this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2025
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Steam is still basically the only option AND they are actually helping Linux a lot with game compatibility. Altough, if I need games specifically on steam I'll be buying the key from Greenmangaming (UK) or GamersGate (Sweden). If anybody has more alternatives feel free to let me know so I can add them to my list.
GOG sadly misses a majority of games atm so I just can't replace steam with it yet.
isthereanydeal.com
No grey market key sellers, only legit.
Third party key market places are kinda iffy, and there have been numerous cases of the keys being offered on there having been bought with stolen credit cards, or otherwise generated in ways that aren't quite above board.
I remember one interview with an indy dev in which they said they prefer people pirating, because chargebacks from stolen cards are actively costing them money.
For people who feel they need the entertainment games provide, but can't afford current prices, I feel pirating games from conglomerates, and buying from smaller studios and indies is the most socially responsible way to do it, but I'm not your mum.
Edit: Huh, looks like greenmangaming gets their keys directly from the publishers. Didn't know that was a thing. Guess I was a bit quick on the trigger there, should have checked first. Sorry about that.
G2A is probably the big example of Devs prefering you pirate instead of buying.
Only use G2A if you actively wish harm on the company making the game.
Don't use G2A even if you wish harm on the company making the game, it's still supporting scammers and thieves, just pirate the game.
See you already found the reason it is ok, but yeah what you are saying is completely right when talking about sites like G2A, Kinguin, etc where YOU can sell your keys as that opens the gates for illegal stuff
Hence I mentioned legit resellers (from the EU) that do support the publishers.
I’m quite fond of Fanatical. They are based in the UK and also sometimes sell DRM free books/audiobooks
Ohh I've actually been on their website sometime. Good to know they're UK based thanks!
Update:
What’s that?
My purchase on fanatical
The name GamersGate sounds like it didn't any issues at all /s
Yeahhh I don't know who thought that was a good name hahaha
Huge plus that they aren't publicly traded and forced to chase profits above all. Plus their employees are far and wide the best paid in the industry, and they never do mass lay offs.
This is a somewhat naive view when you consider Gabe’s multiple super-yachts.
The guy could be more charitable, but aside from that, what do you want him to do? If he lowers the cost of steams cut per purchase he'll get in trouble for monopolizing the industry. Yeah, he's too rich, but he got there without exploiting or hurting anyone. Even after he passes away, the company is already employee owned.
You’re missing the part where they make the vast majority of their money from the gambling, not from the cut they take from sales. They don’t have to run the gambling service. But they do because it’s a money faucet.
Two things: First, they very likely don't make most of their money off of their loot box sales from the few games they own that have them. (CS, Dota 2, TF2).
Secondly, you're just full of shit and making up that "fact". As a private company, none of their stuff is completely public record, but using various trackers and estimates and sales numbers from game studios, Steam sells north of 700,000,000 games a year and makes a $billion or so from cs and tf2 stuff.
Since the average game sale amount is around $15; $15 X 700,000,000 = 10,500,000,000 ÷ valves cut of 30% = $3,150,000,000
Now not all studios pay that 30%. Some have lower deals based on volume and notoriety, but it's still safe to assume that their game sales make over two billion a year. AKA well over their loot box money.
I like how when valve does it, it's 'gambling,' but every other company out there it's just 'microtransactions' and 'monetization.'
Valve somehow gets 99% of the hate online for lootboxes, despite having one of the most transparent and fair implementations of them.
Like, have you people never seen a gacha? Half of them don't even fucking publish the rates for what you can get, and make far more money than Valve does.
Wait what exactly is the purpose of buying a steam key from a third party? And how is that profitable and not tos breaking?
Good question! Real resellers (so NOT g2a, etc) get their keys from publishers directly (so they pay for them). The publishers get these keys from steam for free and by buying them from a reseller steam takes 0% of the money. So by using an EU reseller more money stays here.
Keys can be cheaper when there isn't any ongoing steam sales. Some website are shady and should be avoided but some are 100% legit. Any reseller listed on isthereanydeal is safe to use, they get their keys directly from publishers.
You are still fucked then if Steam decides to take out a game you purchased. Again the whole "you're not buying a product but a license for the product" debacle. Other than not giving Steam any money, this doesn't change much? Could just pirate games instead.
I never said I cared about that in the first place. But even after games are removed from Steam they still allow you to download it whenever. Its only really an issue should Gabe choose a replacement for him that isn't as pro gamers as he is.
This community is about buying european, not complaining about having DRM.
When cornered people finally admit that steam is a small monopoly
Yeah, no other company gives a fuck about linux gaming so... I guess.
You don't really have to rely on any company to play your games
Steam isn't a monopoly, there are other choices but they just suck. Epic games in terms of game availability already replaces a good 80% of my active library, itch, ubisoft, ea, etc also exist but are just so bad as well.
Steam is basically the only option... That cares about gamers and actually provides a good service.