Lately, whenever you’re on the lookout for one of the best deal on the best PC games, you may have a whole lot of on-line retailers to select from. These vary from mainstream, reliable shoppers trusted by thousands and thousands of consumers to shady key re-sellers that make you’re feeling such as you’re within the seedy underbelly of some sci-fi metropolis. 

Nevertheless, the best way we take a look at it, there are simply three retailers that may mainly cowl each want you will have. Whether or not you’re on the lookout for a centralized platform the place you may socialize with mates, one thing that focuses solely on promoting you video games at nice costs or a web site that may promote you DRM-free titles which you can play wherever or any time – we’ve obtained you lined.

Plus, now that Valve has landed itself in a little bit of sizzling water over its policy (or lack thereof) over what’s allowed on its platform, we thought it’d be a good time to take a look at the three greatest digital sport distributors to search out out what’s finest for you, the patron.

The three most vital platforms to contemplate are Steam, GOG (or Good Outdated Video games), and GreenManGaming. It’s extremely uncommon that any sport you’re on the lookout for gained’t discover its approach onto one (if not all) of those platforms. However, that’s straightforward – which one is one of the best for you? Properly, that’s what we’re right here to resolve.

Offers

Maybe an important side of any on-line retailer is the pricing, and it’s difficult. Now, whereas all of them run seasonal gross sales for all the main holidays and modifications in season, all of them have sure points the place they stand above the others. 

GreenManGaming, or GMG (seen above), typically seems as the most affordable place to purchase video games, and in case you’re shopping for any sport that’s comparatively new, that’s completely true. As an illustration, all through June, GMG has a reduction code prominently displayed that may rating you as much as 25% off of any PC sport. 

And, when it says any PC sport, it’s true: you may rating the newly-released Vampyr for simply $37.49, versus $49.99 elsewhere within the US. It additionally runs weekly gross sales, however these are normally obscure indie titles, somewhat than video games by big-name publishers – making it a fantastic place to attain indie video games.

Simply take into account, GreenManGaming has confronted some controversy prior to now for allegedly being a part of the ‘gray market’ – an allegation the retailer has denied in a statement to PC Gamer.

In terms of Steam, nonetheless, you possible gained’t save something on a brand new launch, attributable to the truth that it doesn’t actually want to low cost any new video games – it’s the largest and hottest of the three. Nevertheless, Steam’s weekly offers normally cowl reasonably latest and widespread titles, and also you’ll normally get a deep low cost at that. As an illustration, on the time of this writing, you may rating the brand new Warhammer: Vermintide II for a cool 25% off – with none ethical gray areas. 

That’s not all, although – Steam has made itself well-known through the years for its gigantic seasonal gross sales. About 4 occasions a yr, all the (or near) Steam catalog will go on sale, letting you scoop up tons of video games and save a ship load of money. The following one ought to be developing right here in a few weeks, so prepared your pockets – and watch out to not overspend.

GOG stands in a league of its personal, nonetheless, because it’s made its identify by promoting previous video games. So, not solely are most video games cheaper by default, however after they have a seasonal sale, the costs actually get slashed. 

On the time of writing, GOG is within the technique of a huge seasonal sale – not solely are you able to rating large reductions on previous favorites, however you may rating free video games for spending a certain quantity.

Person expertise

That is the place issues get attention-grabbing. It’d be straightforward to only proclaim Steam because the uncontested victor right here – who doesn’t have Steam put in on their pc?

Nevertheless, it’s not so simple as that. Positive, Steam is extraordinarily acquainted to most PC gaming vets, however is it truly that easy to make use of? By fashionable requirements, Steam hasn’t precisely aged gracefully – its gray, blocky and eats up a ton of system sources for a program that’s speculated to run within the background.

The primary good thing about Steam then, is that the desktop program has every part you’ll must play video games and keep up to date on them. There’s information, group, client-level chat instruments and your sport library all conveniently positioned in the identical place. We simply want it seemed prefer it got here from this decade.

GOG additionally has its personal devoted desktop program, Galaxy,  and whereas it’s not as feature-rich as Steam, it’s much more light-weight and fashionable trying – which is ironic for a service generally known as ‘Good Outdated Video games.’ 

And, whereas GOG Galaxy is a easy, nice expertise it has a serious profit over Steam’s app – it’s 100% non-compulsory. As an alternative of being a retailer that doubles as a DRM, GOG Galaxy payments itself as a handy companion to your gaming expertise, somewhat than a requirement for it. You possibly can simply as simply purchase and obtain your video games from an online web page as a substitute.

GMG, nonetheless, doesn’t have its personal devoted software program in any respect. As an alternative, GMG is mainly only a net market the place you should buy sport keys to redeem on different platforms. So, there’s nothing particularly distinctive about its interface, and GMG is definitely the loser right here.

Social and group

Now, whereas each GreenManGaming and GOG each provide some group options, they’re extraordinarily restricted. GMG has sport hubs and boards, with customizable consumer profiles, whereas GOG is extra barren by not providing sport hubs – however it has chat. It’s instantly clear when utilizing both of those companies that group is secondary. For some individuals this in all probability gained’t matter in any respect – it’s all in regards to the video games, in spite of everything.

Nevertheless, in case you do need a very sturdy gaming group on par with – and maybe extra superior than –  what’s supplied by the PS4 and Xbox One, you’re going to must go along with Steam. 

Initially beginning out by simply providing consumer chat by means of textual content and voice, Steam has since expanded its group options by including sport hubs, social badges, and group occasions – normally centered round its seasonal gross sales. 

Then, again in 2016, Steam applied a community-wide leveling system together with buying and selling playing cards that customers can earn by taking part in their favourite video games. These ranges not solely help you really feel superior to your friends, however in addition they help you customise your profile to your coronary heart’s content material – including extra good friend slots and customization choices the upper you go. It’s not good, however it’s a singular and addictive function that we will’t get sufficient of.

Verdict

On the finish of the day, if you need probably the most options, Steam remains to be in all probability one of the best place to go, doubtful curation apart. The costs are respectable, it’s filled with a thriving group and most video games will drive you to make use of it anyhow, if solely simply as a DRM. 

The opposite platforms do have their makes use of, and our recommendation can be to make use of all of them periodically to get one of the best costs and options. The best way we do it’s mainly use Steam as a default, go to GMG if we have to save a pair bucks, and go to GOG if we want an older sport that’s not on the opposite companies.

We expect that’s one of the simplest ways to method the wide selection of various retailers: you shouldn’t stick with only one, make the most of the myriad choices out there to you – that’s not even counting publisher-specific platforms, like EA’s Origin or Ubisoft’s Uplay. 

All of it boils all the way down to what you’re on the lookout for, and what’s vital to you. Go forth with this information and begin rising that backlog.

• TechSwitch’s fourth annual PC Gaming Week is formally right here, celebrating our ardour with in-depth and unique protection of PC gaming from each angle. Go to our PC Gaming Week 2018 web page to see all the protection in a single place.