While there are many online platforms available, these top 3 sites are more than enough to suit every PC gaming need. Whether you are searching for deep discounts or DRM-free copies, rest assured that these online stores sell legal digital copies.
Steam
Founded in 2003, Steam has become a powerhouse online store. Containing a library of hundreds of millions of games, you would be hard-pressed to find a PC game that is not on this platform. Because it has been in the market for the longest time, it has perfected its interface and business model to a T.
To help you with your purchase, there are user reviews and ratings along with aggregated scores. If Steam is not displaying the type of games you want, you can subscribe to a curated list created by like-minded gamers.
When you purchase a game, Steam will install and launch the game within its app, making it an integral part of the customer experience. Steam will continue to update the game, keep track of achievements and help you uninstall the game when the time comes.
For deep discounts, keep an eye out for flash sales. You can then “gift” that sale bought title to another Steam user, keeping the entire transaction within the Steam ecosystem. Steam also has features like content streaming, workshops and ‘entertainment anywhere’ functionality.
Unfortunately, Steam has its share of weaknesses; including overall negative customer support feedback, support for DRM (Digital Rights Management, which is basically a countermeasure against piracy for digital content) and always online requirement.
GOG
DRM is considered by some to be spyware as they claim it is invasive. Games with DRM reportedly tend to use up more PC resources. In response to the growing negative sentiment for DRM, an alternative platform called Good Old Games (GOG) was created by a Polish company to provide a place where users can browse through DRM-free games.
GOG distinguishes itself from Steam by advocating DRM-free titles. This means that games purchased from GOG can be installed in any number of machines unlimited times, under personal use.
GOG’s business model also takes old games and gives them a face lift, ensuring compatibility with today’s hardware. This has allowed GOG to carve itself a nice niche market. Whether you are looking for an old classic to replay or the newest ‘AAA’ title without the fuss of DRM, look no further than GOG.
The main drawback for GOG is the limited number of titles it carries. This is due to its DRM-free stance, which severely limits the number of games listed on its service.
GMG
With a focus on community and recruiting affiliates, Green Man Gaming is trying to make inroads into a tough scene where its competitors are entrenched. They have some of the best discounts online, if you care to do some bargain hunting on their site.
But GMG is more than just discounts, as they drive traffic to their platform by partnering with Twitch and YouTube streamers. In the future you will see more personalities from these sites promoting GMG on their channels.
To the average consumer, GMG is here to stay. They are innovating and introducing a modern twist to the old formula, and are steadily gaining traction with more developers and publishers.
Conclusion
Although there are numerous other websites selling digital games, consumers should always err on the side of caution. There are sites that obtain digital copies illegally, while others might just be scams.
This article first appeared in https://mypf.my
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