By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
thranx on 07 June 2013
Edit Thread
Mummelmann said:
disolitude said:
Both services require internet to activate and are very similar apart from these things:

- Steam does not need a check in every 24 hours. Once you install a game fully, you can play it offline. Unless you start a game update and don't finish it...in which case you can't play that game at all till you finish the update.

- Steam does not allow for game sharing with family, giving to "a friend" or re-selling (digital or retail). Whatever you buy, is tied to your Steam account forever and ever. Xbox One supposedly does allow for this.


The bottom one is not true, Steam allows you to purchase gifts and even "4 packs" at a large discount to share with friends. On the One, your game is tied to your Live account in the same way that a Steam title you purchase for yourself, so they're both for sharing with the family in a restricted manner. The One prohibits giving games to a friend and allows a resale only through Azure.

Other differences;

As mentioned, Steam has an offline mode and your games still function even without a connection, this is handy in cases like when I recently went without internet for 17 days.

Steam is cheap, consumer friendly and, just as importantly; developer friendly.

Steam works on all kinds of hardware and is even available on Mac (even though Mac is crap to game on).

Steam is free, there's no subscription fee to access the full service nor does it cost money to play online (with extremely few exceptions).

Valve are the masters of the universe. That is all.

it is true. when you buy a four pack or gift, you are still purchasing every copy. You just aren't using them yourselves. the xbox one allows you to buy one digital version, and allows up to ten family members to play it, as well as your self, and also allows you to sell your game once you have played it, or to give it away to a friend (once), so in that regards it does best steam. I agree with the rest of what you said. Except maybe vavle are the masters of the universe, if MS does this right and has good deals and sales, steam could take a big hit. I also wonder how the news of the xbox one will effect the steam box.