What's with that? I mean, what if I don't want a steam account with spam and all? Why do I need to sign up with my details on Steam just to play Skyrim? Can I cancel the Steam account and still play it?
It acts like a DRM. That's why they do this.
Because they say so.
That's seriously the only answer that matters.
No, it is a good answer. It's their product, and they can put any restrictions on it that they want. They feel that if you don't like it, don't buy it. It's the terms of the purchase.
Realistically, they use it for copy protection. Most other copy protection schemes don't work, but this one does. A ton of people gave the Bethesda games negative ratings on Amazon because of Steam, but I can live with it. Yeah, it sucks if you are away from an internet connection, but most of the time it doesn't bother me. Plus, they have killer sales. I picked up several games for 50% or more off during their holiday sales. And I have never had them spam me. As others have said, the only emails I get are purchase receipts.
What's with that? I mean, what if I don't want a steam account with spam and all? Why do I need to sign up with my details on Steam just to play Skyrim? Can I cancel the Steam account and still play it?
The important thing with DRM once you buy it, your name is stamped on it forever. There is no resale as you can with console titles. True you don't have the mod flexibility as you would playing the PC version, so there is a trade off. One of the few areas I'm happy with Microsoft, is how they handle 360 DRM (digital rights management).
But I can buy a 360 game, and when I sell it, the same PC version probably would have cost me less. EG: Buy a 360 game for $90, sell it for $40 if I'm lucky, probably even less. Or buy the PC version for $40-50. Win.
But I can buy a 360 game, and when I sell it, the same PC version probably would have cost me less. EG: Buy a 360 game for $90, sell it for $40 if I'm lucky, probably even less. Or buy the PC version for $40-50. Win.
No, it is a good answer. It's their product, and they can put any restrictions on it that they want. They feel that if you don't like it, don't buy it. It's the terms of the purchase.
Realistically, they use it for copy protection. Most other copy protection schemes don't work, but this one does. A ton of people gave the Bethesda games negative ratings on Amazon because of Steam, but I can live with it. Yeah, it sucks if you are away from an internet connection, but most of the time it doesn't bother me. Plus, they have killer sales. I picked up several games for 50% or more off during their holiday sales. And I have never had them spam me. As others have said, the only emails I get are purchase receipts.
$90 360 game what?
That's $90 Australian not US.
Plus, they have killer sales.
Those things are really not for users’ convenience. They want to kill the pirates, and collect the user information to expand their market.
Steam is a great service. I never receive spam from them.
You can go offline mode.
Boy, do they...
... I picked-up Arkham Ayslum for £3.50 well over a year ago, long before you could accuse them of doing it to promote Arkham City. Dead Space, £4.99, at around the same time. BioShock, £2.50. And their multipacks are genius: the Id Complete Pack (Commander Keen, Wolfenstein, Spear of Destiny, the first three Dooms, the first three Quakes, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, plus the crappy ones like Heretic and Hexen) cost me £39. Yeah, okay, so I'm not gonna play some of those games ever; but most of them, I have done.
I was resistant to Steam, at first. Didn't get an account until two years ago. Honestly, my friends; just give in.