It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussion (archive)Just when you thought Valve couldn't sink any lower...(120 posts)(120 posts)
(120 posts)
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
This is my favourite topic
Posted December 19, 2014
Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market. Amongst the video game industry, probably no company has done as much damage as Valve has, practically killing off PC gaming and relegating it to something that people can only find downloads of, offering no proper tech support for the games they host, and constantly churning out cheap Doom clone after cheap Doom clone... And a rehash of a WarCraft III mod.

But today, they've hit a new low; so fearful are they of free market competition that they no longer will allow cross region trading for new purchases. Their greed has reached the point that- even within their own barbed-wire fence- they will no longer allow people from different regions to gift games to each other. If you're a fan of Steam, you're encouraged to hate anyone that's from another country, as you are no longer allowed to trade with them, as though your countries were at war and had embargoes against one another.

Source: http://www.steamgifts.com/forum/iuG5O/all-games-are-now-region-locked/page/1
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market. Amongst the video game industry, probably no company has done as much damage as Valve has, practically killing off PC gaming and relegating it to something that people can only find downloads of, offering no proper tech support for the games they host, and constantly churning out cheap Doom clone after cheap Doom clone... And a rehash of a WarCraft III mod.

But today, they've hit a new low; so fearful are they of free market competition that they no longer will allow cross region trading for new purchases. Their greed has reached the point that- even within their own barbed-wire fence- they will no longer allow people from different regions to gift games to each other. If you're a fan of Steam, you're encouraged to hate anyone that's from another country, as you are no longer allowed to trade with them, as though your countries were at war and had embargoes against one another.

Source: http://www.steamgifts.com/forum/iuG5O/all-games-are-now-region-locked/page/1
You have been ninja'd by me:

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/steam_region_locks_game_gifting_in_russia_asia_and_south_america
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market. Amongst the video game industry, probably no company has done as much damage as Valve has, practically killing off PC gaming and relegating it to something that people can only find downloads of, offering no proper tech support for the games they host, and constantly churning out cheap Doom clone after cheap Doom clone... And a rehash of a WarCraft III mod.

But today, they've hit a new low; so fearful are they of free market competition that they no longer will allow cross region trading for new purchases. Their greed has reached the point that- even within their own barbed-wire fence- they will no longer allow people from different regions to gift games to each other. If you're a fan of Steam, you're encouraged to hate anyone that's from another country, as you are no longer allowed to trade with them, as though your countries were at war and had embargoes against one another.

Source: http://www.steamgifts.com/forum/iuG5O/all-games-are-now-region-locked/page/1
avatar
Elmofongo: You have been ninja'd by me:

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/steam_region_locks_game_gifting_in_russia_asia_and_south_america
Ah, I had searched for "Steam", but couldn't find any other topics on the matter.

Though I should note that it's now ALL regions, not just a few.
Posted December 19, 2014
Apart from the fact that I was planning of doing some giveaways here, this is good for me. If that's what it takes to maintain the lower prices here on Brazil, so be it.
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market. Amongst the video game industry, probably no company has done as much damage as Valve has, practically killing off PC gaming and relegating it to something that people can only find downloads of, offering no proper tech support for the games they host, and constantly churning out cheap Doom clone after cheap Doom clone... And a rehash of a WarCraft III mod.
heh.
I understand what you wanted to say, but the way wrote, sounded really childish. (sorry)
Posted December 19, 2014
Time to buy from Nuuvem and other similar sites directly (well ok via vpn or proxy). Scumbag Steam - defenders of the faith will chime in and defend this of course...
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market.
Personly, I think digital distribution has always been about inventory reduction. Anything else is just a side benefit.
Posted December 19, 2014
Why would anyone think Valve couldn't sink any lower??

They have the 'power' to sink far far lower if they so choose and no one could stop them.

Edit: just because absolute power corrupts absolutely, doesn't mean you have to do it all in one go, no, the smart way is to do it bit by bit over a long period of time.
Post edited December 19, 2014 by mystikmind2000
Posted December 19, 2014
Makes sense. Market value of X is not equal in all markets.
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
mystikmind2000: Why would anyone think Valve couldn't sink any lower??

They have the 'power' to sink far far lower if they so choose and no one could stop them.

Edit: just because absolute power corrupts absolutely, doesn't mean you have to do it all in one go, no, the smart way is to do it bit by bit over a long period of time.
Hmmm sounds like the Federal Government.
Posted December 19, 2014
high rated
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Their greed has reached the point that- even within their own barbed-wire fence- they will no longer allow people from different regions to gift games to each other. If you're a fan of Steam, you're encouraged to hate anyone that's from another country, as you are no longer allowed to trade with them, as though your countries were at war and had embargoes against one another.
To be honest, this has more to do with the average Steam users' greed than Steam's own greed.

I know for a fact that a huge portion of their customers only buy games - or used to - from Russian /Brazlian/ whatever-country-has-the-lowest-prices traders in exchange for Team Fortress 2 / Dota 2 / Counter Strike : Global Offensive Treasure keys which are used as currency for trading in a way that both parties make a profit. People were just asking for it all along and personally I couldn't care less.
Post edited December 19, 2014 by Pardinuz
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: so fearful are they of free market competition that they no longer will allow cross region trading for new purchases.
Yes.

Because that's why this would have gone into effect. Clearly, you are an economist. Your incisive observations allow naught else.

[url= This is going to be hard for you to take, but you might want to look up some of the different national laws in place regarding sales of digital goods. Also, maybe look up the word "arbitrage" and see where that rabbit hole takes you. Seriously; Valve hating has a spot by the fire here, but there's no reason to be dumb about it. ][/url]
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
Pardinuz: I know for a fact that a huge portion of their customers only buy games - or used to - from Russian /Brazlian/ whatever-country-has-the-lowest-prices traders
Just the bad traders. They do represent quite a bit of the Steam population though. Sad how uncreative so many people are.
Posted December 19, 2014
Ehh, sooner or later they will just start flat out renting games.

Honestly kinda surprised that they haven't come out with a Steam entrenched version of On-Live, but maybe getting that part to work right is what has put the Steam Box / Steam OS back into stealth mode.
Posted December 19, 2014
avatar
MarioFanaticXV: Digital distribution has always been a way to attempt to impose an artificial monopoly- an attack on property rights and the secondhand market. Amongst the video game industry, probably no company has done as much damage as Valve has, practically killing off PC gaming and relegating it to something that people can only find downloads of, offering no proper tech support for the games they host, and constantly churning out cheap Doom clone after cheap Doom clone... And a rehash of a WarCraft III mod
Yeah. The fact that big publishers happened to notice PC market and general PC sales rised with the way Steam popularized digital market is a total and complete correlation, definitely not related in any way. Steam has set the bar - and I firmly believe GOG would not be what it is today without the existence of Steam. Oh my, blinded by hate.

avatar
Sogi-Ya: Ehh, sooner or later they will just start flat out renting games
They aren't already?
Post edited December 19, 2014 by Fenixp
Posted December 19, 2014
Not too surprising a move to be honest. There's a reason GOG asks not to exploit the situation in their upcoming Eula changes, and why they've already said that they'd probably take steps if it turns out a lot of a games sales are coming from RU bought games that end up being gifted to non-RU people.

The only difference there is that Steam has already seen the full brunt of what regional pricing + traders can do. On GOG it's in it's infancy, but the problem remains the same.

Honestly though, given how GOG works I'm actually not sure they could prevent it from happening, other than maybe disable accounts that do it a lot but that's an after the fact thing and doesn't really prevent it from being done. In the future that might become a serious problem, particularly if devs don't enjoy seeing a (suspiciously) large percentage of sales for Russian prices.
Post edited December 19, 2014 by Pheace
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Just when you thought Valve couldn't sink any lower...(120 posts)(120 posts)
(120 posts)