Answer: "Yes, it really is."Is Steam really so terrible to some people that they won't buy CK2? Really? What in the world is so bad about Steam that you'll pass up what appears to be an amazing and unique game just because you have to install Steam on your computer to download it? I personally prefer Impulse for Paradox games (bit faster to update the games), but Steam is by no means so terrible that it will keep me from buying from them (plus they can have some amazing sales).
Longer answer: As above plus "But it'll be moot if/when Paradox produce the Gamersgate version."
That's the feeling some folk have, though I'll add on a personal note that what really spooked me was the way it was 'slid in under my nose' - that's the way it felt, anyway.
I could - just about - understand SOTS2 being released through Steam at the last minute the way it was, given the (apparent) behind-the-scenes problems. But still there doesn't appear to be an official policy announcement about Paradox's future distribution methods. CK2 will, it seems, be initially released on Steam only, with a Gamersgate release later "highly likely". What about "A House Divided"? Don't know. What's next after CK2 for the internal teams? Fair enough that they don't want to release the name of the game just yet, but what about a statement regarding future release methods?
If it's "We don't know ourselves yet" then say so. I'll understand. I'll continue to "wait and see."
The devs seem to feel that we're being irrational (and maybe we are) but an irrational fear is still a fear, and a reluctance to part with cash due to fear results in lost revenue - or in the case of CK2, a delay in receiving it, assuming they do produce the Gamersgate version later.
Normally I wouldn't say that it's Company 'A's job to sell something from Company 'B', except that in this case it really is - because it's a major change to the way they're doing business with us. So, if Steam is so good, why? Sell it to us!
- What's it good at?
- What's it bad at?
- How does it help Paradox?
- How does it help us?
- If I uninstall it, will I still get the major update patches? (Through the game start menu for example?)
- How do I prevent it from installing updates I don't want? (Mod-breaking, for example)
- ...
You get the idea. An FAQ for reluctant Paradoxian Steamers. Some of these - hell probably most of them - have been answered here and there, but nothing's collated, and more to the point acquiescence has been assumed, not sought. You want us to do this with you? Sell it to us!