All of this is based on the assumption that the way it was done is the way it will be done.

Who will own and run Steam 30 years from now? Gabe Newell will be long-gone, his nepobaby next-CEO will be closing in on retirement if they don't check-out early to enjoy their vast wealth like Gabe has done.

What does Steam look like 60 years from now? Adults using it today are mostly dead and all of their licenses revoked forever, the games removed from circulation gone forever because nobody can ever have a license to use them again. They might be onto their 4th, 5th or 6th CEO by then, half a century removed from Gabe and any expectations we have around the ways he did things.

There's a lot of room for improvement securing some sort of legacy for Steam.

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fernie 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I can assure you that offline installer you got today from GOG will not work on Windows 20 or whatever OS will be the dominant for PC in 30 or 60 years time.

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prmoustache 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Most C64, MSX, Apple,Amiga, Atari ST and Dos games can still be played on all majors operating systems.

In fact I used "most" but I can't name one that couldn't be played.

	▲	benoau an hour ago \| parent [-]
		If anything it will be easier than ever to run those games, the platforms you mention can be run in a web browser these days with nothing at all to install or configure or download.

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yjftsjthsd-h 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If it works on WINE today, I would expect it to work on WINE tomorrow. Worst case, you can probably just install an older WINE on a newer OS to ensure it.

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oarsinsync 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> I can assure you that offline installer you got today from GOG will not work on Windows 20

Given the lengths the Windows development team has gone to, to preserve backward compatibility, to the point that there was individual-game-specific workarounds codified in Windows, makes this claim the same as the GP’s, that Steam will change 30-60 years from now.

The cynic in me thinks you’re both right, mind.

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wewtyflakes 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

It would presumably work in a virtualized environment.

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cropcirclbureau 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Are you willing to put monies on that?

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this_user 40 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> What does Steam look like 60 years from now?

Does it matter? You are treating this like these games are some valuable collector's items, when they really are just toys you play once and then never touch again for the most part.

But let's assume you had physical copies of all of these games you own on Steam. Once you are gone, there is a > 90% chance that whoever inherits it, will throw it away, just like Millenials now are throwing away all this junk they are inheriting that Boomers used to collect.

The point is, Steam is good enough for all practical purposes, which is to acquire and play games in the now.

	▲	benoau 29 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		My library includes games I played with my father and games I played with my own children. Given the option my children would certainly revisit their favourite titles with their own children one day, or for their own nostalgic memories. One thing you are missing with your logic is that "throw it out" is probably more like "give to charity", the unwanted goods are not necessarily being destroyed and may be redistributed to people who do value them. If my kids didn't want my Steam account I'm sure there's others who would, and preservation groups and museums that would probably take it.

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andoando 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I mean I don't really give a shit. Im buying a game to play it now, maybe next year.

Besides you only need Steam if the publisher chooses to use Steam DRM. There's clearly an incentive for it, don't think its purely Steam's fault.

If that's the model the publisher offers, that's the model you have. Its your choice to participate in it or not.