So I was at scout camp when the PS2 launched and some of us had our drivers licenses and a car. Steve wanted to go to the mall that was 30 min away and get a PS2. Steve asked a guy Nick to drive him, and Nick’s condition was that Steve had to buy him a lobster. So long story short some where there are photos of a lobster being put on people’s faces and we had lobster at 2 am at scout camp.

I spent 2 years doing casino revenue audits. The amount of money the high rollers would loose in one night was disgusting, we are talking 7 figures.

What blows my mind the most is how the math works out in the long run. A $1 slot machine could have a $100,000 prize but you would have to play it 200,000 time to hit the jack pot. You don’t play against the house, you just give them your money.

I’m not advocating that we stop buying games. Life is to short, do the things you love and enjoy. It’s you last sentence that is the key part, “should be illegal”. That is what we need to focus on. DRM and platform lockin should be illegal. Now let’s make that happen.

It’s important to know who the bad guys are and what are the tools they use. We (gamers) should be focusing on the DMCA and publishers that use DRM. DRM providers are a simptom of laws that allow people to be screwed, not the problem it’s self.

That’s only true if the publisher chooses to use DRM.

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam

You can publish on Steam without DRM. I don’t really know what point you are trying to make.

I also feel a need to point out payment systems are not complicated. You can build your own payment and distribution for your game, or you could pay a 30% commission for someone to do it for you.

Steam is not the problem when it comes to DRM. Steam offers a service, it’s the publishers who choose to use the always-on DRM.

You are not required by Steam to use their DRM, it’s a service they offer. Publishers make the choice to use the DRM.

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/The_big_list_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam

Culprit in what way? It’s the developers and publishers that put the DRM on the games, not Steam.

I don’t think they, there is nothing stoping anyone from selling their game through another means. It’s possible to build your own website, take credit card payment, and distribute a game that way. People don’t do that because it whole lot of extra work and it’s easier to pay some 30% commission to sell it for you.

This is not just a Steam issue, I have games I bought and will never be able to play because of DRM. Until laws change, this won’t change.

That’s not an issue with Steam that is an issue with consumer protection and copy right laws.

You lost 60% when selling physical media in stores, 30% was an amazing deal when steam launched