Why not allow Steam Points to be used to buy games?

[Triacular]

Even if it's a select few games that cost a ton of points: it would be a nice alternative to the profile decorations you can buy. Personally I bought all I want from the points shop and don't have any more need for Steam points.
Keep in mind that the developer would actually have to opt into selling games like this.
But this would definitely be a good service for people who buy a lot of games.

[Sazzouu]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Cathulhu:

Yeah, works well for Epic Games Store, does it? How much profit has it turned over in its existence so far?

Oh, still making losses and still bleeding money after three years of its existance?

Not the same but I feel your Epic-yadayada so I will try to help you out...

Epic just throws away money to lure customers over to their plattform. There were no cashflows involved to begin with. So they make a huge loss without ANY sort of compensation. No loyalty involved; just outright moneyburn.

Steam Points however are generated after someone spent money. So Valve has some money to play around with. And NOW they can decide to use that money to introduce some sort of loyalty program.

Even the new customers coming over to Steam after these news would have to SPEND MONEY FIRST in order to get something "for free". Oh and by the way... how do you think Coupons work on here?

[Cathulhu]

You mean those worthless coupons with lower discounts than regular sales?
Where people ask regularily how to get rid of those?
Not to mention that you only get coupons for rather crappy games.
When was the last time you got a coupon for a game from a big publisher with an actual decent discount?

[Sazzouu]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Cathulhu:

When was the last time you got a coupon for a game from a big publisher with an actual decent discount?

Wait, when did this start to be a discussion about quality standards and who on this planet made you the alpha and omega about standards? Anyways I will again jump on your strawmaning...

Apparently in November. I do not craft badges that often really. November was the last time I crafted for coupons. After that the Mysterious cards dropped and you know the drill.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2715803077
https://store.steampowered.com/app/897930/Demonheart_Hunters/

I personally do not enjoy such games that much but a friend of mine would've been very happy to get their hands on that game for that cheap - actually 90%-off is cheaper than any sale this game ever had. I had to redeem it for myself though because well I am a collector.

However since I found out that you can only receive coupons for games that you don't own yet makes them highly attractive for me.

PS:
Nice how you dodged the core of my answer. And for the sake of you going back to topic:
We are talking about discounting products. The quality is absolutely irrelevant.

Back in 2017 or when the first time was the Lunar New Year sale had that $5 coupon for these "Tokens". The tokens pretty much had the same mechanic as the Steam Points have - spend money; earn Tokens. Those $5 came out of Valves pockets. Now some maths...

$1 spent = 100 Tokens
5000 tokens = $5 coupon
So you basically spent $50 to receive a $5 gift and that applied for EVERY product on Steam. So apparently you could receive something like Final Fantasy or Alan Wake for free.
Did that hurt Valve? Not really because the next sale had pretty much the same mechanic just disguised differently.

[[N]ebsun]

The only thing about games using Steam points to purchase is:
Free games want as many people as possible, why restrict it behind Steam points ?
Paid games are for profit, why accept Steam points which are worthless ?

[Chocolate Pie Kitten]

For years people asked for rewards points to able to customize their profile and chat
Now people say this is worthlessand want free games
I have even seen threads about earn to play where people want to be rewarded with cash or benefits to play a game.
On the net and mobile the free sites or games exists because there is adverstisment behind
Do we want ads pop ups in games or game that relink us to purchase sites .?

[Trundle]

another "fun bucks to buy game"? i dont think any sane business would do that

[Tolkien Book Fan]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Sazzouu:

1. Valve allows buying games with points
   
2. Media spreads the news that you can get Steam games "for free" (after spending money)
   
3. Huge swarm of new customers
   
4. Huge cashflow-increase

Gamers HATE paywalls, and that's what this scheme is. The media wouldn't emphasise that you have to become a paying customer, and gamers would ignore it anyway. They come to Steam, find out that you only get access to useful point amounts after spending A LOT of money -- and then they lose their minds, ranting that they have been scammed, that the deals are a fraud, and if their response to Epic trying to end free game periods and coupons is any guide, threatening to physically attack Valve's buildings and the employees in them. No money or good PR there.

Also, the purpose of loyalty programs is customer retention. Valve has gone from 25 million concurrent users at the end of 2020 to 28 million this year, according to recent reports. Valve doesn't need to bribe people to stay in order to make itself look successful. If you are not paying for stuff, if you are not an actual customer, Valve doesn't need to care about threats to leave and making yourself Epic's non-spending problem.

[Sazzouu]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย ElfSeeker:

-SNIP-

I completely agree with you on the aspect of PR. However I was not upset about people calling this a bad scheme; because it is. I was mad about smartaces acting like such a scheme would lead to bleeding money; which was shown often enough that it does not.

I am especially upset about people comparing such a loyalty program to that weird bribing scheme Epic does; which as I pointed out clearly enough it is not.

PS: Of course I would enjoy such a loyalty program because I am a big spender on Steam. However I do not want such a loyalty program because it could lead to an even worse "Begging for Awards"-flood than we already have because that way Points would actually become monetary valuable from a users perspective.

[MigM16]

how would using points to buy games help ppl who buy a lot of games? that makes no sense, clearly the ppl buying lots of games have money to do so or know where to get the games in the first place. yall just wanna pay less for games yet your buying games off steam tisk tisk. plug---- i only have a few games but im getting there one day https://www.humblebundle.com/subscription?refc=1c9j8m

[Start_Running]

Because developers like to be paid in real money. and Valve doesn't feel like paying for your free games OP. Simple as that.

[Triacular]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Start_Running:

Because developers like to be paid in real money. and Valve doesn't feel like paying for your free games OP. Simple as that.

I'm not saying "pay for my games." I'm suggesting that it should be possible to allow for game developers to let their games be bought with Steam points. This is NOT a forced program. Just an option so the developers, for their own reason, can allow people to play their game.

[Start_Running]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Triacular:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Start_Running:

Because developers like to be paid in real money. and Valve doesn't feel like paying for your free games OP. Simple as that.

I'm not saying "pay for my games." I'm suggesting that it should be possible to allow for game developers to let their games be bought with Steam points. This is NOT a forced program. Just an option so the developers, for their own reason, can allow people to play their game.

So basically you want dev/pubs to give you free games? They can already do this. Surprisingly very few do. And yes selling you a game for Steam Points is no different than giving you a free game because guess what. You can't pay a utility bill with Steam Points.

So dev/pubs already have the ability to list their game for free.

[MigM16]

what im starting to understand here is that when u pay 10$ for a steam game and u get that 1,000 points, u should also have to pay for the 1,000 points too and since every 1$ u spend gets u 100 points, u should also pay 1$ for every 100 points you get, this way the points have a value and thus can be spent on the game as a currency. there u go cheaper games using points $20. oh ya if u want more steam points dont buy games on sale

[MigM16]

i think my kid just sneezed on the cat

[Triacular]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Start_Running:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Triacular:

I'm not saying "pay for my games." I'm suggesting that it should be possible to allow for game developers to let their games be bought with Steam points. This is NOT a forced program. Just an option so the developers, for their own reason, can allow people to play their game.

So basically you want dev/pubs to give you free games? They can already do this. Surprisingly very few do. And yes selling you a game for Steam Points is no different than giving you a free game because guess what. You can't pay a utility bill with Steam Points.

So dev/pubs already have the ability to list their game for free.

Again, not saying that either. I rarely get games on Steam, already have like 15 humblebundles worth that I haven't played yet, therefore I have very few points. And once again, I suggest a completely optional program. The requirement of points (set by the developer) is a floodgate to how many people could take advantage of the offer. If you happen to have like 100,000 points and nothing to spend them on: it might be worth spending them on a small game that costs that many points. But how many people have 100,000 points?
I am not wanting free games. I'm just making a suggestion for what is basically rewards points that only gets you chat profile decorations on a games service.