Some UK retailers claim that Steam’s online conquering is killing the PC competition, saying that Steam’s integration into major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops phases out other distributors online. They also go on to say that Steam encourages consumers to buy through Valve instead of going to stores. A handful of these same UK retailers also threaten to stop selling games that use Steam, demanding that the PC publishers sell Steam-free editions of their games.
Numbers reported suggest that Steam holds about 80% of the download sector online, and there is great concern among some that the success of the service could lead to some sort of “monopoly” of epic proportions.
Steam offers a way to have your favorite PC titles all at your fingertips, and sometimes offers some great deals. Do you think that Steam should take a step back, or do you believe that the publisher is doing what it should?