I think it's time for a game manager manager...

[Deleted]

I don't mind that I need to have an account with a service to manage my games. In fact, I think it's preferred to the old system of completely loose games, because the service means you can no longer lose your games or accidentally break them, and it's easier to get a new system up and running.

however, In my opinion (and I think many wil agree with me on this), We have so many different clients and services at this point that it's getting REALLY complicated. for example: these are the clients I currently have with games on them (only counting actual games, not casual stuff like Grepolis).

1) Steam
2) GoG
3) GMG
4) Uplay
5) Origin (although only for ME)
6) games for Windows Live
7) Beamdog (for Baldur's Gate EE)
[noparse]8)[noparse] Turbine (DDO and LotRO)
9) Maniaplanet (for mania games)
10) Battle.Net

Again, I don't mind having to use a few clients. I just have concerns about the logistical nightmare which is managing 10 different accounts, many of which have only 2 or 3 games on them. My Steam account has 59 games on there. meanwhile, my GMG library is empty since all their games activate on Steam, my GoG library is 12 games, my Uplay library is 6 games (AC2-AC3 and FC3 + BD), and the status for most other clients is just as sad as my Uplay library.

the biggest issue is that it seems like every publisher decided Steam was not good enough for them. at least 3 of those clients (Uplay, Origin, GFWL) are from publishers who release or used to release their games on Steam as well. For example, If you buy Arkham City on Steam, you still need GFWL to play it. I think Uplay Games are quite similar. and Origin has completely shut off from STEAM because of a money disagreement and is only left standing because Battlefield 3 (and ME3 to some respect) required it.

I don't see this fixed anytime soon either, not with current laws against economical monopolies. We already saw with the Antitrust suits for Windows that governments like the EU don't like end users being pushed to a certain product. and I don't want to return to the classic style of accountless gaming either.

I doubt anyone will develop a cross-platform client either, due to numerous copyright and security issues. but I think this would be the best solution. I know, yet another client, but this one would not have any games itself, but instead compile a list of games you have on all accessible clients, allow you to install any game you already have and launch it if it's installed. but that's just a really wild dream.

[Pony Soldier]

Having to rely on an online service in order to play your games is never a good thing (at least for me) even if it is Steam. If your games get broken or they don't work anymore because they're all scratched up that's your problem, it just means you're not a very responsible person. I'm not talking about you though but in general because I see people say stuff like "well with downloaded games at least you don't have to worry about the disc not working or breaking it" and stuff like that and it's just like if you somehow manage to break a disc you either must be suffering from game rage or you're just a moron who can't take responsibility for your own things. The ONLY reason I even have Steam is to talk to my one friend and play Team Fortress 2 with him who wanted me to get Steam in the first place, I have no plans on actually using it. Yeah sure Steam may be more convenient and have cheap prices for games but I feel more secure when I have the game in my hands. That way I know nothing will happen to it and I will always be able to play it whenever I want even when my internet is down. Plus it becomes a collectors item and I'm big on collecting video game related stuff (plush toys, figures, statues, etc.)

When I buy my games they're in physical form and they are on a shelf where I can easily grab them and put them in my console. I don't have to worry about managing any online accounts that deal with games. I probably went off topic a bit but that's my two cents.

[draykorinee]

As nice as it would be, like you say, just wont happen, I am really getting lost with the number of accounts/passwords I need nowadays Im really looking forward to some kind of iris detection or face recognition to log in.

[Afrospinach]

however, In my opinion (and I think many wil agree with me on this), We have so many different clients and services at this point that it's getting REALLY complicated. for example: these are the clients I currently have with games on them (only counting actual games, not casual stuff like Grepolis).

I agree this bloat is a looming problem. Everyone wants their own client, would be nice if they could all just bow down to our valve overlords, but that does put valve in a position nobody should be in.

For me the most irritating thing is managing all those passwords. I basically only have steam and really do not want to get involved with anything else, especially if it is running in the background and extending startup times.

[Rucati]

I've never even heard of some of those, to be honest.

I do agree though, I only use Steam, battle.net and Origin (although only because I'm forced to, will stop promptly after I beat the game I'm playing) and it would be very nice if there was a way to kind of merge them all together.

Mainly only for communication purposes though, if I'm on say SC2 in a match and somebody messages me on Steam I have to alt-tab to see the message, instead of being able to shift-tab and reply in game. Or better yet having it just become a whisper like if it was a realID friend. Would be very nice if that happened, but sadly, it never will. =(

[ZealousBlade]

I've never even heard of some of those, to be honest.

I do agree though, I only use Steam, battle.net and Origin (although only because I'm forced to, will stop promptly after I beat the game I'm playing) and it would be very nice if there was a way to kind of merge them all together.

Mainly only for communication purposes though, if I'm on say SC2 in a match and somebody messages me on Steam I have to alt-tab to see the message, instead of being able to shift-tab and reply in game. Or better yet having it just become a whisper like if it was a realID friend. Would be very nice if that happened, but sadly, it never will. =(

you can add non-steam games to steam, and they will open with the steam bootstrap overlay, allowing you to use said steam overlay in games like starcraft or WoW.

[draykorinee]

you can add non-steam games to steam, and they will open with the steam bootstrap overlay, allowing you to use said steam overlay in games like starcraft or WoW.

wow, did not know this, shall sorry this out tonight

[Deleted]

Having to rely on an online service in order to play your games is never a good thing (at least for me) even if it is Steam. If your games get broken or they don't work anymore because they're all scratched up that's your problem, it just means you're not a very responsible person. I'm not talking about you though but in general because I see people say stuff like "well with downloaded games at least you don't have to worry about the disc not working or breaking it" and stuff like that and it's just like if you somehow manage to break a disc you either must be suffering from game rage or you're just a moron who can't take responsibility for your own things. The ONLY reason I even have Steam is to talk to my one friend and play Team Fortress 2 with him who wanted me to get Steam in the first place, I have no plans on actually using it. Yeah sure Steam may be more convenient and have cheap prices for games but I feel more secure when I have the game in my hands. That way I know nothing will happen to it and I will always be able to play it whenever I want even when my internet is down. Plus it becomes a collectors item and I'm big on collecting video game related stuff (plush toys, figures, statues, etc.)

When I buy my games they're in physical form and they are on a shelf where I can easily grab them and put them in my console. I don't have to worry about managing any online accounts that deal with games. I probably went off topic a bit but that's my two cents.

with all due respect, but you are not the only reason stuff can break. what if tomorrow something happens to your home and destroys it? Like a giant sinkhole, an earthquake, a fire, a tornado, a hurricane, anything really? if that happens to you, you lose all your games and are forced to spend hundreds, if not thousands of your local currency to get them back, in addition to the normal costs you need to make to put your life back on the rails. but when something like that happens to me, I can just download them again when I am safe again. And and if an event so devastating happens to Steam that all their datacenters, their backups and their backup backups are taken out with no chance of recovery, the entire world is likely in danger anyway and you have other things to worry about. just for clarity, steam has 66 datacenters spread around the world, with over 200 servers. The only thing I could possibly think of that could take out 66 places around the world at once is a planetary event like an alien invasion or an asteroid strike. in both cases, good luck surviving that.

[Sj]

you can add non-steam games to steam, and they will open with the steam bootstrap overlay, allowing you to use said steam overlay in games like starcraft or WoW.

I've been doing this for a long time. It's a great way to keep track of screenshots!

[Greandal]

It's too bad that all the companies just don't work together and allow us to link our accounts together somehow. Or just use 1 of the clients instead of multiple (silly stuff like having to use both steam and Uplay if i want to play Anno 2070). It's bullshit like that which is slowly pushing me back to pirating games, I'm just sick of all the extra accounts and crap I have to register and remember. Just allow me to use 1 client out of all the possible ones instead of requiring 3 just to play 1 game.

[draykorinee]

I bought the ea humble bundle, went to play sims on my origin account only to have to register a sims account on a seperate website...what the hell lol. My inbox is so flooded with registratiions its getting ridiculous.

[Jedi Master]

Origin and uPlay should merge, thats the biggest problem right now. I hate to have uPlay on my system for like 1-2 games.

[Clockwork Pinkie]

Steam opens up all the others for me. Wish uPlay didn't exist though, its pointless, and the slowest of them all.