February 10, 2023, 3:41 pm | Read time: 11 minutes
“FIFA,” “The Witcher,” “Counter-Strike,” “Fortnite,” “Dota”–video games are incredibly popular. Gaming platforms such as Steam, Epic, EA App, or Ubisoft Connect provide access to thousands of games.
The gaming industry is booming, and the COVID-19 pandemic has given it an additional boost. With the growing gaming market, the business for gaming platforms is also thriving, offering users a wide range of games from many development studios. TECHBOOK compares six major gaming platforms and their offerings. At the top, unchallenged for many years, is Steam, the platform from the American development studio Valve. But what other providers are there on the market, and is there a real alternative to Steam?
Overview
Steam (Valve)
The Steam platform was launched in 2003. Initially, it was solely about distributing the first-person shooter “Half-Life 2” from the development studio Valve. Since then, Valve’s games have been offered and updated exclusively on Steam. These include big names like the “Half-Life” series and the popular tactical shooter “Counter-Strike.” The concept proved successful, and since 2005, games from other studios have also been available on the Steam platform. Steam quickly became the market leader among gaming platforms and remains so today with over 30,000 games offered.
Users can purchase and download games on the platform. All purchased games are listed in a library that includes additional content such as achievements, comments from other players, and various community guides. On the Steam platform, you can not only play games but also connect with others in various groups, either publicly or privately, through a friends list and chat function.
As a Steam user, you create a publicly viewable profile where the community can see which games you play and what achievements you’ve earned. Through an internal points system, you can earn different ranks and badges over time, which you can display on your profile if you wish. There are badges for the number of games purchased, earned achievements, and participation in Steam events held multiple times a year. Steam users also benefit from constant game maintenance by developers; updates and patches are rolled out promptly via the gaming platform.
Learn how Steam works in the video:
How the Epic Games Store Platform Works
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How good are the alternatives to Steam?
For many players, Steam is a must-have due to its comprehensive offerings. However, there are also alternatives, usually provided by other major development studios like Ubisoft or Electronic Arts. But can these really replace or complement Steam effectively? TECHBOOK has taken a closer look at five other gaming platforms.
EA App (Electronic Arts)
The EA App belongs to the development studio Electronic Arts and is the direct successor to Origin. Thus, the app emerged from the EA Store and the EA Download Manager and is specifically designed for desktop users. From the start, the goal was clear: to be an EA-focused alternative to Steam. The company then withdrew many titles from Steam and offered them only on its own platform. The EA studio acquired the rights to the “Origin” brand in 1992; Origin System was then one of the world’s leading game developers with well-known titles like “Ultima,” “Wing Commander,” and “Crusader.”
In the EA App, which functions similarly to the Steam store, users can purchase all titles from the development studio. The selection is constantly supplemented with games from other developers, but it is still somewhat limited compared to the competition. Popular games like “Sims” are also available not only on the platform but also, for example, on Steam. To download purchased games, you need the corresponding client included in the app’s installation package. As with Steam, installation is free; players only pay for the content they select.
Overall, the use is very intuitive, and all games are easy to find; the selection can be well-filtered. For example, with its own “Battlefield” series, EA also has exclusive rights to a very large and popular game series not available on Steam. However, the overall selection is significantly limited, and compared to others, the player profile is less developed.
Game Subscription with EA Play
With EA Play, formerly “Origin Access,” you also have the option to subscribe for either 3.99 euros per month or 24.99 euros per year, granting access to selected titles (about 75) in the platform’s library for the subscription period. With an active subscription, there is also a 10 percent discount on all EA games. Since 2018, there has also been a premium subscription called EA Play Pro for about 100 euros per year or 14.99 euros per month, offering players additional special in-game rewards.
Read more: The craziest simulation games on Steam
Ubisoft Connect
The official launch date for Ubisoft Connect as a sales platform is July 2012. However, operator Ubisoft already started a network with the release of “Assassin’s Creed II” in 2009, allowing players to connect. At that time, the service was still called “Uplay,” which was replaced by Ubisoft Connect in 2020. This was primarily due to the great success of the first part of the series, released in 2007. The series is now one of the most successful in the world, was elaborately filmed (semi-successfully, but with prominent actors like Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons), and includes twelve games in the main series alone (as of February 2023). If it seems logical for any gaming franchise to create an alternative to Steam, it’s this one. Players can connect, communicate, and be rewarded with a unique currency for various in-game actions. These units can then be used to purchase rewards–now even across games.
In addition to the “Assassin’s Creed” series, Ubisoft now offers other in-house games on the platform. Prominent examples include the city-building strategy games “Anno,” the action-adventure game “Far Cry,” and “Prince of Persia.”
Game Subscription with Ubisoft+
Since 2019, Ubisoft+ offers a paid subscription for 14.99 per month, granting access to over 100 games. However, the offering exclusively includes Ubisoft games, and the entire platform software is tailored and optimized for in-house games. While some titles are also available on Steam, the customized reward system and specially unlockable extras make Ubisoft+ very attractive for fans of the games.
BattleNet (Blizzard)
BattleNet–or Battle.net–is the online gaming platform from Blizzard Entertainment. For players of all generations, this name likely rings a bell, as the development studio is responsible for the highly successful “Warcraft” series and, of course, the groundbreaking Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) “World of Warcraft.” Even if you haven’t roamed Azeroth yourself, you’ve likely heard of the game, which has been so successful since 2004 that it is still regularly updated with expansions. In addition to the massive franchise, heavyweights like “Diablo” and Activision’s “Call of Duty” are on BattleNet. And almost all of these games are only available online there. However, the offering is limited to these series, totaling about 20 games in the shop.
Fundamentally, the functions align with those of Steam. Players can create their own profiles, with the positive aspect being how individually all areas can be managed. The community can connect and coordinate well through the platform. Additionally, Blizzard is known for harshly punishing cheating on BattleNet during irregularly held “Judgement Days,” which is certainly a positive aspect for most players. The individual series are usually booked through monthly subscriptions; for “WoW Legion,” for example, it’s 12.99 euros per month–a steep but appropriate price for the series.
GOG (CD Projekt)
GOG stands for Good Old Games, belongs to the Polish developer CD Projekt Red, and was launched in 2008. As the name suggests, it primarily focuses on older computer games, making the platform the number one choice for retro games. Many of these are no longer available in retail. To play particularly old games, older operating systems may need to run on the respective computers. Since the release of Windows 8, at least newly added games have been adapted to this system. GOG is also a real alternative to Steam due to its DRM-free policy. You don’t need to be actively connected to the servers to play the content in single-player mode after installation. However, this also significantly limits piracy protection, leading some publishers not to offer their games on GOG.
As with Steam, additional, complementary products like soundtracks or matching desktop backgrounds are offered for most games, if available. The platform generally offers many international titles, although English versions predominate. Overall, GOG complements any gaming household with its comprehensive and unusual offering, which, despite its selectiveness, still includes over 3,000 titles.
Also interesting: So extensive
Epic Games Store (Epic Games)
The Epic Games Store launched on December 6, 2018. Compared to others, it is one of the younger alternatives to Steam and is still dealing with some teething problems. However, the offering from the “Fortnite” creators is quite impressive. It’s worth noting that Epic demands significantly lower percentages from the developers of games represented on the platform than market leader Steam. As a result, the number of games on Epic is growing rapidly, leading to various special promotions and discounts. To secure exclusive contracts, Epic offers a revenue guarantee, which is covered out of pocket if user numbers are not met.
Photo: TECHBOOK
What is celebrated on the developer side is criticized by many players. On the one hand, many who have already “stocked up” on several gaming platforms in previous years do not want another client software. On the other hand, the Epic Games Store lacks various additional features that the long-established Steam has integrated. The achievement system, for example, is still far from being as extensive and mature as the competition. VR and streaming support also leave much to be desired; improvements and expansions have already been announced. However, there is also a persistent rumor that Tencent, the company behind Epic Games, shares user data with the Chinese government.
Many Promotional Offers
Nevertheless, the platform is slowly but surely becoming a real alternative to Steam. The numerous exclusive deals make the offering particularly attractive to players. For more than a year, Epic has been giving away one to two games every week. These often include real blockbusters like “World War Z” and “Grand Theft Auto V.” Additionally, the in-house blockbuster “Fortnite” is, of course, only available in the Epic Games Store.
Conclusion on Steam Alternatives
In comparison, it has been shown that Steam is rightly the No. 1 gaming platform due to its extensive offerings and technically well-developed platform. Its dominance is not least due to the fact that it is a true pioneer that has significantly shaped the industry since its launch in 2003, following the motto: “First come, first served.” Nevertheless, there are now mature alternatives to the top dog Steam. Other major players like EA App (formerly Origin) and Ubisoft Connect offer great deals, especially on their own games. The–not unjustly known–exotic in the comparison round is GOG. The developers are rightly proud of their “handpicked offering,” which now includes not only older classics and indie games but also blockbusters of recent years like “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” or “Cyberpunk.”
Since 2018, the Epic Games Store has also been revitalizing the competition. The stated goal from the beginning was to challenge Steam’s dominance, and the gaming platform is doing well with numerous exclusive deals and special offers. The technical execution and community development still leave something to be desired, but players could benefit from the fresh breeze.
Platforms Becoming More Fragmented
Those who play a lot and especially play many different titles now find it difficult to get by with just one gaming platform. A Steam account covers a lot, but some major titles are available elsewhere at better conditions or are even restricted to other platforms.
Since distribution platforms are usually linked to a development studio, it is only logical that there are special conditions and extended support for their own games, just like with streaming services such as Disney+. For passionate players, this unfortunately means that they usually have to rely on two or more platforms to play everything, not least because major titles like “World of Warcraft” or the “Sims” series are offered exclusively through their own distribution channels (in this case, BattleNet and Ubisoft Connect).