Depends on the strategy. If your goal is to buy consumers for a long term win then that could be considered an investment, e.g. MS's strategy into the Xbox.
If on you one the other hand only buy consumers by offering them free stuff with precisely zero compelling features of your own as soon as they've consumed the free stuff they will disappear again. All of their perceived benefits have amounted to nothing. - Those lower store fees that would pass on savings to consumers were never passed on. Games cost jus
Why does the downloader/launcher need to integrate a review system and user forum? I would rather it not have those things. I want a lightweight version of Steam that does not have chat, user profiles, a points system for buying emojis and trading cards, an embedded web browser. The worst part of Steam is the launcher UI: my operating system already has a system for organizing applications and running them. I don't need another one.
Steam is a great system for purchasing, downloading, and updating applications. Nothing beats it. It destroys Microsoft's bug-ridden store. But don't keep adding to a project that is already feature complete, else we get Firefox syndrome: bloated features that are added, then removed, then broken, then re-added in a different form, them removed again -- that nobody every wanted anyway. The user base eventually just wants the product they had a few years ago. I fear Steam is going that way. But it is not possible to switch from Steam to another application like one can do with a browser. We are locked-in.
Why does the downloader/launcher need to integrate a review system and user forum?
Then don't use them. It's not like Steam actively uses any resources for those features on account of it being effectively a web front end for them. There's literally no downside to you for the extra features existing. And despite having none of those features Epic somehow manages to consume significantly more RAM and an actual order of magnitude more CPU time.
Given how people are getting active tech support for games they bought on Epic on the Steam forums I'd argue that while you may not appreciate or nee
"Time is money and money can't buy you love and I love your outfit"
- T.H.U.N.D.E.R. #1
Losing or investing? (Score:2)
When you spend a few billion to buy a company it's investing. But when you spend a few million in buying customers it's losing.
Re: (Score:5, Interesting)
Depends on the strategy. If your goal is to buy consumers for a long term win then that could be considered an investment, e.g. MS's strategy into the Xbox.
If on you one the other hand only buy consumers by offering them free stuff with precisely zero compelling features of your own as soon as they've consumed the free stuff they will disappear again. All of their perceived benefits have amounted to nothing.
- Those lower store fees that would pass on savings to consumers were never passed on. Games cost jus
Re:Losing or investing? (Score:2)
features such as a review system or a user forum.
Why does the downloader/launcher need to integrate a review system and user forum? I would rather it not have those things. I want a lightweight version of Steam that does not have chat, user profiles, a points system for buying emojis and trading cards, an embedded web browser. The worst part of Steam is the launcher UI: my operating system already has a system for organizing applications and running them. I don't need another one.
Steam is a great system for purchasing, downloading, and updating applications. Nothing beats it. It destroys Microsoft's bug-ridden store. But don't keep adding to a project that is already feature complete, else we get Firefox syndrome: bloated features that are added, then removed, then broken, then re-added in a different form, them removed again -- that nobody every wanted anyway. The user base eventually just wants the product they had a few years ago. I fear Steam is going that way. But it is not possible to switch from Steam to another application like one can do with a browser. We are locked-in.
Re: (Score:2)
Why does the downloader/launcher need to integrate a review system and user forum?
Then don't use them. It's not like Steam actively uses any resources for those features on account of it being effectively a web front end for them. There's literally no downside to you for the extra features existing. And despite having none of those features Epic somehow manages to consume significantly more RAM and an actual order of magnitude more CPU time.
Given how people are getting active tech support for games they bought on Epic on the Steam forums I'd argue that while you may not appreciate or nee