I would to its just that i cant not with the location im living in now

Through the elderscrolls.com website, they link to brick and mortar places to preorder the game.

/end topic?

not really a thread ender, will those in the brick and mortar places require steam as well?

as I am currently waiting for the NV GOTY (in the hopes that it wont be Steamworked) I could handle waiting a month or so for an unsteamed version of Skyrim.

/not the topic?

Topic is Steamworks DRM being enforced. Having to install Steam, make an account, activate through Steam, use Steam for updates and have Steam running whenever the game is running regardless of method of purchase.

NOT whether you can buy it in the store. Store purchased copies of New Vegas are still tied to Steam. That's what has people worried.

Not really. New Vegas had retail versions too, they still required Steam.

They will never not use steam, there is no reason not to, not enough people dont buy the game because of steam and even just buy it on another system. There's no reason for them to discontinue using it.

I only buy games sold on Steam, if it doesn't come to steam then I won't buy it.

...you forgot the evil laugh.


Of course this is almost true, once on Steam exclusively it is unlikely that Bethesda will alter the DRM, not a good long while. Think, "at least as long as it took for Daggerfall to be released for free" long.

A GOTY edition could require a new DVD master, depending on whether they just throw in a second disc with the DLCs and a patch file. If they do make an updated master and integrate the patches at the same time, that would be the most likely time for them to make a non-Steam version if they are considering it. Again, that may depend on what their contract with Valve is, as well.

The idea I was working toward was not "discontinuing it." Rather accessorizing it with other forms of distribution/validation/activation.

At this stage, the economics of it may in fact equate with "no good reason to discontinue" using Steam.

However, having a look at the proportions of respondents at this stage

Will buy no matter what ~56%
Would prefer non-Steam option, but probably still will buy ~20.5%
Will not buy if Steam required ~23.4%

. . . I would think that the risk of losing one-quarter to a half of their prospective customers from the fan community could be a good enough reason to entertain the idea of Steam non-exclusive distribution, couldn't it?

Since none of us know the actual numbers involved here, profit margins, profit sharing deals with Steam for exclusive vs non-exlucsive, etc., I admit I'm speculating (not to mention that patterns of response to a poll on here may differ quite a bit from the Steam customer base). However, the fact remains: at this stage, somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 of the repondents to this poll say they won't buy it if it requires Steam. Seems like Bethesda should be taking an interest in what risks those patterns of response might hint at for the Skyrim release.

Actually I was thinking about editing this poll to add one more response:

This poll doesn't really apply to me, as I am a console player.

Seeing that several guys have commented to that effect in the thread made me think that some guys who are going to buy it on console are responding to it with question 1? If I add that response, folks could go back and change their responses if they wanted.

What do you think?

makes sense to me.

But actually, do console players NOT have Steam versions? I don't really know.

Steam only covers the PC &and if there was a mac version

I would wait with that if i was you. Everyone would have to vote again and we are at the 9. page. It seems it will reach 11 though you never know so wait and create a new thread/poll when this one is finished.



What do you mean? it might just be my bad english but i don't really understand the question.

Are we absolutely sure about that? So if I owned a console, and bought FONV, it would be a cartridge or something that they mailed to me? Or would I buy it digitallly via Beth's store?

Given the putative benefits of Steam as a gamer community thing I'm surprised now that I think about it to ponder that console versions do not have acess to Steam? Aren't the consoles the biggest chunk of sales?

yeah, I think I'll wait . . .

good point there

yes, any downloads for the 360 would go through MS's own live network.

PS3 would use sony's store.

I have heard talk that Steam wants in on the console action but I don't know when or even that's possible

my guess would be a disc (if anything at all)

Steam is an exclusively PC based platform. First off, Steam would have to get permission to operate on PSN or X-box Live, which Microsoft or Sony would never do, as they're trying to set up their own services.

Second, Steam is widely advertised as a form of DRM, which is not an issue at all on the consoles, since they're locked.

If you were to have a console and purchase a game, it would arrive on a CD. You would be required to have that CD in the disk tray the entire time (their way of ensuring that you actually are supposed to have the game). The game runs off the disk (new features of the X-box allow you to install the game to your hard-drive, but you still are required to keep the disk in the tray. All it does is increase performance).

This conversation is only in regards to the PC, as the above methods of DRM on console ensure that there is no need for any other methods on a console.

Thanks for clarifying that SkyShadowing. Based on that, I dont' think the poll would need to be modified. Anyone who plays primarily on console would've probably realized this poll does not apply to them anyway. If not it is hopefully a small fraction of spurious responses.

Off-topic a little, Valve really is trying to get access to the PS3, but it is apparently in order to provide cross platform co-op play for Portal 2. PC, PS3 (and possibly Xbox 360) players would be on the same system and able to seamlessly play together if they can talk/bribe Sony into allowing it (and MS).

@ anthropoid- you should also add an option that says like "if steam is used for pc version, I will then get it for console" or something like that.

It was confirmed at the last E3 that Steam will come to the PS3 with Portal 2, so I guess the legal stuff is done.

However, I don't think that Skyrim will be on Steam on the PS3, but who knows...


Edit: spelling

I prefer my disc and box.