A while back I asked “Good DRM, does it exist?“
I used Steam as a good example of how a DRM system can bring advantages to its customers and in a way steam does offer a lot.
My view on the system changed recently when I purchased GTA4 through Steam. There was no demo so I had to purchase in good faith based on the listed minimum specifications and my view that I believed my system met the listed specifications.
This turned out not to be the case. I raised a support ticket to ask about the possibility of a refund. A few days later I get a terse response on the lines of “No refunds, see agreement”. All my attempts to follow have been ignored and my tickets closed without response from a Steam representative.
This has left me $50 down with a game I can’t play or even sell to recover some cash. The last bit is a VARY bad part of steam and got me thinking above the negative side of steam. When you look you soon realise Steam as a concept is actually worse than SecuROM.
Here are the bad points with Steam:
- If Steam closes all your games die. Would this happen? It’s not the first DRM server to be closed.
- You can’t run a Steam protected game without the Steam client running.
- You need a connection to constantly authenticate games.
- You can’t sell games when you have finished with them as you never actually own them.
- They have the right to terminate your account which is actioned means you lose access to ALL your games.
At least with SecuROM you can sell games if you have not used all your installs. Also SecuROM can’t take away your Games collection. Look at the flac that system got when used on Spore.
Gabe Newell, Valve and Steam boss, said.. “Pirates are actually customers who aren’t being served.”
To my perspective I don’t call a stonewall silence service! Steam has joined Sony on my blacklist.
Think before you buy into Steam. Think above what it REALLY means, it is after all just another DRM!
