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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

2 clusters · 5 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

PC gaming platform service and parity scrutiny

Overview

Digital PC gaming platforms have come under scrutiny regarding service quality and product parity. While major storefronts like Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, and itch.io are considered trustworthy, concerns have been raised about users receiving inferior products on certain platforms.

A user-led analysis identified 1,531 issues across 1,140 games on the GOG storefront when compared to competitors. The most frequent discrepancies include missing or inferior soundtracks in 439 games, a lack of updates in 308 titles, and missing paid DLC in 200 cases. Other issues involve missing languages or free content.

These discrepancies are largely attributed to developers and publishers rather than the platform itself, with companies such as Devolver Digital and THQ Nordic noted for having the highest number of errors. Analysts suggest that developers may prioritize resource allocation for platforms with larger player bases, such as Steam, leaving GOG releases with fewer features or updates.

Entities

Steam · GOG · Epic Games Store · Tripwire Interactive · Maneater

Timeline

  1. 30 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    GOG faces catalog discrepancies compared to Steam and Epic Games

    A user study found 1,531 discrepancies in GOG's game catalog compared to Steam and Epic, often due to developer prioritization. Meanwhile, the RPG Maneater has arrived on GOG as a DRM-free title.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    PC gaming platforms face scrutiny over service quality and game parity

    While Steam, Epic Games, and GOG.com remain trusted PC gaming platforms, a catalog has identified over 1,500 issues in GOG's library, including missing updates, DLC, and soundtracks.

Sources

gamingpark.it · lilachbullock.com · nerdapproved.com · noobz.ro · windowscentral.com