Alternatives to Steam for all platforms with any license

  • GOG.com

    GOG.com (Good Old Games) sells classic PC games through their download service at a low price, without DRM, and updated to run on the latest versions of Windows and...

    • Lack of DRMs, no requirements to stay online during playing, offline installers that you can keep forever, and they let you specify any target location for game files. You are legally allowed to redownload and install all games on unlimited number of computers in your household. Optional Steam-like client is available. Atoshi • Dec 2016 • 14 agrees and 5 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • Separate installers for multiple computers, GOG galaxy app is more UI friendly, games are patched to work with modern OSes unlike steam which requires you to figure it out for the end user and can take hours. Guest • Jul 2017 • 6 agrees and 1 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • you own your games for real and there is better quality control. Guest • Jan 2018 • 5 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • DRM Free Games, great Deals, european data privacy jonas21 • Mar 2018 • 1 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • No DRM! You actually own your installs unlike Steam's "Long period rent" format. Like literally any game you buy on GoG you can launch from their Client or download the actual installer and put it on a memory stick for safe keeping/ later installation no client required. Plus as well they are not a money-hungry, industry stifling, greed fuelled, global corporation that cares not for their customers but just for the $£. Guest • Nov 2017 • 3 agrees and 3 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Freemium Mac Windows Linux Web

    DRM Free Achievements Import from Steam Community based ... European data privacy Giveaways Integrated Chat Lightweight Privacy Protected Add a feature

    GOG.com icon

  • GOG Galaxy

    GOG Galaxy is a game client that allows everyone to play. Optional client, freedom of choice and cross-play.

    • There are many games that are not listed on steam Guest • Aug 2017 • 3 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • The client for Gog.com so naturally this has all the awesome benefits of using GoG. Guest • Nov 2017 • 2 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • It has its own store, contains hundreds of older games that run perfectly on newer hardware and, unlike Humble Bundle, doesn't require Steam to use. Guest • Jun 2017 • 2 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • Best for what they do for gaming communities and creativity, I hope to see a larger service in the future, with big games and brands on it. Very socially conscious brand and culture, I totally am abandoning Steam for what they do in forums and lack of moderation professionals... it's just an abuse monologue. Guest • Mar 2019 Disagree   Agree

    Free Mac Windows

    Achievements Auto update Community based DRM Free ... Group chat Update notifier Add a feature

    GOG Galaxy icon

  • itch.io

    An online game marketplace and community. Also an app which manages downloading and updating of games acquired through the website.

    • Quite possibly the best place available to lose an afternoon digging through both free and paid indie games ever since Desura kicked the bucket. Guest • Oct 2016 • 7 agrees and 0 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • Lots of free and paid games and most don't require installers so you don't need admin. Guest • Dec 2018 Disagree   Agree

    Free Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... Android Tablet

    DRM Free DRM Free Electron based Open Revenue Sharing Add a feature

    itch.io icon

  • Humble Bundle

    Buy a bundle of games, you decide the price, and support charity in the process. Each game is normally DRM-free and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux!

    • Humble Bundle is not a platform to play games like Steam, it is only a platform to buy them. andrewpetz • Oct 2017 • 10 agrees and 2 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • Just a games distributor, mainly sells steam keys Guest • Jun 2018 • 3 agrees and 1 disagrees Disagree   Agree
    • Cheap drm-free games. also for charity. Guest • Mar 2017 • 0 agrees and 1 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Commercial $ $ $ Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... Android Tablet

    DRM Free Games library Add a feature

    Humble Bundle icon

  • Lutris

    Lutris is an open source gaming platform for GNU/Linux. It allows you to gather and manage (install, configure and launch) all your games acquired from any source, in a...

    Free Open Source Linux Web Steam MS-DOS

    Multi System Emulator Add a feature

    Lutris icon

  • Origin

    Origin is your new digital playground. It’s where you go to find the best that EA has to offer.

    • Small library of games. Uncomfortable chat. Extra launcher, which is only needed for EA, not to pay third-party companies for promotion. shelehovchanin • Mar 2019 Disagree   Agree
    • It's just not Steam. Honestly at this point in time using any other method is better than using Steam. Guest • Nov 2017 • 3 agrees and 22 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Free Mac Windows Web

    No features added Add a feature

    Origin icon

  • Desura

    Desura is a digital distribution service for gamers, putting the best games, mods and downloadable content at your fingertips and ready to play.

    • Discontinued Desura was shut down a couple years ago.
    • It's on a much smaller scale than Steam, however Desura still distributes digital copies of games and has the main features of Steam. SiNevesh • Jan 2016 • 1 agrees and 1 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Free Windows Linux

    DRM Free Add a feature

    Desura icon

  • Game Jolt

    Game Jolt, where all the best free Indie Games are at! Browse through thousands of free Indie Games ready for you to play. This is Indie.

    Free Mac Windows Linux Web

    API Integration Add a feature

    Game Jolt icon

  • Epic Games Store

    The Epic Games store is now open, featuring games from other developers. Epic's goal is to bring you great games, and to give game developers a better deal: they...

    • Great alternative to Steam, as paying out more revenue to developers. wusteldru • Feb 2019 • 3 agrees and 9 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Free Mac Windows

    No features added Add a feature

    Epic Games Store icon

  • Uplay

    Uplay is Ubisoft's PC games portal, where you can find all your games on PC.

    Free Windows

    No features added Add a feature

    Uplay icon

  • Fanatical

    Buy awesome games. Pay a fraction of the retail price! Every week we bring you a spectacular new Steam game bundle, saving up to 97% off the normal retail price!...

    Commercial Mac Windows Linux

    DRM Free Add a feature

    Fanatical icon

  • Green Man Gaming

    Green Man Gaming is a global, multiplatform online videogame store. It has a multi-platform catalogue of over 6,600 games and its community platform, integrated with...

    • The Steam Client provides more functionality than Green Man Gaming's website. Green Man Gaming even uses Steam keys when selling products. Guest • Jan 2016 • 3 agrees and 1 disagrees Disagree   Agree

    Commercial Web

    Twitch integration Add a feature

    Green Man Gaming icon

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Steam Comments

Comment by karlblass
about Steam · Mar 2017 · Helpful Not helpful 2 Helpful Report as spam

To me much better alternative than this EA and Microsoft crap.

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Andrew_Severin · Jul 2018

Of course, because those are more expensive and not as easy to use. By the way ,since you are a user of this website,do you mind ? I would really appreciate some feedback for my review of this site, I just started a Youtube Channel. Here is the review - https://bit.ly/2A9YvL1


Comment by Kissaki
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful 2 Helpful Report as spam

Steam has become THE Standard in digital distribution, and that is because of good management. The service itself is free, has a good community integration with profiles, chat and voice-chat, groups, recommendations, and more. Also provides development framework for steam integration to developers resulting in games using the steam community, achievements, cloud storing of settings and save-games, server browsing.
The only drawback is: Steam is DRM. A game bound to your account will be bound to it, permanently. You can play games offline and deny updating, but you’ll probably stay online and up-to-date with its nice auto-updating.
Valves (creator of steam) distribution policy is not too coplex and not unfair allowing for publishers and indie companies to publish their games in fair terms. For the users there have been and will be an infinite amount of weekend deals and Summer and Winter-deals where you can buy countless games for a hell of a price.

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Linux version of steam

Comment by MisteRibi
about Steam · Nov 2011 · Helpful Not helpful Report as spam

On the page, I can read that steam are on windows mac & linux, but I can't find the linux versions anywhere o.O Can you help me to find it please :D

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OmgItsTheSmartGuy · Nov 2011

There's no native Linux version of Steam, but here are a few methods that you can use to get Steam running anyways.

Satuim · Aug 2013

It is now :)

aguy · Aug 2013

http://steamcommunity.com/linux


Comment by gavomatic57
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful Report as spam

May have to update this soon, as Steam is coming to the Mac on 12th May http://store.steampowered.com/news/3569/ and rumour has it, Linux as well http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=steam_linux_script&num=1

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Comment by Alcedema
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful Report as spam

This is amazing! Gone are the days of visiting shops for games, trawling maker's sites for updates etc. They are always releasing bug fixes. Only wish this was separate from Valve (game maker) and therefore could be used by more than just game distributers (all-in-one and one-for-all programme distribution system anyone?)

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Comment by Elvar
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful Report as spam

The best way for game delivering software.

Sadly the client has some problems sometimes. Every once in a while I just cant connect to steam, its a problem that comes every now and then and solves itself somehow. Loads of other people have the same problem. All steam/valve does is blame the ISP's.

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Comment by SaltyMarshmellow
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful -1 Helpful Report as spam

The deals makes gaming affordable again, which is the main reason I like it. Also I have had to buy Diablo 2 about 3 times now, and this takes care of things like that for me.

Also, the community aspect has come a long way, and you can now host and share videos, screenshots etc. through Steam.

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Comment by Aaron
about Steam · Jun 2011 · Helpful Not helpful -1 Helpful Report as spam

The last time I tried Steam was when I got the Orange box to play Portal, but I had to install Steam. The problem is that you CANNOT play the games offline. You have to login into steam online, and pick your game from that and then you can play your game. I prefer games that I can play offline, because usually when I want to play I am not online.

Now maybe this has changed in newer releases but I don't think it has. So if there is a way to play the games offline, I would love to know how?? Otherwise I try to avoid any steam based games, and just get games that I can play ANYTIME I want. I have the old version of Halflife 1 which was not a steam based game. So I enjoy the fact that I can play it anytime.

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just dota

Comment by maurokeita95
about Steam · Sep 2016 · Helpful Not helpful -3 Helpful Report as spam

I´m only using steam for dota and its great, but there are not other good free games in the program and that sucks.

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