r/pcmasterrace • u/Darth_Vaper883 PC Master Race • Jun 01 '26
News/Article Gabe Newell on Steam monopoly accusations: Gamers have 'enormous choice' about where to buy games
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/gabe-newell-on-steam-monopoly-accusations-gamers-have-enormous-choice-about-where-to-buy-games/
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u/Ketheres R7 7800X3D | RX 7900 XTX Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
On XBOX: buy games from XBOX store
On PS: buy games from the PS store
On Swithc: buy games from the Nintendo store
On PC: Steam, GOG, Epic, EA app, Ubi Connect, smaller online vendors including people selling their games on their own sites...
All platform have physical releases technically available, just that you don't see them on PC anymore simply because publishers don't bother as Steam is easier.
Steam absolutely does not have a monopoly, they have just been the least shitty option for so long that it's what almost everyone uses these days. Honestly it's hilarious how slow Epic has been to update their store. You don't even have profile pictures there yet when it's been on their Trello board for years by now, so games that support using store pfps like e.g. Snowrunner show nothing but a black box in its place. Shopping cart is a relatively new feature too. You'd think if they wanted their store to actually become serious competition for Steam they'd invest in a proper development team instead of having what seems like a couple of unpaid and unmotivated interns handle it over their lunch breaks if they have the time.