Striked VS Steam
In our ongoing exploration of gaming stores like GOG, itch.io, or the Epic Games Store, we are now shifting our focus to arguably the biggest player in the gaming industry, who has significantly shaped it for decades and continues to do so - Steam. We will take a closer look at both platforms, Steam and Striked and aim to equip you with valuable insights that will help you make an informed decision about whether Striked is the right choice for you, be it for personal or business purposes.
Steam
Valve Corporation's history is closely intertwined with the evolution of Steam, the digital distribution platform that has become synonymous with PC gaming. Founded in 1996 by Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington, both former Microsoft employees, Valve's first major success came in 1998 with the release of Half-Life. This critically acclaimed first-person shooter not only showcased innovative gameplay mechanics but also introduced a compelling narrative-driven experience. Half-Life received numerous accolades and established Valve as a force to be reckoned within game development. Building on the success of Half-Life, Valve continued to release highly acclaimed titles, including expansions and sequels that expanded upon the game's universe. Half-Life 2, released in 2004, introduced the Source Engine, a powerful game engine that provided remarkable graphics and physics capabilities, setting new standards for the industry. In 2006, they unveiled Half-Life 2: Episode One and followed it up in 2007 with Episode Two, further expanding the immersive Half-Life universe. During the same year, Valve introduced the multiplayer masterpiece Team Fortress 2, known for its distinct art style and engaging team-based gameplay. Additionally, they released Portal, a mind-bending puzzle game that captivated players with its unique mechanics and dark humor. The success of these titles showcased Valve's ability to consistently deliver high-quality experiences across various genres.
Back in 2003, Valve launched Steam, initially as a means to deliver updates for their own games. The actual journey with Steam began in the late 1990s, when they signed a publishing contract with Sierra Studios for their game, Half-Life. However, concerns arose regarding intellectual property (IP) rights, leading to a new contract in 2001 that removed Sierra's IP rights and granted Valve digital distribution rights. Valve recognized the need for a better way to update games and combat piracy, leading them to develop their own platform. They explored partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Yahoo!, and RealNetworks but were declined. In 2002, Valve announced the Steam platform and released it for beta testing. They collaborated with companies like AT&T, Acer, and GameSpy and began offering game engine licenses and distribution over Steam. During this time, Valve faced legal battles with Sierra over distribution rights. The case ruled in Valve's favor, allowing them to leave the contract and seek other publishing partners while continuing to develop Steam. The beta testing phase attracted thousands of participants, and Half-Life 2 became the first game offered digitally on Steam in 2004, despite initial technical challenges. Valve expanded Steam by contracting third-party developers to release games on the platform. The profitability of Steam grew, attracting publishers like id Software, Eidos Interactive, Capcom, and Ubisoft. Steam's user base grew rapidly, and partnerships with GPU manufacturers like ATI and Nvidia further boosted its popularity. However, Valve faced challenges from competitors like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, who removed their games from Steam in favor of their own platforms. Valve responded by holding conferences, such as Steam Dev Days, and made efforts to bring back major publishers. By 2014, Steam's annual game sales were estimated at around $1.5 billion, and the platform boasted over 90 million monthly active users by 2018. Steam's success continued, with billions of gigabytes of data being delivered through the network.
Valve's foray into virtual reality (VR) came with the release of the HTC Vive headset in partnership with HTC. They also developed SteamVR, a software platform that supports various VR devices. This move demonstrated Valve's dedication to pushing the boundaries of gaming technology and creating immersive experiences for players. In addition to developing their own games and expanding the capabilities of Steam, Valve has nurtured relationships with other developers. They have acted as publishers for various indie games, providing support and resources to bring these unique and innovative titles to a wider audience.
While fans eagerly awaited the release of Half-Life 3, Valve surprised the gaming community in 2020 with the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx, a VR-exclusive prequel to Half-Life 2 set in the Half-Life universe. This highly anticipated title further showcased Valve's commitment to pushing the limits of gaming experiences and leveraging new technologies. Beyond game development and Steam, Valve has also made strides in hardware development. They introduced the Steam Controller, a unique gamepad designed to enhance PC gaming, as well as the Valve Index VR headset, offering high-quality visuals and immersive gameplay.
Valve is of course no stranger to the law either and already has a number of legal disputes to prove it. The company has been involved in several legal cases due to its dominant position in the gaming market. In 2014, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) sued Valve for violating consumer laws by not offering refunds for faulty products. The ACCC won the lawsuit in 2016, resulting in a fine of 3 million Australian dollars and a requirement for Valve to update its refund policy.
In 2015, the French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir sued Valve for policies that violated French law, such as the restriction against reselling purchased games. In 2019, the Paris court ruled in favor of the consumer group, stating that Valve's practice of preventing resales violated European Union directives. Valve stated its intention to appeal the decision, which could have significant implications for digital distribution systems in Europe.
Valve was also sued by BT Group in 2016 for patent infringement related to Steam's client services. In 2017, the European Commission launched an investigation into Valve and other publishers for anti-competitive practices, specifically the use of geo-blocking to restrict access to software in certain countries within the European Economic Area. In 2021, the Commission found that Valve and other defendants had violated antitrust rules and imposed fines.
In January 2021, a class-action lawsuit accused Valve of forcing developers into pricing contracts that stifled competition. Another class-action lawsuit filed by Wolfire Games in April 2021 alleged that Steam's position as a dominant platform and its revenue-sharing practices violated antitrust laws. Valve responded by seeking the dismissal of the complaint, arguing that it had no duty to allow developers to undersell prices on Steam. The judge initially dismissed Wolfire's case but later allowed it to proceed on the basis of Valve's alleged use of its dominant power to intimidate developers. The legal battles highlight the challenges Valve faces due to its market dominance and the complex legal landscape surrounding digital distribution and antitrust regulations.
However, Valve's impact on the gaming industry cannot be overstated. Through their innovative games, the revolutionary platform, and advancements in VR and hardware, they have shaped the way we play, buy, and experience games. Despite challenges and legal battles, Steam has become a dominant force in the market, connecting gamers and developers worldwide. Valve's dedication to excellence, commitment to innovation, and their ability to adapt to changing trends have secured their position as a dominant player in the gaming industry, with an enduring influence that continues to evolve and inspire gamers worldwide, establishing it as the go-to platform for video games.
Striked
Striked is a young gaming startup from Hamburg, founded in 2022, with the goal of providing developers with effective tools for the successful distribution, marketing, and hosting of their games. The fully automated platform with a strong focus on the indie sector also aims to give the gaming community as well as game developers a voice in the funding of prototypes and the general direction of the platform itself to incorporate their wishes directly into the development process. The idea of Striked came about during a discussion between the founders at a gaming event in 2019. Since then, Striked has worked with various (indie) developers worldwide in close feedback loops to meet their needs and incorporate their feedback. The founders seek to bring gamers and developers together worldwide by building a platform that unites the values of all - to create a platform for gamers, by gamers. In particular, Striked aims to lower the barriers to success and make market access more democratic and lucrative for all, especially by offering a fair and transparent pricing model. At the same time, the integrated social network for gamers and developers creates synergies and feedback loops for unique innovation potential and a community that supports and develops each other. Whether alone or with friends, Striked is available on desktop and mobile devices and creates a new gaming experience by integrating social features. This allows developers to find the right audiences and build long-lasting communities.
Striked & Steam in comparison
Pricing
With Steam, developers have the flexibility to set the base price for their games. They can determine the initial retail price, discounts, and regional pricing based on their marketing strategies and target audience equal to Striked. Valve takes a percentage cut of each transaction on Steam. The specific revenue share varies depending on the sales volume of the game. For most games, Valve's share is 30% of the revenue, while for higher sales volumes, the percentage may decrease to 25% or even 20%. This means that developers receive the remaining percentage as their share of the revenue. In the past, developers had to pay an upfront fee to get their game on Steam. However, since the introduction of Steam Direct in 2017, developers now need to pay a one-time submission fee for each game they release on the platform. This fee is currently set at $100 per game, which helps cover the cost of processing and reviewing submissions. Valve's revenue-sharing model has been subject to some criticism and discussions within the industry, particularly regarding the 30% standard cut. Some developers and publishers have argued for a more flexible revenue split or alternative pricing structures. However, the specifics of revenue-sharing agreements may also vary in certain cases, especially for high-profile or exclusive releases where negotiations with Valve may result in different terms. Striked handles the pricing system with a different approach. The platform is completely free of charge for all users, with no setup fee required for any game submissions. Unlike Steam, Striked does not take a percentage of the revenue generated, allowing developers to keep 100% of their earnings. Striked is financed through monthly subscriptions and offers a free package that provides attractive terms and can be used indefinitely which is highly recommended for (indie) developers and small teams. Furthermore, Striked offers more packages, which are tailored to the specific needs of the developers to enable business-growth without worrying about any additional fees, hidden costs, or losing a portion of their revenue to the platform owner.
Community & social features
Steam offers a variety of community and social features that enhance the gaming experience and allow users and developers to connect with each other.
The Steam Community serves as a hub for players to create profiles, interact with friends, join groups, and participate in discussions. Users can customize their profiles, showcase their game libraries, and share their achievements and screenshots with others. Steam provides a friends list where users can add friends, see their online status, and communicate through text and voice chat. The chat feature allows for one-on-one conversations or group chats, making it easy to stay connected with gaming buddies. Also, users can join or create Steam groups based on common interests, gaming genres, or specific games. Groups provide a platform for discussions, event organization, and community activities. They often have their own forums, announcements, and member ranks.
Each game on Steam has its own dedicated Game Hub, which acts as a central hub for community interactions related to that specific game. Users can access discussions, guides, announcements, player-created content, and official developer updates within the Game Hub. Besides that, Steam allows users to write and read reviews for games they have played. This feature provides valuable feedback to both developers and potential buyers, helping users make informed decisions about game purchases. In addition to user reviews, there are curated recommendations through the Curator system. Curators are individuals or groups, who provide game recommendations and reviews to help users discover new titles that align with their interests. Another important feature, the Steam Workshop, represents a platform for user-generated content, including mods, maps, items, and more. Players can create, share, and subscribe to various community-made content, enriching the gaming experience and extending the lifespan of games. Users can capture screenshots while playing games and share them with friends or the wider community. Additionally, Steam's broadcasting feature enables users to stream their gameplay live to friends or the public, allowing others to watch and interact in real-time. Steam also features event listings, allowing developers and community organizers to schedule and promote in-game events, tournaments, or special sales. The platform also facilitates item trading between users, providing a marketplace to buy and sell in-game items, trading cards, collectibles and other virtual goods.
Striked on the other hand has an entire social network that offers a variety of ways to engage with audience and other players, even if some features are still being developed or are in the planning stage. Integrating community services directly into the game takes the burden off of developers by allowing community building to take place very close to the product, rather than on third-party channels. The platform gives the community its own tools to make the platform, what they want it to be: there are also forum-like so-called ‘spaces’ for chatting or just hanging out (similar to Discord), custom profiles to showcase your own gaming personality, curated feeds, which you can shape yourself, with friends' activities and news from the whole gaming world, and livestreams that anyone can start with the click of a button. Striked offers broadcasting services as well, meaning you can establish your streaming presence directly on the platform and gather your community in one place. By the way, streamers keep 100% of their donations (minus payment provider transaction fees). In addition, users can earn digital coins by completing missions, unlocking achievements, testing new games, and being active members of the community. In the near future, these coins will be redeemable for exclusive rewards and discounts in the store or marketplace. Striked is also running events with great rewards to give developers opportunities to present their work to a worldwide community, in order to get a more exclusive opportunity to raise more awareness. Compared to Steam's curator system, the recommendation system on Striked works a little differently. In addition to targeted advertising campaigns, dedicated sale events or special presentations on the social media channels, we particularly focus on a deep integration of the store into the social network, which forms the core in terms of community interactivity. Gaming is not only a social experience on a multiplayer level. Many players want to know what their friends are playing, what they like or what they should leave alone. This is exactly where we come in. For example, "Your friend Peter just bought GTA 7 on sale for 20% off, get it quick!", "Your friend Simone just completed the mission '20 Field Goals in 60 Seconds' in NFL 2025, try to beat her record!", or "Your friend Hanna just played 'Age of Empires 5' for 100 hours. You both like strategy games, maybe this is something for you too!" are displayed. In the future, Striked will also offer the possibility of creating user-generated content, which will become a direct part of the Marketplace environment - unfortunately at the moment it does not yet exist. With examples like these and many other measures, we want to achieve new visibility through organic activities within the network. And last but not least, Striked offers developers the opportunity to receive donations via the community, so that players can support their favorites at any time independently of buying the game.
Platform support
Steam primarily supports the Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. These are the main platforms, on which users can access and use the Steam client to purchase, download, and play games. The Steam client itself is available for download on these platforms. In addition to desktop operating systems, Steam also supports virtual reality (VR) platforms such as the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality. Users with compatible VR hardware can access and play VR games through the Steam VR platform. Furthermore, Steam offers a variety of mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices. These apps provide features such as chat, community access, game management, and mobile authentication, allowing users to interact with the Steam platform on the go.
Striked already supports a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (HTML5) and Mobile. Gamers can access their favorite games on their preferred device, whether it's a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The Striked Launcher (client) itself is also available for download on these platforms (with the exception of mobile).
DRM
Steam does not have DRM-free games in the first place. When you purchase a game on Steam, it is associated with your Steam account. This means that in order to play the game, you need to be logged into your account. This serves as a form of DRM, as it restricts access to the game to authorized users only. Valve also offers developers the option to utilize Steamworks DRM, which is an additional layer of protection provided by Steam. Developers can choose to implement this DRM to protect their games from unauthorized copying or distribution. Steamworks DRM requires users to be logged into their Steam accounts and authenticate their ownership of the game to play it. Last but not least, some games on Steam may also utilize third-party DRM solutions in addition to Steam's DRM such as Denuvo. These additional DRM systems may have their own requirements or limitations for authentication and activation.
Striked gives game developers the option to decide whether or not to use DRM on their games. It’s up to you to enable DRM in order to protect your game(s) from being copied or distributed without permission, and Striked will automatically take care of it.
Library Sync
Steam provides a feature called "Add a Non-Steam Game" that allows you to import games from different locations and clients into the Steam client. This feature lets you launch and manage non-Steam games directly from your Steam library, essentially consolidating your games in one place. It's important to note that adding a non-Steam game to your library doesn't integrate the game with Steam's features like achievements, automatic updates, or online multiplayer. It simply allows you to have all your games in one centralized location for easier access and organization.
With the Striked launcher, all your PC games can be easily managed in one place as well, but friend lists from other platforms can't yet be integrated to keep e.g. track of all your friends and their activities at a glance.
Game selection
Steam offers a vast library of games across various genres with approximately 50,000+ (May 2023) live games for purchase or download and titles are constantly being added. This number includes a wide range of games, including both major releases from well-known publishers and smaller indie titles. This extensive selection ensures that players have a diverse range of options to choose from and can discover new and exciting games to play. Striked does not compete in this league, but that is to be expected from a very new player in the market. Let's see how it looks in a few years!
Conclusion
Both Steam and Striked have their own unique offerings and features. Steam has a vast game library, a mature and active community, and a wide range of features that cater to the needs of gamers and developers. It provides developers with pricing flexibility but takes a high percentage cut (30%) of each transaction. The Steam Community provides a thriving ecosystem for players to connect, share experiences, and discover new games. With features like user profiles, friends lists, chats, groups, user reviews, and curated recommendations, Steam fosters a sense of community and engagement among its users. The Steam Workshop further enhances the experience by allowing players to create and share their own content, expanding the longevity and creativity of games. With support for Windows, macOS, Linux, VR platforms, and mobile applications, Steam offers versatility and accessibility across a wide range of devices. This broad reach allows gamers to access their favorite games regardless of their preferred operating system or device. Steam's DRM system, coupled with the option for developers to implement additional protections, ensures that games are securely tied to a user's Steam account. The platform also offers features like library synchronization, offline mode, and Steam Family Sharing, providing convenience and flexibility for gamers. Furthermore, Steam's extensive game library, with approximately 50,000+ live games covering a wide range of genres, sets it apart as the go-to destination for gamers seeking diverse options and experiences. From AAA titles to indie gems, Steam offers a wealth of choices for every preference.
Unlike Steam, Striked is completely free for users and developers, allowing developers to retain 100% of their earnings. This can be a significant advantage for indie developers or those starting out in the industry, as it removes the financial barrier and provides a platform to showcase their work without incurring any costs. Striked's financing through monthly subscriptions and tailored packages for developers demonstrates a commitment to supporting creators and their financial success. In terms of community and social features, Striked has integrated its own social network into the platform, offering features such as chats, spaces, custom profiles, curated feeds, live streaming, community rewards, and the ability to earn digital coins that you can later spend on great rewards. This social-centric approach fosters interaction and engagement among users and developers, creating a vibrant and interactive community. Additionally, Striked supports direct donations to developers, allowing users to show their support and appreciation for their favorite creators. Striked also offers wide platform support, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (HTML5), and mobile devices. This multi-platform compatibility ensures that users can access and enjoy games across a range of devices, catering to their individual preferences and needs. While Striked's game selection may not yet match the vast library offered by Steam, it is important to note that Striked is a newer player in the market and is still expanding its features and offerings. As it continues to grow, there is the potential for a wider range of games to appeal to different tastes and preferences.
As a new platform focused on the indie sector, we provide a fully automated and transparent process for game developers to create, sell, and distribute their games worldwide. You can use our services completely for free, with no setup fees or hidden costs.
We value feedback and are always open to suggestions for improvement. We take constructive criticism seriously and believe that nothing is set in stone. Our commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in everything we do. We hope this article has given you some insight into our company's status and practices. If you found this article helpful, keep an eye out for other articles in this series that will provide more information about Striked and how we compare to others in this dynamic industry.
As a new player in the market, we want to make a meaningful impact on the global gaming industry, and we believe that we can do so by providing a platform that is accessible, transparent, and user-friendly. Join us on this journey and let's grow together!
Thanks for reading!