And I can't tell that I'm online when I'm playing so it doesn't bother me.

I amazes me how some of you totally miss the point.

Gil.

Gil, you are not speaking to a bunch of uneducated schoolgirls. It's hard to miss your point, we've heard it plenty. I am quite well educated and bright, and I know for a fact so are the others that have responded here. Because you have made a personal decision to not use steam, I am not judging you, it's your decision and you are entitled to it. Do not however, imply that the rest of the world that uses Steam is not smart enough to understand it. We have made our decision to use it. Accept that.

Thank you, Ana. I am not an idiot and neither is anyone else here who chooses to use Steam.

traveler,

IF you may have been referring to my comment (since yours followed mine) I haven't missed your point either. I admit that I don't understand a lot of things but I do know that when I installed games from discs I always had to click "I agree" to whatever all the fine print was. To me, Steam is not much different than that. Knock on wood, I haven't had any problems with them yet. If I do, I may feel differently.

The conversation had taken a turn of events about being online and offline. My comment only addressed that.

Thanks.

Thanks for the clarification, Gil.

Two things.
1. Steam's automatic update can play havoc with those who have limited bandwidth, slow download time, and the files are large.
2. More and more, if you don't buy a new game on Steam, you can't buy it at all.

Gil.

Exactly why I turn automatic updates off. Nothing is more aggravating that wanting to play a game and needing a huge update. So I turn them off. When I want the update, I'll do it manually overnight.

1. I do the same thing Drac does and let it update when I go out so it's done when I get home.

2. This is only an issue for the few that refuse to use Steam. Reality is that Steam has a ton of users and the majority of the gaming population have no objection to using it. I'm not seeing a boycott that will end Steam anytime in the near future. Getting a game on Steam is a major accomplishment for developers. Not being able to get Greenlit is the reason some never finish a game or can't get a publisher. Many games we are looking forward to are coming into existence mainly because they were able to get a spot on Steam when its released so it's only logical that they get there first.

Ana

For better or worse, that would be 65,000,000 PC users at the end of October 2013. X-Box Live (a very similar service) had 48,000,000. Even assuming plenty of overlap by these users between the two services, that is pushing the 100,000,000 users of these types of gaming services.

With Steam offering their own gaming console using the Linux based SteamOS for your TV, I don't think they or X-Box Live are going away any time soon.

I think that speaks for itself. Thanks Drac.

It might be more accurate to say that more and more games are being released on Steam before they're (legally) released anywhere else. However most games eventually become available from other sources.

Still, any monopoly, or near monopoly, is a bad thing.
It's important that people be given choices in where to purchase.

"Still, any monopoly, or near monopoly, is a bad thing.
It's important that people be given choices in where to purchase."

I wholeheartedly agree

Me, too!