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disolitude said:

Valve provides a gaming platform and an ecosystem, called Steam.

Microsoft provides a gaming platform and ecosystem, called Xbox.

They are open, or closed in exact same manner, its jsut that microsoft decided to create dedicated harware for their platform...Also they both have competitors in Origin and Playstation  

Microsoft does most likely charge higher licensing fees on the Xbox than Steam but there is very little difference between the two.


You can't directly compare a digital program (which is one of many free programs to download on an open platform) to a physical console (which is a closed console with 1 singular digital venue). They don't even have the same practices if you do try to compare them that way. 

Steam:

1) Open program. You can purchase games outside of Steam and activate them on Steam. Valve is not the only company who sells you games. There is... drumroll.... competition! Don't want to pay Valve's prices? Have a different dealer you want to buy through (such as Amazon)? Great, do so!

2) PC is an open platform. Steam is not the only digital service, has competition and doesn't hold an iron grip on sold products.

Xbone:

1) Closed system. Only one program to buy games through and only one vendor. Also on a closed platform with no other competitors selling digital content.