Should steam give out free games like epic?

[Scoobert Doobert]

Just an idea, its really the only plus epic has over steam. Most likely, wouldn't happen because steam already gives out some insane deals throughout the year tho.

[♥Peachboy♥]

no.

Epic Games bribes developers to make their games free for a week, so it's gonna be losing more money than gaining more money.

Plus, Steam does a free-to-keep thing every now and then

[Emilio]

No, Valve should not try to mimic Epic.

[trousers]

Not really, it would be a waste of money and barely improve Steam's market share.

[Crazy Tiger]

Epic gives them out to build a userbase and a place in the market. Once they have the place they want (or Tim pulls the plug), that'll stop.

Game devs/publishers can make games free to keep. A few actually are to claim now: https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/12/2527030866866290296/

Other than you wanting free games, there isn't actually a reason why Valve would have to give out free games.

[screamingcrane]

like alien swarm, cs-go, tf2 and others. I`m not against new free games by valve but I wouldn`t say it`d be copying epic.

[MikeBob2013]

Free games are actually fairly common on Steam (I've picked up two of them just this week), but Steam is not giving them away - I'm pretty sure the games' developers make that choice.

[Chimp Factory [M04]]

Steam does; just not as many or as public.

I am sure its currently ongoing for Company of Heroes 2 right now.

[🍋 Lemonfed 🍋]

no , giving away too many games devalue video games even more then sales. I'm not really serious when I say that.

[Radene]

Occasionally, there are games free on Steam.

[ARGH!!]

They should give away free games that properly support the steam controller.

Originally posted by screamingcrane:

like alien swarm, cs-go, tf2 and others. I`m not against new free games by valve but I wouldn`t say it`d be copying epic.

Alien swarm was a free mod, CS:GO and TF are paid by micro transactions and other stuff.

[Irene ❤]

I vote Yes.

First of all, it's not valve or epic that set the price. Developers can chose any platform and publish their games for free. They will be most welcomed to do so.

Valve's top games are already all free (CSGO, TF2, Dota2), and do does epic (Fortnite). The result of the "free games" made them giants. Developers who made expensive games need to constantly reinvent, only to be bombarded by complaints from customers who expect perfection. They also limit themselves to a few platforms and lost support. It's not about steam vs epic, what we face is the decision of the developers who chose not to sell their games to our preferred platform.

Ubisoft have realized the concept and plans to develop AAA games for free.

Perhaps there will be many "surprise elements" that cost money, but that means the top 1% will support our games with cosmetics, we can get them for free as long as it is not pay to win. Popular free games usually have a very long support period. If it's bad, support ends and nobody lose.

[Scoobert Doobert]

Originally posted by Irene ❤:

I vote Yes.

First of all, it's not valve or epic that set the price. Developers can chose any platform and publish their games for free. They will be most welcomed to do so.

Valve's top games are already all free (CSGO, TF2, Dota2), and do does epic (Fortnite). The result of the "free games" made them giants. Developers who made expensive games need to constantly reinvent, only to be bombarded by complaints from customers who expect perfection. They also limit themselves to a few platforms and lost support. It's not about steam vs epic, what we face is the decision of the developers who chose not to sell their games to our preferred platform.

Ubisoft have realized the concept and plans to develop AAA games for free.

Perhaps there will be many "surprise elements" that cost money, but that means the top 1% will support our games with cosmetics, we can get them for free as long as it is not pay to win. Popular free games usually have a very long support period. If it's bad, support ends and nobody lose.

I just fear the death of quality, if every game were to be free. But here we're talking about a weekly free thing like epic.

[ṼṏẌṏḭḊ]

No.

[Masque]

"Like Epic?"

Little Nightmares and Company of Heroes 2 are both free right now.

I suppose to do it "like Epic", they would have to do it weekly, on a regular time schedule, and announce them more prominently on the front page, but aside from those details, Steam does have freebies occasionally. They just don't broadcast them like Epic, or do it with such regularity.

[AD]

No. Don't think it's a good idea, not unless Valve wants to throw away money. It also risks devaluing games in the eyes of the public, which is not a good thing.

Originally posted by Irene ❤:

Valve's top games are already all free (CSGO, TF2, Dota2), and do does epic (Fortnite). The result of the "free games" made them giants. Developers who made expensive games need to constantly reinvent, only to be bombarded by complaints from customers who expect perfection. They also limit themselves to a few platforms and lost support. It's not about steam vs epic, what we face is the decision of the developers who chose not to sell their games to our preferred platform.

Those games are free to play, not free. Also they were made to be free to play, designed around the concept. Giving away games that are not meant to be free and not designed around it isn't the same thing at all.