Can you play Pc games without Steam?

Invented in 2003, Steam has become a powerhouse and staple within the PC gaming community. With a constant influx of deals, sales and discounts, it’s become almost a necessity for the discerning P.C. gamer to utilize steam and all of its affiliated platforms. So, what happens to
those, who have problems with the platform? Given recent controversies with the steam deck platform and some of Gabe Newell and valve’s business decisions, it’s not that strange that some players may want nothing to do with the platform. So what options are there for these gamers in 2022?

Xbox Gamepass

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest competitors to Steam right now is Xbox Gamepass. Though it holds the disadvantage of primarily being a subscription service, Gamepass has the advantage that any game purchased through its subscription service is available not only on P.C but on its Xbox consoles as well. Not only that but Gamepass was designed to compete with not only Steam and other PC game-buying platforms. but PlayStation as well. This means that the library of games offered through Gamepass offers a diversity that, at times, Steam just can’t compete with.

Epic Games store

When it came onto the scene, the Epic Games store made plenty of noise, because of the incentives it offered to game developers and the advantages it offered to independent game developers, who opted to join their platform instead of Steam. Now, the Epic Games store has
an identity of its own. Instead of striving to compete with volume or accessibility though, the Epic Games store has decided to compete with its library. There are many games that you can’t play on P.C. unless you buy them through the Epic Games store. Another advantage the Epic
Games store offers, is that it has competitive pricing when it comes to games, compared to other storefronts.

Rockstar games store

Yes, even Grand Theft Auto’s publisher has its own P.C. game-buying platform. While the other options offer a general selection of games, the Rockstar games store only catered to fans of Rockstar games and the library of its parent company. Unfortunately, unlike its predecessors, Rockstar games do not often offer competitive prices. Sure, you can find a tantalizing sale on the platform during holiday seasons like Black Friday or Christmas, but for gamers who find the hobby of gaming an already pricey endeavor, who enjoy the occasional cutback on costs that sales offer, Rockstar games store might not be the option for you.

GOG

A subsidiary of CDProjekt GOG delivers DRM-free games at affordable prices. While it focuses more on indie games and indie developers, it offers a plethora of discounts and options for fans of CDProjektRed. This means that for fans of The Witcher series and its intriguing card-game offshoot Gwent, or everyone’s new Sci-Fi darling Cyberpunk2077, you’re able to get a good price that makes enjoying the game on P.C. slightly more enticing than trying it out for consoles like PlayStation or XBOX.