Hi everyone!

For my gaming needs, I have a Steam Deck and a Playstation 5 for now. They’ll probably be joined by a Steam Machine in the next year if the price is under 1000$ with 2 controllers.

For my admin needs, I have a few Linux computers running Fedora.

For my movie needs, I have an HTPC running LibreELEC.

Whenever possible, I’ll get my games on GOG from now on.

A lot of games aren’t on GOG though, so I have to choose between getting physical discs for my PS5 or through Steam.

For now, I can’t get demanding games on Steam since the Deck isn’t powerful enough, but with the arrival of the Machine, I’ll almost have power parity with the PS5.

I don’t plan on selling the PS5 as my son plays some Roblox, the NBA app works better on it than on my TV and I could want some games that Sony won’t release (anymore) on PC.

One day, once my switch to Linux gaming is over I might even give it to my son when hés gonna be old enough to game in his room.

So my question is should I buy physical games on Playstation, with the ability to resell them and get them on GOG one day for cheap, or should I get the games on Steam where they could just be taken away if Steam becomes evil?

Edit/conclusion:

In the end, if I get a Steam Machine, it’ll probably be:

  1. GOG when available
  2. Steam
  3. Playstation physical for their exclusives

Without the Steam Machine, it’ll be the same but I’ll have to take into account that some games are too demanding for the Deck, so it’ll be PS5 physical.

  • cecilkorik@piefed.caEnglish
    101·
    8 hours ago

    This is the way. I buy games primarily to support game developers, not because I don’t know how to pirate. GoG is generally preferred when possible, but I buy games on Steam primarily because of convenience and the other services they provide, not because I blindly trust those games will always be accessible, and I think for the services they provide they do deserve their cut, so I’m supporting them as well. I do also happen to trust them, and I believe those games will be available to me for the foreseeable future and if I didn’t, my buying strategy would shift quite promptly, but I’m not blindly trusting that, it’s a calculated risk.

    I absolutely do know how to pirate games. This is not my first rodeo. But it’s mildly inconvenient, especially for updates and sometimes multiplayer, and I trust that process even less than I trust Steam. If Steam were to take my games away that I’ve already paid for (and supported) you’d better believe most of them are going into the download queue. Some I might choose to support again on a different platform, some have certainly earned it. But I know what I’m doing, and I’m doing it with intention. I decide who deserves my money and who doesn’t, and so far, Steam has earned what they get from me.