14 DAY TRIAL // GamersGate is expanding its offers in terms of digital distribution, and its CEO, Theo Bergquist, has talked about the competition in this part of the games industry, specifically about Valve’s established Steam and Electronic Arts’ recently launched Origin.
PC gamers have more than enough choices when it comes to digital distribution services, as there are plenty of companies out there trying to make a profit by selling digital game downloads, from Valve’s Steam to Direct2Drive or GameStop.
Now, just as his company is expanding its influence, GamersGate CEO Theo Bergquist has talked with Industry Gamers about the company’s rivals, specifically Steam, which is currently one of the most popular digital delivery services out there, reaching over 35 million accounts and selling over 1,400 games.
According to the executive, however, Steam’s influence can only shrink, as it’s just targeting hardcore players, instead of trying to broaden its target demographic.
“I've said it before and I’ll say it again, Steam's market share can only shrink. Just look at Origin. It came from nowhere and is now a player in the industry. Steam is doing a good job for the super hard-core audience, but everyone knows that's not where the money is. The market is mostly made up of people who buy 2-3 games a year and want a fast, easy and seamless way of buying games. They don’t want a bulky client," he commented.
When talking about Electronic Arts and its new Origin digital distribution service, Bergquist expressed his admiration over the company’s speedy strategy, but said it has a long way to do before it can compete with the likes of Steam or GamersGate.
“I must say I'm very impressed by the speed and determination they've launched Origin,” the executive said. “Hats off to them! But I’m not sure I see them as a competitor as I do Steam.”
What are your current favorite services for digital game distribution? Are you sticking with Steam or do you want to try out new ones, like GamersGate, Origin, or GOG?