Steam: Difference between revisions
(Import from TV Tropes TVT:Main.Steam 2012-07-01, editor history TVTH:Main.Steam, CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported license) |
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{{website|wppage=Steam (service)}} |
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{{trope}} |
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[[File:Steam 2016 logo black.svg|thumb|200px|The 2016 Steam Logo]] |
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{{quote box|[[File:steam_logo_9107.gif|frame]]}} |
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{{quote|''"Oh, yeah, I '''love''' Steam! I just hate the pipes..."''|'''[[Left 4 Dead |
{{quote|''"Oh, yeah, I '''love''' Steam! I just hate the pipes..."''|'''Francis'''|[[Left 4 Dead]]}} |
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[ |
'''[https://store.steampowered.com/ Steam]''' is the most popular [[Digital Distribution]] platform for PC games. Created by [[Valve Corporation]] in 2004 to distribute and integrate their own games cheaply, it has grown from its shaky and buggy beginnings into the service that PC gamers can use for their online middleware needs. (Provided you have a decently fast internet connection and a way of buying online.) It also features a messaging system, an online multiplayer platform, [[Cosmetic Award|Achievements]], and an in-game Web browser, making it something like the PC equivalent of [[Xbox]] [[Xbox 360|Live]], except free, and marketed at an older demographic. And like Live, it has since gone cross-platform, supporting MacOS X in addition to Windows. |
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All of Valve's PC games since ''[[ |
All of Valve's PC games since ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' have required Steam and the retail versions come with it. The service is free to download as well, and allows gamers to integrate their games into the service, as well as download games that support the service natively. |
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Having the full support of pretty much every major publisher that makes PC titles except Blizzard, Maxis (except for ''[[ |
Having the full support of pretty much every major publisher that makes PC titles except [[Blizzard]], Maxis (except for ''[[Spore]]'' and ''[[SimCity]]'') and [[Electronic Arts]] (who have their own [[Digital Distribution]] platform, [[Origin (EA)|Origin]]), the service makes it easier to just download and play PC games, due to having over one thousand titles available for download, many of which are classic games in their own right-and now it boasts more than 30 million unique users. Not bad for a company that made its first game 12 years ago. |
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The program has its own [[Hatedom]], partly thanks to the service's self-imposed [[DRM]], but also due to surprisingly high prices, which Steam circumvents by offering weekly discounts on specific products. Further, as [[Digital Distribution]] has become more popular, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131225210755/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_245/7285-Steam-A-Monopoly-In-the-Making some of the ways Steam does things have proven unfriendly to competition]. Ironically, the reaction to [[Electronic Arts]]' digital service ''Origin'' was highly negative, with a ''ton'' of people wishing they just stuck to Steam, though this is largely in part due to majority opinion that Origin is not only a vastly inferior service for a variety of reasons (it can be argued that Steam's success is because it provides a variety of useful services nobody else provides), but also due to Orgin's [[Internet Backdraft|highly controversial]] terms of service. |
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Of course, we have a Steam Group, [http://steamcommunity.com/groups/tropers here]. Feel free to join. |
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In 2010, the interface underwent a major overhaul, designed to coincide with the release of Steam for the Mac. [[Your Mileage May Vary|Opinions]] [[Internet Backdraft|are]] [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks|mixed]]. |
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The program has its own [[Hatedom]], partly thanks to the service's self-imposed [[DRM]], but also due to surprisingly high prices, which Steam circumvents by offering weekly discounts on specific products. Further, as [[Digital Distribution]] has become more popular, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_245/7285-Steam-A-Monopoly-In-the-Making some of the ways Steam does things have proven unfriendly to competition]. Ironically, the reaction to [[Electronic Arts]]' digital service ''Origin'' was highly negative, with a ''ton'' of people wishing they just stuck to Steam, though this is largely in part due to majority opinion that Origin is not only a vastly inferior service for a variety of reasons (it can be argued that Steam's success is because it provides a variety of useful services nobody else provides), but also due to Orgin's [[Internet Backdraft|highly controversial]] terms of service. |
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[[I Thought It Meant|Not related to water vapor]], or that [[Peter Gabriel]] song, or [[steampunk]]. |
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In 2010, the interface underwent a major overhaul, designed to coincide with the release of Steam for the Mac. [[Your Mileage May Vary|Opinions]] [[Internet Backdraft|are]] [[They Changed It Now It Sucks|mixed]]. |
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{{Tropelist|Tropes Pertaining to Steam Include}} |
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[[I Thought It Meant|Not related to water vapor.]] [[Tropes That Will Never Happen|That will never happen.]] |
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* [[Allegedly Free Game]]: Some of the free games in the Steam store are this. |
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---- |
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* [[Digital Distribution]] |
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=== Games and series for download from Steam include: === |
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* [[Expy]]: Of [[Blizzard Battle.Net]]. |
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* ''[[Aaaaa a Aaaa AA Aaa AAA Aa AAAAAA Reckless Disregard For Gravity (Video Game)|Aaaaa a Aaaa AA Aaa AAA Aa AAAAAA Reckless Disregard For Gravity]]'' |
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* [[Going Mobile]]: Steam has an official mobile app on Iphones, android, and Windows Phones. |
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* ''[[Alan Wake (Video Game)|Alan Wake]]'' |
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** Inverted, this is primarily so that gamers can have an extra layer of security, catch the latest news/see what new games arrived, and serious stuff like that. |
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* ''[[Alice Madness Returns (Video Game)|Alice Madness Returns]]'' |
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* [[No Export for You]]: Some of Valve's games, like [[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive]] and [[Team Fortress 2]], can only be bought and/or download for free only in Steam. |
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* ''[[Alliance of Valiant Arms (Video Game)|Alliance of Valiant Arms]]'' |
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* [[Retro Gaming]]: In the vast library of Steam's, there's a lot of retro games. |
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* ''[[Alien Hallway (Video Game)|Alien Hallway]]'' |
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** Inverted. Like with [[GOG.com|GOG]]'s case, some of the games only have this art style, but are release just recently. |
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* ''[[Alien Swarm (Video Game)|Alien Swarm]]'' |
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* ''[[Americas Army (Video Game)|Americas Army]]'' |
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{{examples|Games and series for download from Steam include:}} |
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* ''[[Amnesia the Dark Descent (Video Game)|Amnesia the Dark Descent]]'' |
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* ''[[AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity]]'' |
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* ''[[And Yet It Moves (Video Game)|And Yet It Moves]]'' |
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* ''[[The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police]]'' |
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* ''[[ARMA (Video Game)|ARMA]]'' series |
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* ''[[Alan Wake]]'' |
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* ''[[Assassin's Creed (Video Game)|Assassin's Creed]]'' series |
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* ''[[Alice: Madness Returns]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed I (Video Game)|Assassin's Creed I]]'' |
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* ''[[Alliance of Valiant Arms]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed II (Video Game)|Assassin's Creed II]]'' |
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* ''[[Alien Hallway]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (Video Game)|Assassin's Creed Brotherhood]]'' |
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* ''[[Alien Swarm]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed Revelations (Video Game)|Assassin's Creed Revelations]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[America's Army|Americas Army]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Amnesia: The Dark Descent|Amnesia the Dark Descent]]'' |
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* ''[[And Yet It Moves]]'' |
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* ''[[A Valley Without Wind (Video Game)|A Valley Without Wind]]'' |
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* ''[[ARMA: Armed Assault|ARMA]]'' series |
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* ''[[Back to The Future (Video Game)|Back to The Future]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' series |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed (video game)|Assassin's Creed I]]'' |
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* ''[[Battlefield (Video Game)|Battlefield]]'' series<ref>Except ''[[Battlefield 3 (Video Game)|Battlefield 3]]'' (which EA has made exclusive to their competing Origin service) and a few gimmick titles.</ref> |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' |
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** ''[[Battlefield Bad Company (Video Game)|Battlefield Bad Company]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood|Assassin's Creed Brotherhood]]'' |
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* ''[[Beat Hazard (Video Game)|Beat Hazard]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
** ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' |
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* ''[[Beyond Good and Evil (Video Game)|Beyond Good and Evil]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
** ''[[Assassin's Cread IV: Black Flag]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed Rogue]]'' |
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* ''[[Bionic Commando (Video Game)|Bionic Commando]] [[Updated Rerelease|Rearmed]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
** ''[[Assassin's Creed Unity]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Assassin's Creed Syndicate]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Assassin's Creed Origins]]'' |
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** ''[[Assassin's Creed Odyssey]]'' |
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** ''[[Bio Shock Infinite (Video Game)|Bio Shock Infinite]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Audiosurf]]'' |
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* ''[[Avadon]]'' |
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* ''[[Bloodline Champions (Video Game)|Bloodline Champions]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[A Valley Without Wind]]'' |
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* ''[[Back to the Future: The Game|Back to The Future]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Bastion]]'' |
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* ''[[Battlefield (series)|Battlefield]]'' series<ref>Except ''[[Battlefield 3]]'' (which EA has made exclusive to their competing [[Origin (EA)|Origin]] service) and a few gimmick titles.</ref> |
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* ''[[Brawl Busters (Video Game)|Brawl Busters]]'' |
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** ''[[Battlefield: Bad Company]]'' |
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* ''[[Breath of Death VII (Video Game)|Breath of Death VII]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Beat Hazard]]'' |
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* ''[[Bejeweled]]'' |
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* ''[[Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth (Video Game)|Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Beyond Good & Evil (video game)|Beyond Good and Evil]]'' |
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* ''[[The Binding of Isaac]]'' |
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* ''[[Bionic Commando]] [[Updated Rerelease|Rearmed]]'' |
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** ''[[Call of Duty Black Ops (Video Game)|Call of Duty Black Ops]]'' |
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* ''[[BioShock (series)]]'' series |
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** ''[[Call of Duty Black Ops 2 (Video Game)|Call of Duty Black Ops 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
** ''[[BioShock]]'' |
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** ''[[BioShock 2]]'' |
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* ''[[Champions Online (Video Game)|Champions Online]]: Free For All'' |
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* ''[[ |
** ''[[BioShock Infinite]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Blade Kitten]]'' |
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* ''[[Bloodline Champions]]'' |
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* ''[[City of Heroes (Video Game)|City of Heroes]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Borderlands]]'' |
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** ''[[Borderlands 2]]'' |
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* ''[[Command and Conquer (Video Game)|Command and Conquer]]'' franchise: |
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* ''[[Braid]]'' |
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** ''[[Command and Conquer Tiberium Wars (Video Game)|Command and Conquer Tiberium Wars]]'' |
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* ''[[Brawl Busters]]'' |
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* ''[[Breath of Death VII]]'' |
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* ''[[Brink (video game)|Brink]]'' |
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* ''[[Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth]]'' |
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* ''[[Call of Duty]]'' series |
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** ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare|Modern Warfare]]'' series |
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** ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops]]'' |
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** ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops II]]'' |
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* ''[[Cave Story]]+'' |
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* ''[[Champions Online]]: Free For All'' |
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* ''[[Chantelise]]'' |
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* ''[[Chime (video game)|Chime]]'' |
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* ''[[City of Heroes]]'' |
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* ''[[Civilization]]'' |
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* ''[[Command & Conquer]]'' franchise: |
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** ''[[Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars]]'' |
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** ''Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath'' |
** ''Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Command and Conquer Tiberian Twilight]]'' |
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** ''[[Command |
** ''[[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3]]'' |
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*** ''Red Alert 3 -- Uprising'' |
*** ''Red Alert 3 -- Uprising'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Commander Keen]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Company of Heroes]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Costume Quest]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Counter-Strike]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Crea Vures]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Crime Craft Bleedout]]'' |
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* ''[[Critical Mass 2011 ( |
* ''[[Critical Mass 2011 (video game)|Critical Mass 2011]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Crusader Kings]] II'' |
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* ''[[Crysis ( |
* ''[[Crysis (series)|Crysis]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Cthulhu Saves the World]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Culpa Innata]]'' |
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* ''[[Dark Forces |
* ''[[Star Wars: Dark Forces|Dark Forces Saga]]'' |
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* ''[[Dark Messiah |
* ''[[Dark Messiah of Might and Magic|Dark Messiah]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dark Souls]] - [[Updated Rerelease|Prepare To Die Edition]]'' (Coming Soon!) |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Darwinia]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dawn of War]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[DC Universe Online]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dead Island]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dead Rising 2]]'' |
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** ''Dead Rising 2: Off The Record'' |
** ''Dead Rising 2: Off The Record'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Deadly 30]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[DEFCON]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Deus Ex]]'' |
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** ''[[Deus Ex Invisible War |
** ''[[Deus Ex: Invisible War|Deus Ex Invisible War]]'' |
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** ''[[Deus Ex Human Revolution |
** ''[[Deus Ex: Human Revolution|Deus Ex Human Revolution]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Devil May Cry]] 3'' and ''4'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Dig]]'' |
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* ''[[Doom ( |
* ''[[Doom (series)|Doom]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dota 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dragon Age]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Drawn: The Painted Tower]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Duke Nukem Forever]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dungeon Defenders]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dungeons of Dredmor]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dustforce]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Dwarfs]]'' |
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* ''[[Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon |
* ''[[Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon|Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon]]'' |
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* ''[[Earthworm Jim ( |
* ''[[Earthworm Jim (video game)|Earthworm Jim]]'' |
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* ''[[Ecco the Dolphin ( |
* ''[[Ecco the Dolphin (series)|Ecco the Dolphin]]'' |
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** ''Ecco Jr.'' |
** ''Ecco Jr.'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]'' series |
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** ''[[The Elder Scrolls III |
** ''[[The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind]]'' |
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** ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV |
** ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]'' |
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** ''[[The Elder Scrolls V |
** ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Empire At War]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[EndWar]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Europa Universalis]] III'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[EverQuest II]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Eversion]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy|EYE Divine Cybermancy]]'' |
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* ''[[Fable |
* ''[[Fable (video game)|Fable - The Lost Chapters]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Fable III]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Fallout]]'' series |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Fallout 1]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Fallout 2]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Fallout 3]]'' |
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** ''[[Fallout |
** ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Fate of the World]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[F.E.A.R.]]'' franchise |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Flat Out]]'' |
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** ''FlatOut 2'' |
** ''FlatOut 2'' |
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** ''<nowiki>FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage</nowiki>'' |
** ''<nowiki>FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage</nowiki>'' |
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** ''<nowiki>FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction</nowiki>'' |
** ''<nowiki>FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction</nowiki>'' |
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* ''[[The Force Unleashed |
* ''[[Star Wars: The Force Unleashed|The Force Unleashed]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Fortune Summoners]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Forsaken World]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Front Mission]]: Evolved'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Frozen Synapse]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Garry's Mod|Garrys Mod]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Gemini Rue]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Geometry Wars]]: Retro Evolved'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon|Ghost Recon]]'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Gish]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Global Agenda]]'' |
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** ''Global Agenda: Free Agent'' |
** ''Global Agenda: Free Agent'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Gotham City Impostors]]'' |
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* ''[[Grand Theft Auto ( |
* ''[[Grand Theft Auto (series)|Grand Theft Auto]]'' series |
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** ''[[Grand Theft Auto Classic |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto Classic|Grand Theft Auto]]''<ref>as part of the Classics bundle only</ref> |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto II]]''<ref>as part of the Classics bundle only</ref> |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto Vice City]]'' |
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** ''[[Grand Theft Auto |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Gratuitous Space Battles]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Guild Wars]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Gundemonium Series]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Guns of Icarus]]'' |
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* ''[[Half-Life ( |
* ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]'' series |
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** ''[[Half-Life |
** ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life 1]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Hard Reset]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[HAWX]]'' |
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** ''H.A.W.X. 2'' |
** ''H.A.W.X. 2'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Hearts of Iron]] III'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Heavy Weapon]] Deluxe'' |
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* ''[[Hegemony Series |
* ''[[Hegemony Series|Hegemony Gold]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic]] V'' |
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* ''[[Hydrophobia ( |
* ''[[Hydrophobia (video game)|Hydrophobia]]: Prophecy'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Il-2 Sturmovik]]'' series |
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** ''Il-2 Sturmovik: 1946'' |
** ''Il-2 Sturmovik: 1946'' |
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** ''Il-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover'' |
** ''Il-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover'' |
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* ''[[Indiana Jones and |
* ''[[Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis]]'' |
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* ''[[Indiana Jones and |
* ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure|Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Iron Grip]]: Marauders '' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Jade Empire]]'' |
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* ''[[Jamestown |
* ''[[Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Jane's Information Group|Jane's Advanced Strike Fighters]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Jolly Rover]]'' |
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* ''[[Jurassic Park |
* ''[[Jurassic Park: The Game|Jurassic Park the Game]]'' |
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* ''[[Just Cause ( |
* ''[[Just Cause (video game)|Just Cause]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Killing Floor]]'' |
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* ''[[Kingdoms of Amalur |
* ''[[Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Kings Bounty]]'' |
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* ''[[Knights of the Old Republic ( |
* ''[[Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Knights of the Old Republic]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[L.A. Noire]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Last Remnant]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Left 4 Dead 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Lego Adaptation Game]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Limbo]]'' |
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* ''[[Lone Survivor ( |
* ''[[Lone Survivor (video game)|Lone Survivor]]'' |
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* ''[[Loom ( |
* ''[[Loom (video game)|Loom]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Lugaru]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Lumines]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Machinarium]]'' |
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* ''[[Mafia |
* ''[[Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven|Mafia the City of Lost Heaven]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Mafia II]]'' |
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* ''[[Magical Diary |
* ''[[Magical Diary: Horse Hall]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Magicka]]'' |
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* ''[[Magic |
* ''[[Magic: The Gathering|Magic the Gathering]]: [[Duels of the Planeswalkers]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Majesty]]'' |
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** ''Majesty 2'' |
** ''Majesty 2'' |
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** ''Defenders of Ardania'' |
** ''Defenders of Ardania'' |
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** ''Warlock: Master of the Arcane'' |
** ''Warlock: Master of the Arcane'' |
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* ''[[Mass Effect |
* ''[[Mass Effect (video game)|Mass Effect 1]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'' |
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* ''[[Max Payne ( |
* ''[[Max Payne (series)|Max Payne]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Men of War]]'' series |
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* ''[[Metro 2033 ( |
* ''[[Metro 2033 (video game)|Metro 2033]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Monday Night Combat]]'' |
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* ''[[Monkey Island ( |
* ''[[Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]'' series |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]'' |
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** ''[[Monkey Island 2 |
** ''[[Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge|Monkey Island 2 Le Chucks Revenge]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Tales of Monkey Island]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Moonbase Alpha]]'' |
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* ''[[Mount |
* ''[[Mount & Blade]]'' |
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* ''[[Myst ( |
* ''[[Myst (series)|Myst]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Noitu Love]] 2'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Nuclear Dawn]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Oddworld]]'' series |
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** ''[[Oddworld |
** ''[[Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Orcs Must Die]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Patrician]]'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Payday: The Heist]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Peggle]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Penny Arcade Adventures]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Plain Sight]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Planet Busters]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Plants vs. Zombies]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Poker Night At the Inventory]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Post Apocalyptic Mayhem]]'' |
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* ''[[Portal ( |
* ''[[Portal (series)|Portal]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Portal 2]]'' |
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* ''[[Prison Tycoon]]'' series |
* ''[[Prison Tycoon]]'' series |
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* ''[[Prototype ( |
* ''[[Prototype (video game)|Prototype]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Prototype 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Psychonauts]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Puzzle Pirates]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Puzzle Quest]]'' |
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* ''[[Quake ( |
* ''[[Quake (series)|Quake]]'' series |
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* ''[[Rage ( |
* ''[[Rage (video game)|Rage]]'' |
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* ''[[Railroad Tycoon]]'' series |
* ''[[Railroad Tycoon]]'' series |
||
* ''[[Rainbow Six ( |
* ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (video game)|Rainbow Six]] Vegas'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Realm of the Mad God]]'' |
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* ''[[Recettear |
* ''[[Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Renegade Ops]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Resident Evil 5]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Revenge of the Titans]]'' |
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* ''[[Rift]]'' |
* ''[[Rift]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Risen]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Rise of Immortals]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Ristar]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Rochard]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Rollercoaster Tycoon]] 3'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Runaway: A Twist of Fate]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Rusty Hearts]]'' |
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* ''[[Scratches (video game)|Scratches]]'' |
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* ''[[Sam and Max Freelance Police (Video Game)|Sam and Max Freelance Police]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Second Sight (video game)|Second Sight]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Sega Superstars|Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]'' |
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* ''[[Sequence]]'' |
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* ''[[Sega Superstars (Video Game)|Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Serious Sam]]'' |
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* ''[[Serious Sam |
** ''[[Serious Sam: The Random Encounter]]'' |
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* ''[[Shadowgrounds]]'' |
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** ''[[Serious Sam the Random Encounter (Video Game)|Serious Sam the Random Encounter]]'' |
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* ''[[Shatter]]'' |
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* ''[[Shadowgrounds (Video Game)|Shadowgrounds]]'' |
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* ''[[Shatter (Video Game)|Shatter]]'' |
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* ''[[Shattered Horizon]]'' |
* ''[[Shattered Horizon]]'' |
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* ''[[Sengoku ( |
* ''[[Sengoku (video game)|Sengoku]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[SimCity]] 4'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Sims]] 3'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Sky Drift]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Sniper Elite]]'' |
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** ''Sniper Elite V2'' |
** ''Sniper Elite V2'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series |
||
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog ( |
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' |
||
** ''[[ |
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' |
||
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD |
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD|Sonic CD]]'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Sonic 3 and Knuckles]]'' |
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** ''[[Sonic 3D Flickies Island |
** ''[[Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island|Sonic 3D Blast]]'' |
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** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball |
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball|Sonic Spinball]]'' |
||
** ''[[ |
** ''[[Sonic Adventure]] DX'' |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 4]] Ep. I'' |
||
*** ''Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Ep. II |
*** ''Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Ep. II |
||
** ''[[ |
** ''[[Sonic Generations]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Space Chem]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Spiral Knights]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell|Splinter Cell]]'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Spore]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Star Ruler]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Starscape]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Star Trek DAC]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Star Trek Online]]'' |
||
* ''[[Star Wars Battlefront ( |
* ''[[Star Wars: Battlefront (series)|Star Wars Battlefront]] II'' |
||
* ''[[Still Life ( |
* ''[[Still Life (video game)|Still Life]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' |
||
* ''[[Strong |
* ''[[Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People|Strong Bads Cool Game for Attractive People]]'' |
||
* ''Super [[ |
* ''Super [[Meat Boy]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Supreme Commander 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Swords and Soldiers]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Syberia]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Tachyon the Fringe]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Terraria]]'' |
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* ''[[Thief ( |
* ''[[Thief (series)|Thief]]'' series |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Toki Tori]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Tomb Raider]]'' series |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Torchlight]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Total War]]'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Trine]]'' |
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* ''[[UFO |
* ''[[UFO: After Blank]]'' series |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Unreal]]'' series |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Uplink]]'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines]]'' |
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* ''[[Velvet Assassin]]'' |
* ''[[Velvet Assassin]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Vigil Blood Bitterness]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Virtua Fighter]] 2'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[VVVVVV]]'' |
||
* ''[[The Walking Dead ( |
* ''[[The Walking Dead (video game)|The Walking Dead]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[War Inc Battlezone]]'' |
||
* ''[[Warhammer |
* ''[[Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine|Warhammer 40000 Space Marine]]'' |
||
* ''[[Warhammer Online]]'' |
* ''[[Warhammer Online]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Wasteland Angel]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Winter Voices]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Witcher]]: Enhanced Edition'' |
||
** ''[[The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings |
** ''[[The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings|The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' |
||
** ''[[Wolfenstein ( |
** ''[[Wolfenstein (2009 video game)|Wolfenstein]] 2009'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[World of Goo]]'' |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Worms]]'' |
||
* ''[[X ( |
* ''[[X (video game)|X-Universe]]'' series |
||
* ''[[X-COM (Video Game)|X-COM]]'' series |
* ''[[X-COM (Video Game)|X-COM]]'' series |
||
* ''[[ |
* ''[[Ys]]: The Oath In Felghana'' |
||
** ''[[ |
** ''[[Ys]] Origin'' |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Zombie Panic]]'' |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Pages with working Wikipedia tabs]] |
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[[Category:Social Media]] |
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[[Category:Other Sites]] |
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[[Category:Videogame Systems]] |
[[Category:Videogame Systems]] |
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[[Category:Steam]] |
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[[Category:Trope]] |
Latest revision as of 17:53, 18 March 2024
"Oh, yeah, I love Steam! I just hate the pipes..."
—Francis, Left 4 Dead
|
Steam is the most popular Digital Distribution platform for PC games. Created by Valve Corporation in 2004 to distribute and integrate their own games cheaply, it has grown from its shaky and buggy beginnings into the service that PC gamers can use for their online middleware needs. (Provided you have a decently fast internet connection and a way of buying online.) It also features a messaging system, an online multiplayer platform, Achievements, and an in-game Web browser, making it something like the PC equivalent of Xbox Live, except free, and marketed at an older demographic. And like Live, it has since gone cross-platform, supporting MacOS X in addition to Windows.
All of Valve's PC games since Half-Life 2 have required Steam and the retail versions come with it. The service is free to download as well, and allows gamers to integrate their games into the service, as well as download games that support the service natively.
Having the full support of pretty much every major publisher that makes PC titles except Blizzard, Maxis (except for Spore and SimCity) and Electronic Arts (who have their own Digital Distribution platform, Origin), the service makes it easier to just download and play PC games, due to having over one thousand titles available for download, many of which are classic games in their own right-and now it boasts more than 30 million unique users. Not bad for a company that made its first game 12 years ago.
The program has its own Hatedom, partly thanks to the service's self-imposed DRM, but also due to surprisingly high prices, which Steam circumvents by offering weekly discounts on specific products. Further, as Digital Distribution has become more popular, some of the ways Steam does things have proven unfriendly to competition. Ironically, the reaction to Electronic Arts' digital service Origin was highly negative, with a ton of people wishing they just stuck to Steam, though this is largely in part due to majority opinion that Origin is not only a vastly inferior service for a variety of reasons (it can be argued that Steam's success is because it provides a variety of useful services nobody else provides), but also due to Orgin's highly controversial terms of service.
In 2010, the interface underwent a major overhaul, designed to coincide with the release of Steam for the Mac. Opinions are mixed.
Not related to water vapor, or that Peter Gabriel song, or steampunk.
- Allegedly Free Game: Some of the free games in the Steam store are this.
- Digital Distribution
- Expy: Of Blizzard Battle.Net.
- Going Mobile: Steam has an official mobile app on Iphones, android, and Windows Phones.
- Inverted, this is primarily so that gamers can have an extra layer of security, catch the latest news/see what new games arrived, and serious stuff like that.
- No Export for You: Some of Valve's games, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Team Fortress 2, can only be bought and/or download for free only in Steam.
- Retro Gaming: In the vast library of Steam's, there's a lot of retro games.
- Inverted. Like with GOG's case, some of the games only have this art style, but are release just recently.
- AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
- The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police
- Alan Wake
- Alice: Madness Returns
- Alliance of Valiant Arms
- Alien Hallway
- Alien Swarm
- Americas Army
- Amnesia the Dark Descent
- And Yet It Moves
- ARMA series
- Assassin's Creed series
- Audiosurf
- Avadon
- A Valley Without Wind
- Back to The Future
- Bastion
- Battlefield series[1]
- Beat Hazard
- Bejeweled
- Beyond Good and Evil
- The Binding of Isaac
- Bionic Commando Rearmed
- BioShock (series) series
- Blade Kitten
- Bloodline Champions
- Borderlands
- Braid
- Brawl Busters
- Breath of Death VII
- Brink
- Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
- Call of Duty series
- Cave Story+
- Champions Online: Free For All
- Chantelise
- Chime
- City of Heroes
- Civilization
- Command & Conquer franchise:
- Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
- Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
- Command and Conquer Tiberian Twilight
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
- Red Alert 3 -- Uprising
- Commander Keen
- Company of Heroes
- Costume Quest
- Counter-Strike
- Crea Vures
- Crime Craft Bleedout
- Critical Mass 2011
- Crusader Kings II
- Crysis
- Cthulhu Saves the World
- Culpa Innata
- Dark Forces Saga
- Dark Messiah
- Dark Souls - Prepare To Die Edition (Coming Soon!)
- Darwinia
- Dawn of War
- DC Universe Online
- Dead Island
- Dead Rising 2
- Dead Rising 2: Off The Record
- Deadly 30
- DEFCON
- Deus Ex
- Devil May Cry 3 and 4
- The Dig
- Doom
- Dota 2
- Dragon Age
- Drawn: The Painted Tower
- Duke Nukem Forever
- Dungeon Defenders
- Dungeons of Dredmor
- Dustforce
- Dwarfs
- Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon
- Earthworm Jim
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Ecco Jr.
- The Elder Scrolls series
- Empire At War
- EndWar
- Europa Universalis III
- EverQuest II
- Eversion
- EYE Divine Cybermancy
- Fable - The Lost Chapters
- Fable III
- Fallout series
- Fate of the World
- F.E.A.R. franchise
- Final Fantasy XI
- Flat Out
- FlatOut 2
- FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage
- FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction
- The Force Unleashed
- Fortune Summoners
- Forsaken World
- Front Mission: Evolved
- Frozen Synapse
- Garrys Mod
- Gemini Rue
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
- Ghost Recon series
- Gish
- Global Agenda
- Global Agenda: Free Agent
- Gotham City Impostors
- Grand Theft Auto series
- Gratuitous Space Battles
- Guild Wars
- Gundemonium Series
- Guns of Icarus
- Half-Life series
- Hard Reset
- HAWX
- H.A.W.X. 2
- Hearts of Iron III
- Heavy Weapon Deluxe
- Hegemony Gold
- Heroes of Might and Magic V
- Hydrophobia: Prophecy
- Il-2 Sturmovik series
- Il-2 Sturmovik: 1946
- Il-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover
- Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
- Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
- Iron Grip: Marauders
- Jade Empire
- Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony
- Jane's Advanced Strike Fighters
- Jolly Rover
- Jurassic Park the Game
- Just Cause
- Killing Floor
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
- Kings Bounty
- Knights of the Old Republic
- L.A. Noire
- The Last Remnant
- Left 4 Dead
- Lego Adaptation Game
- Limbo
- Lone Survivor
- Loom
- The Lord of the Rings Online
- Lugaru
- Lumines
- Machinarium
- Mafia the City of Lost Heaven
- Magical Diary: Horse Hall
- Magicka
- Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers
- Majesty
- Majesty 2
- Defenders of Ardania
- Warlock: Master of the Arcane
- Mass Effect 1
- Max Payne
- Men of War series
- Metro 2033
- The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom
- Monday Night Combat
- Monkey Island series
- Moonbase Alpha
- Mount & Blade
- Myst
- Neverwinter Nights 2
- Noitu Love 2
- Nuclear Dawn
- Oddworld series
- Orcs Must Die
- Patrician series
- Payday: The Heist
- Peggle
- Penny Arcade Adventures
- Plain Sight
- Planet Busters
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Poker Night At the Inventory
- Post Apocalyptic Mayhem
- Portal
- Prison Tycoon series
- Prototype
- Psychonauts
- Puzzle Pirates
- Puzzle Quest
- Quake series
- Rage
- Railroad Tycoon series
- Rainbow Six Vegas series
- Rayman Origins
- Realm of the Mad God
- Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale
- Renegade Ops
- Resident Evil 5
- Revenge of the Titans
- Rift
- Risen
- Rise of Immortals
- Ristar
- Rochard
- Rollercoaster Tycoon 3
- Runaway: A Twist of Fate
- Rusty Hearts
- Scratches
- Second Sight
- Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
- Sequence
- Serious Sam
- Shadowgrounds
- Shatter
- Shattered Horizon
- Sengoku
- SimCity 4
- The Sims 3
- Sky Drift
- Sniper Elite
- Sniper Elite V2
- Sonic the Hedgehog series
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Sonic CD
- Sonic 3 and Knuckles
- Sonic 3D Blast
- Sonic Spinball
- Sonic Adventure DX
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Ep. I
- Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Ep. II
- Sonic Generations
- Space Chem
- Spiral Knights
- Splinter Cell series
- Spore
- Star Ruler
- Starscape
- Star Trek DAC
- Star Trek Online
- Star Wars Battlefront II
- Still Life
- Street Fighter IV
- Strong Bads Cool Game for Attractive People
- Super Meat Boy
- Supreme Commander 2
- Swords and Soldiers
- Syberia
- Tachyon the Fringe
- Team Fortress 2
- Terraria
- Thief series
- Toki Tori
- Tomb Raider series
- Torchlight
- Total War series
- Trine
- UFO: After Blank series
- Unreal series
- Uplink
- Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
- Velvet Assassin
- Vigil Blood Bitterness
- Virtua Fighter 2
- VVVVVV
- The Walking Dead
- War Inc Battlezone
- Warhammer 40000 Space Marine
- Warhammer Online
- Wasteland Angel
- Winter Voices
- The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
- Wolfenstein 3D
- Wolfenstein 2009
- World of Goo
- Worms
- X-Universe series
- X-COM series
- Ys: The Oath In Felghana
- Ys Origin
- Zombie Panic
- ↑ Except Battlefield 3 (which EA has made exclusive to their competing Origin service) and a few gimmick titles.
- ↑ as part of the Classics bundle only
- ↑ as part of the Classics bundle only