Let`s go back to 2003 for a second. Valve announces that they are going to release their much anticipated Half Life 2 game on a new distribution channel that they created called Steam. It took many off guard, people were telling each other 'what the hell is that for ' , anyway at least the name was matching ; Steam = Valve, allright.
After a while, Valve released the famous Orange Box - a 3 in 1 package - . Team Fortress 2 that was in the package was a solid game. But other than being solid, it had a catalyzer effect at the time that we were not aware of. To play TF2 online, we had to sign in on our Steam accounts and try to get some friends on our profile, get active in the community. It helped Valve tremendously to increase the number of active Steam users.
Then, Valve started to get the digital distribution rights of many games. At first, they had a few number of titles and studios that they distributed digitally, but now in 2011 they almost have 90 % of the market.
With the rise of the Steam, many questioned if it was necessary or a good thing to buy the game digitally other than buying it physically where you would have the game manual and the actual CD that you can touch, feel and put it in your library. I was one of them who opposed to digital distribution in the past. I still prefer to buy a product physically but what Steam offered and still offers were too good to refuse.
1- In most of the cases , Steam products are cheaper. At first, I ignored that fact as I tended to pay 3,5 $ extra and own the game physically. Then I switched to steam for reason 2 and reason 3
2- Amazing promotions and price reductions especially on the weekends and special days. Let`s think of an example : The game that I was thinking about buying, but not sure of , was reduced to 20 $ instead of 49 with another crazy Steam discount. It`s still 49 $ out there if I like to buy it physically. So it`s good to refuse and the example that I mentioned happens quite often. It`s a bargain !
3- Able to pre-load the game before it`s been released hence you are able to play it the minute that it`s been released. You don`t have to wait for shipping or go out there to the store and pick it up from the shelf - without knowing when it`s actually going to be on the shelf -
4- I can bring my games library to anywhere that have an internet access. It`s a huge benefit of Steam. Imagine, you have 100 games in steam library and instead of having those on steam, having them physically and carrying them with you with a few backpacks ! Since, Steam is quite secured, your games are safe and you won`t have any risk of losing the game whereas in real life you may lose it if you own it physically.
5- Maybe it`s not big thing but I love the way Steam has it`s own achievements and keeps track of your stats - how often did you play a game and when -. Moreover, the community - groups, friends - is a great way to share information and have fun together through online competition. Also, we shall not forget about Steam cloud and steam screenshot feature that is the latest introduction.
Digital Distribution has passed the retail distribution in 2009. And the margin is increasing with Steam sitting on the boss chair with a dominant power and ever-improving services. Congratulations to Valve for the great service.
Wonder's role as Persona 5: The Phantom X's protagonist has thrust him into the spotlight, and there are clear parallels to the original's hero Joker.
The Xbox version of Final Fantasy XVI has failed to enter the platform's top 20 paid games list, indicating weak launch sales performance.
Day One Release vs One year later release with zero marketing to build excitement/hype.
Both Xbox and SE should know better.
Also fewer than half the consoles sold compared to the PS5 so much smaller customer base.
I get that the game was older.
But so were Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon when they came to playstation and those made it into the top download lists for awhile. So the coming a year later excuse doesn't really fly anymore.
look at stellar blade on PC. over a year later and it's already sold over a million copies. this has nothing to do with marketing or hype. the xbox audience, broadly speaking, just doesn't purchase games.
If it ain't on gamepass, they ain't interested.
Great job MS for training most of your player base to not want to actually buy games, maybe SE will realise releasing FF on xbox isn't somehow going to help them match their exaggerated sales targets. Hopefully remake fairs better, probably will on Switch 2 at least.
No game, especially a AAA one, deserves strong sales after taking years to arrive on a platform and still asking the same price as everywhere else. You can’t just ignore a platform for that long and then expect people to be excited by the release. That cycle came and went already, there is no hype for it anymore.
Either you're all in from the start or you're not. This lazy, bare-minimum approach of tossing out a late port and calling it a day shouldn't be rewarded. If you're not willing to respect the platform, don't bother showing up at all.
But the formerly exclusive Xbox games like Forza Horizon enjoyed great sales on PS even after years past their initial release.
Your references to deserving and "shouldn't be rewarded" implies that gamers are buying games based on some moral platitude that simply doesn't exist in practice.
Gamers buy games because they want to play them.
Nah, it implies how it should be. If gamers weren't the dumbass consumer class around, being played like freaking dumbass because they can't get over the hype for a freaking second and think if that purchase even make sense.
This is EXACTLY why they wouldn't and shouldn't bother im the first place. I can't remember which FF game launched on Xbox with the Switch and Playstation version and ONLY did 4% sales on Xbox. So lets not pretend these sales would have been better because if you believe that you are absolutely delusional
"Either you're all in from the start or you're not. This lazy, bare-minimum approach of tossing out a late port and calling it a day shouldn't be rewarded. If you're not willing to respect the platform, don't bother showing up at all."
Weird. How come you don't say the same about Xbox studio games that show up some YEARS/DECADES later as well?
Sea of Thieves
Grounded
Forza Horizon 5
Pentiment
Hi Fi Rush
Gears of War
Mostly at full price and selling well. Oh right doesn't fit your BS narrative
Survival Kids tries and fails to rekindle an old Konami franchise by bringing it to the Switch 2, but ends up leaving it stranded and to fend for its own.
"After a while, Valve released the famous Orange Box - a 3 in 1 package."
Actually, there are 5 games inside The Orange Box.
Steam is an amazing service; the prices are fantastic and it has a large, solid community. Also, as you pointed out, pre-loading games is an amazing feature.
I don't know; there's just so much to love about Steam, right down to Valve themselves.
i don't have a proper pc for gaming, but when i get one my steam account is ready to go.
I recently bought Star Trek Online through steam :) Cheap, cheaper than ordering the game physically. And that is how it should be. Digital copies should always be cheaper!
As soon as I get a proper job i'm gonna start buying from steam
If I didn't get staff discount I would so buy from steam and only steam.