Post #1015280

2026-04-02 02:57 UTC

People constantly dooming steam are punching themselves in the face instead of pushing for anything better. If they wanted a more competitive market do two things. Buy games on other storefronts. They exist. There have been digital storefronts since before Steam. Second is direct your complaining to competitors to improve their services. Like go complain on every EGS press release for Linux support and a gamepad friendly interface. Something equivalent to Steam input and remote play that isn’t using third party software like Sunshine/Moonlight. Something like steam curators and other social features. User reviews. The complainers of Steam are pretty much campaigning for Steam to be worse so others can compete without having to improve as much

Replies (2)

@UPGRAYEDD@lemmy.world 2026-04-02 07:10

Digital markets are naturally monopolistic. If there are no other barriers in a market, a single solution will rise to the top. Once it has gained enough market share, the “network effect” and incumbancy are often enough to keep it in power, even if the product degrades. Leaving steam is difficult, even when a better solution exists ( like gog) due to separated game libraries and friend groups. See the following examples: Amazon, facebook, youtube, google, instagram, X Amazon has many examples of enshitification. Higher prices, worse search, paid promotion of products etc. Facebook adds, social experimentation and propaganda machine. Youtube removes the dislike button, more advertisements and recommendation algorithm pushing conspiracy theories. Hell. Here we are, a small group of people who left reddit because of their anti consumer policies. But lemmy is still no competition, and getting smaller by the day. Markets are not the solution to monopoly, they are the creator. Its the natural end state of competition.

Open ##1026252
@Electricd@lemmybefree.net 2026-04-02 08:12

If Steam is accused of abusing their position, then it’s not the same, like them being accused of enforcing price parity, while they take a higher cut than EGS, so that those same games, sold on EGS, can’t be sold for cheaper

Open ##1027598