- cross-posted to:
- games@sh.itjust.works
- pcgaming@lemmy.ca
- cross-posted to:
- games@sh.itjust.works
- pcgaming@lemmy.ca
From the opinion piece:
Last year, I pointed out how many big publishers came crawlin’ back to Steam after trying their own things: EA, Activision, Microsoft. This year, for the first time ever, two Blizzard games released on Steam: Overwatch and Diablo 4.
Historically, it was possible to preserve games without pirating them, just like museums can legally preserve paintings and archeological artifacts (even if copyright applies).
I think it would be best if something similar was still possible for games / software, but, AFAIK this would require either physical copies (that could be preserved without making an unauthorized copy) or sufficiently permissive licenses.
To put it another way, we didn’t have to rely on pirates when physical copies existed. I mean, real physical copies that work without external services. There were still software pirates, but it wasn’t a requirement. Now it’s basically a requirement, because there’s nothing to preserve except bits that you’re not allowed to copy.
Also, copy protection is getting better, somewhat surprisingly. Last I looked, the number of games that can’t be pirated was getting longer and longer. If a game can’t be pirated, and we’re relying on pirates for preservation, then it can’t be preserved, and that seems like a problem. At least, from a preservation standpoint. There used to be a subreddit that kept track of uncracked PC games, and it’s actually quite long!
Ok, but thats still also not about steam. Steam is a store, but they dont make much product. Game devs do that.
Game devs are the ones no longer making physical copies of their games. We should be pushing for the producers of games to be offering these.
As I said, it’s a problem with digital distribution generally. It’s killed physical copies. Even physical copies of PC games that do still exist are mostly just Steam or EGS installers and a CD key.
More specifically it’s a problem with the way digital distribution is commonly handled. In theory, there could be no launcher requirement and consumers could be given the ability to transfer licenses and archive software. This would allow digital preservation to be handled mostly the same as physical was, and the games could be freely (and legally) passed down through the generations, and the games would work even if the original launcher shut down. I’m not aware of any distribution platform that offers those terms, though.