![]() ![]() ![]() Only a game's publisher or developer can generate Steam keys for their game-Valve doesn't sell them in bulk to anyone-so before they're sold on a retailer, someone had to get them directly from the game's creators. The gist: These stores sell game keys that you can activate on one of the distribution platforms above, often in bundles or at reduced prices. Key retailers: Humble, Fanatical, and more For interesting indie and experimental games, definitely bookmark itch.io, too. Most games can be found on one or more of these big three-Steam, GOG, and the Epic Store-unless they exist in a standalone launcher, like League of Legends, or are exclusive to a publisher store, like. GOG's new launcher, GOG Galaxy 2.0, is also a cool way to combine your game libraries. If you like the idea of DRM-free games, you might check to see if a game is on GOG before buying it on Steam or the Epic Store. When games are available on multiple stores, it's just about picking whichever you find most convenient. If you like your Steam friends list and the multiplayer integration it offers like we do, it's a great place to buy games-but not every game is on Steam. There are a lot of differences, but whether you choose Steam, GOG, Epic, or another store largely depends on what game you're looking to buy. What else is different between the stores? On Itch.io, developers can choose how much of a cut to give to the store, from 0% to 100%. The Epic Games Store offers an 88 percent cut for all games, and Epic has made quite a bit of noise about its belief that this is a fairer deal. Starting in late 2018, Steam offers a better 75 percent cut for games that bring in over $10 million, increasing it to 80 percent for games which have made over $50 million. Launchers like Origin are primarily built to serve one publisher's games, while Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store are built to support the whole industry.īoth Steam and GOG offer game publishers a 70 percent cut of on-platform sales. EA has Origin, Ubisoft has Uplay (though it also sells on Steam and the Epic Store), Activision Blizzard has, Bethesda has the Bethesda Launcher, and Microsoft has the Windows Store (but is selling more games on Steam these days). Publisher-specific launchers: Several game publishers also have platforms that are, for the most part, the only places to buy their games on PC. Other major distributors: GOG, which exclusively sells DRM-free games, and itch.io, which is focused on indie games and is the only one of these which allows game publishers set their own revenue sharing percentage. Itch.io is what happens when developers are given the freedom to create games they want to make without any oversight.Epic Games Store: Started as a launcher for Epic's Fortnite, then became a full store that has been nipping at Steam's leadership position with exclusivity deals. Sure, you may end up wading through a waist-deep sea of shovelware, but there are plenty of hidden gems to be found that defy expectations and provide never-before-seen experiences. There are thousands of games available on this alternative to Steam, many of which are totally free. Tired of the current state of the games industry? Are you seeking more innovative titles that break the rules, possibly because they don’t know the rules? Itch.io is all about indie titles. It’s a great, fast way to bolster your library. Just download them and keep them forever, even if you cancel your subscription. You can also access the Humble Trove, a collection of more than 90 DRM-free titles that are available to subscribers. If you’re looking for the traditional monthly Humble Bundle, that’s still available too: a pick-what-you-want system that costs anywhere from $15 to $20 per month. When you purchase a game, you typically receive a key for Steam, although there are some direct downloads. The Humble Store has frequent sales, so keep an eye out for potential savings. You can purchase any currently-available bundles (many of which include eBooks, royalty-free music for creators, and a variety of software), but you can also purchase individual games. However, there is a traditional storefront in the form of the Humble Store. Humble Bundles got their start as a pay-what-you-want system where the purchases went to charity and huge numbers of games could be had for pennies. The Humble Store is best known for the Humble Bundles, periodic collections of games that follow a set theme and are usually available at a steep discount. If you’re looking for classic games (and you care about DRM free titles), GOG.com is worth checking out. GOG also has frequent sales, many of which reach discounts up to 90% off. You can see any compatible Steam, Epic Games Store, and even Xbox and PlayStation games all in one place. ![]() GOG Galaxy 2.0, the platform’s management system, allows gamers to link their accounts from different platforms all to a single source. ![]()
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