shows there are doors open.

Steam has good discounts and often discounts, but the case is with instant gratification of the customer. Say I thought to myself, I am going to buy myself a game and I have only certain amount of money. I want that one but it costs too much. Should I wait? Damn, I will just buy this one instead. Familiar reality or weak character? Hunting for discounts is fun but sometimes I may buy something at a 50% discount, to find out a month later it enters 75% or even a 90% discount. It suggests if I wait indefinitely I will finally get the game for a symbolic dollar, but I hesitate to assume the industry is interested in this kind of agreement. With subscription pass, they at least get their stable share, as well as the customer is guaranteed to always pay the same price.

When it comes to consumer packs on Steam, they are good but as with bundles, there are things we are more interested in and there are things we are less interested in. Besides, subscription pass, as I recognize, is something like a continuous bundle, is it not?

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Not gonna happen. Since in all the other subscriptions the platform owner has control over the distribution. Steam does not. In short You would never get the prospective publishers to agree on an equitable split. Most would really just make sales.

Ground is to know what is the most likely way.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Note that publishers set the prices on their games on Steam. They would also have to opt into this type of thing and the ones that "might" do it are small indie ones that make crap titles. Most AAA games will not opt into this as they make enough money selling it at their price and have no need for opting into a sub service.

[wuddih]

since it was not mentioned yet in particular...
the prices and sale discounts on Steam are set directly by the developer/publisher/owner of the product. the only thing Steam does is to failcheck and limit changes to those.

Steam is a self-publishing platform. on Origin you must sign a contract with the devil. EA can do whatever they want with your game.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by wuddih:

since it was not mentioned yet in particular...

It was.

[triple_agent]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Note that publishers set the prices on their games on Steam. They would also have to opt into this type of thing and the ones that "might" do it are small indie ones that make crap titles. Most AAA games will not opt into this as they make enough money selling it at their price and have no need for opting into a sub service.

Reasonable. If the current deal is good for all the sides involved, including the customers, then it is good and why to try to bend it to some endeavours that would cost more effort than bring payoff, risking ridiculing oneself.

[Razzle]

There is a Humblebundle monthly subscription ...for 12$ you get games every month "Early unlocks" and the rest are revealed at the end of the month.
This is the closest you'll get to a "steam pass"

[triple_agent]

I know HumbleStore, sometimes buy there DRM-free games on a normal basis, pity only that developers forget to update the DRM-free versions very often,as they take since all the PC gaming world roads lead to Steam, this is the only thing to be cared for.

Subscription pass is actually a way to secure the profit.

[Razzle]

Originally posted by Triple_Agent_AAA:

I know HumbleStore, sometimes buy there DRM-free games on a normal basis, pity only that developers forget to update the DRM-free versions very often,as they take since all the PC gaming world roads lead to Steam, this is the only thing to be cared for.

Subscription pass is actually a way to secure the profit.

I never really cared for their DRM-free games, I always use the steam key that comes with the purchase....thinking about it I think i have over 200+ games drm-free that i bought in old bundles lol