Buying on itch become my preference cause games are (mostly) DRM free there. Same for GOG. But not gonna lie, it's very convenient to have everything on Steam
Please, I'm begging 4 years to make it possible to better monetize web games on itch.
Poki is getting bigger by the day with web games, why isn't itch getting on this too? Poki only allows ad based monetization though, not every dev wants that. They also don't let a developer freely upload any game.
So there is plenty of potential for itch to get in the same market while also providing unique benefits to devs. Itch already has a big HTML5 dev community too. Don't blindly run after Steam releases and open your eyes to the unique potentials of your own platform instead.
Yes, this is a big issue. The browing experience feels very circa 2000. When you are on stream, you feel like you are only browsing the cream of the crop. The layout makes a big difference.
hey @itch.io, your platform is an amazing place to discover LGBTQIA+ content, especially trans content. Do you have a plan for if the USA introduces censorship restricting LGBTQIA+ content? How would your platform handle that?
I appreciate itch for the presence of Linux versions of games on,
but I understand steam's marketplace and the functionality of a steam account is quite appealing,
I prefer to buy from itch if i can, i feel like i actually own the files that way. With steam, I still feel like the rug can be pulled even with the extensive library.
I've found tons of games in itch that I've later bought on steam. I like that itch games are just files I can download, no launcher or extra garbage. Unfortunately I run Linux so games that are not explicitly packaged for Linux I feel much more comfortable buying on steam where proton simplifies /1
running new games. Plus if it doesn't run, steam offers me a refund. As a Linux user, it's valuable to have that extra protection. Itch is still awesome though, I have found and purchased a lot of games on the platform.
I have similar problems with the Mac. I buy mostly dev apps and assets on itch. Marmoset Hexels, per example won’t even run when launched from the app, but the Steam version does. When I launch Aseprite from the app, it only opens a window with the alias of Aseprite.
If it's on steam, that means I can play it on my steam deck which is a huge bonus. But if it's not on steam and I still want to play it, I'm happy getting it on itch
Discovery is definitely harder on itch IMO, I think it's actually *easier* on Steam, even ignoring possible deltas between the userbase sizes on each platform.
Or, consider adding some "random mix" into normal results.
I've had games that spent a while in top tier for tags and got lot of amplified traffic as a result, which was cool- but that can mean a small share of games sort of "hog" traffic in an ongoing way due to positive feedback traffic loops.
To chime in, currently Browse interface only sorts by forms of Popularity & Recency, and ONLY Descending order:
-Popular
-New & Popular
-Top sellers
-Top rated
-Most Recent
So if something has no success initially it likely falls into semi-obscurity forever.
The "Randomizer" is cool, however filters it has are very limited. For my purposes, at least, it's not possible to constrain to what I might want (ie: tagged "gameboy-rom", "nes-rom", "puzzle", "etc).
Having it accept arbitrary filters maybe a start, would still prefer main browse + some random
So I’ll mirror some of what @bbbbbr.bsky.social said with the search functionality and positive feedback loop re:popular games, but then also what I’ve written in these note app screens.
TL;DR I don’t think games are surfaced enough throughout the site. I do ❤️ itch though
I go back and forth! There are games I see on itch and then decide to go buy on Steam. I like the convenience of having a big collection on Steam, but I'm more likely to just stick with itch if it's not advertised as being a game on Steam or if there happens to be a sale on itch.
Because there are so many free/pay-what-you-want games on itch I tend to get games free and then throw a few bucks if I can afford it. I don't tend to expect those to be on Steam lol
most games I've bought on itch I buy there first and then, if I know they're on steam, find them and buy them again on steam 😅. I feel like itch is a better place to buy the game to support the dev, but I tend to forget about games I don't have on steam, so for games I really like I buy them twice!
Personally I do the opposite. I like Steam, I think Gabe Newell is very pro-consumer and has taken good care of it, but lately it's been getting a lot of pressure to en-shittify like so many other game stores and I worry about what'll happen when one day he's no longer around.
Steam has just built up such a strong platform that its hard to escape it. I think with itch its a lot harder to manage a game library and play games, especially when using the website. I know there's the app, but its a bit janky. That being said, most games i get aren't on itch I think
I will find a game on https://Itch.io and then search steam for it.
Many times it's a matter of convenience - the game will run on proton automatically and work on a steam deck.
Back in the day, it was hard to get games on Steam, so devs often started on itchio before moving to Steam. Unfortunately, now many devs skip itchio entirely, possibly fearing it might hurt their game's success.
(1/2) For myself, I still very much release my games on itchio, but I sometimes will wait a bit until after the Steam release to do so. Not for concern for sales, but simply since it's easier to release bug fix patches for Steam users than itchio users, so often will wait until feels most notable
(2/2) bugs are fixed and so I don't have to go through extra steps to release a bug fixes on multiple platforms at once, and where on itchio not everyone will for sure download the bug fixed version if already downloaded a previous version.
We think there are other effects that make publishing games on itchio worthwhile besides just how many copies where sold on itchio. So we're looking for evidence to help developers who are on the fence about deciding where to publish.
I feel like I’m still new to Itchio, but to me, you’re the best alternative store. There are reasons people look for alternatives to Google Play, App Store or even Steam.
I've done the OPPOSITE several times. Ynglet was an example of this where first I bought it on Steam, and after a few minutes remembered itch, requested a refund and bought it on there. Itch will never be in competition with steam, but I'm certain their are ways to make it an invaluable complement
As someone with 1 game on steam and 30ish on itch I'll say that being able to group with other devs to do game bundles for charity or just jolly cooperation is very nice.
The jams and general camaraderie is nice too. I've found more friends, fans, patrons, and collaborators through itch by far!
Also payouts! If you have $90 that steam owes you they won't give it to you until you pass $100. I was in a bind a few years ago where things would have been very bad if I couldn't get my $80 paid out to me on time. Itch helped me out when they could have ignored me!
Oh and I haaaaate engaging with the steam backend which is way too overdeveloped. Pushing an update as a solo dev is a nightmare. Itch is just an upload, like you just upload it. It's tight!
Even though I've only used https://itch.io for demos or free rpg maker style games, it does feel like more of a personal/unique experience than steam. Love looking at the games download pages and seeing how the devs designed it.
in my experience games in itch don't get updated as frequently as in steam. I buy in itch when they also include a steam key. But I have bought from itch when I want to support the devs
I prefer buying games on itchio because even if the updates are slower, I know the devs will get a bigger cut and because I want to EASILY own an offline copy of the game.
As an indie game dev myself I don't know if I have to decide to be honest. I would want my game to be on as many platforms as possible so that people can decide which place they like the best to buy and play their games. I'll publish all my games on Itch eventually, and some of them on Steam as well
We launched our preview demo on itchio and couldnt be happier. Got a bunch of people playtesting that has helped us immensely. Not to mention a couple wishlists over on steam too!
We're planning on releasing a longer demo on itchio so we'll always come back!
I'll be real with you. I have bought games on Steam I've found on Itch. I have also bought games on both. Some on Itch only. It's essentially an even split. I follow a lot of certain devs wherever they release specifically to support them if I can. On PC I only use Steam, Itch and GoG
Itch is an important platform. Steam is the big time, GoG has some exclusives but Itch is super necessary as an entry level for developers. It's also a great way to discover games with a good store front. I've also gotten a few bundles from Itch to support various causes 😊
A bit of feedback I see some people complaining about though I'd the constant thumbs up or thumbs down of adult titles. Just embrace it. If those sort of games are on Nintendo now, you might as well 🤷
For me as a consumer it is mostly about being able to easily install and play Indie games on my Steam Deck. There are third party tools to install from GoG and Itch but those are not well integrated. If itch had a more handheld friendly distribution, I would buy a lot more there.
The main advantage for me is that steam games auto-update and sync savefiles across computers. Still not super sure how to update any of the games I got via itch.
genuinely I find the entire process of looking at things on itch and how devs can all do things to make their games pages look pretty/in theme and not just the steam digital/grey boxing, is nice, also find your tags overall better to use to navigate when people properly use them 1/2
2/2 also being able to just follow a dev on there is super nice because then I can just pop on the site, check for updates or news, and pop off faster than like, going to steam and then into wishlist and then to the games steam page :>
If that's part of people's decision making process then that's entirely perception. Basically zero indie games make use of Steam DRM features, it is not something Steam just does for you.
Googled it. What you say doesn't seem to be true. Steam offers DRM. It is probably even activated automatically. It says that it is not particularly good copy protection and only prevents simple copying to another PC. But that's enough for a small game.
From experience it's more that once you integrate features like leaderboards or networking from Steam, the game won't work elsewhere without maintaining a separate version (which I do for itch) - so not DRM specifically, but it might as well be 🤔
I know that it isn't activated automatically because I have used Steam's storefront tools! You have to go out of your way to use the Steam API to integrate it into the executable, otherwise Steam does literally nothing to stop you just copying the install folder somewhere else!
Without knowing the numbers on the backend, https://itch.io gives off the vibe that it takes a smaller cut from game devs and is more approachable for the common folk. I never go to Steam if I found something on itch first.
I feel (granted i very rarely use itch) that Itch is better for indie devs to begin on but as your games get more traction its better to move to steam, as its more streamlined and achievements, servers, etc are easier to obtain I think
So, yes, I have looked for a Steam purchase page for a lot of the games I ended up buying, but with Steam now being required to tell us that we only purchased a license to play our games instead of owning them, I think I'm going to look for https://itch.io releases instead.
If I may throw in my 2 cents. I tend to favor Steam in general when buying games on PC, because that's where most, if not all, my games are located. Not only that, but I also have a fear of buying games on other platforms on PC, that they might go away one day and I lose everything on that platform.
I have. I use Steam to organize a game library and try to keep things consolidated there. However I often forget where I see a game and bounce between Itch, Steam, Humble, and that other one whose name escapes me at the moment.
I know about https://itch.io because I was doing research about indie games and it came up as a cheap place to explore new titles. However I wouldn’t call it mainstream. It’s like how gumroad is known to artist.
I had never thought about that, but I'm a dirty contrarian so I would buy it on https://itch.io instead just to be like "steam doesn't need more sales from me 💅"
I sadly like all my games in one place, and steam is a genuinely good platform for that. I also don't use Epic or any other launcher cause Steam is all I need
Yes I do! But my only reason is I'm from Brazil, and Itch takes payments in USD, which, when converted to my currency, is often too expensive and not worth it. Steam, however, has regional pricing, which means I can get games for a fairer price.
That said, I'd love to have regional pricing on Itch!
I play some games on itch. I have some issues with how it's hard to find games you own through a collection. With me also running an non mainstream OS (NixOS) I have issue trying to run certain games. I have resorted to downloading certain games then running them manually to even be able to run them
Frankly, I think a desktop app might help with this. At least for me. Heck, could even be cool if y’all created a plugin to automatically add the standalone game exes downloaded to steam
They have a desktop app, but is not that good. https://itch.io/app
I would prefer an oficial plugin for the GOG galaxy client instead, I manage all the other game launchers there
for me it's hard to directly search for a game, or search for something that isn't on the front page. it's also a bit annoying that on the client after uninstalling a free game it just dissapears from my library
Is feels more like a web browser/PWA and not so much as a client
You can not see the games purchased in a bundle if you disable the web browser, I understand it was to avoid flooding the library but that is unnecessary in a local client
There are no achievements and the statistics are very basic.
the way i see it, if https://itch.io had some sort of API for achievements and game stats that get logged elsewhere, games that support it would *require* the launcher (or some other boneheaded account system), which defeats the point of being DRM-free if it depends on another program
I bought a bundle several years ago that included an insane amount of games (hundreds, possibly), and I have no idea how to see them nor how to get them. I can only find them in my purchase history when I click on that specific bundle.
You need to click the download button for each game, that will make them visible on your library.
Itchio decided to do that to avoid flooding libraries with hundreds of new games/tools when a bundle like yours is purchased.
Not gonna lie, the worst thing about it is trying to learn it exists.
I've never heard of it before.
It looks pretty slick and the fact that I can download and play a game I released HTML only on itch is very cool. Anytime someone asks for a downloadable version I'll be referring them to that.
welp, it seems i’ve been a victim of this even though it was one of my own qualms!! will be downloading asap, although I do agree that I like the idea of plugins/integrations
One excuse: We've been conditioned to ignore banners and prompts on web for years/decades.
Easy to miss it if you mentally filter out all cookie notices, newsletter prompts, and whatever else appears nearly everywhere on the web.
I think my biggest dislike is there is no distinction between something that is in your "library" and what you have installed, specifically free games.
The one thing I intend to use it for, the library, feels very tedious to go through, a big vertical list is not ideal when all I really need is the image and title. As an ultrawide user especially, it feels like there's a ton of wasted space here.
I often do this, but a QOL overhaul of the app would give me no reason to. The volume of stuff I have on my itch from charity bundles and the like has made my library nearly impossible to navigate effectively on the site or the app whereas Steam has a robust suite of library organization features.
you need to start filtering out the "low end games " from the high end games. Right now, when I got to itch, it feels like there is a never ending stream of low end games. Just the truth.
Last time I checked for a game on steam after itchio was to buy it on both platforms to support the dev.
I couldn't imagine buying on steam over itch after finding a game there
I did that a few times. A big factor for me is regional pricing: I do think devs deserve the money, but sometimes a game is several times more expensive compared to Steam, and I don’t always have the means. Still love Itch though!
As for why devs skip it, other than Steam's greater reach, it might also be a reputation thing. Where it's mostly known for hosting small projects, perhaps? At least that's my impression.
I've bought games on BOTH Itch and Steam in the past. Moreso initially Steam for convenience and then Itch to support both Itch and the developers. Usually it's Steam first and then I think "hey I enjoyed this game a lot, I'll throw them some dough", the DRM-free version is a bonus.
I like to buy and own games on Itch, but I will manually add it to my Steam library since it is the easiest spot to show all the games I own in one spot.
People insist they don't want monopolies and they don't want everything in one basket, but then they insist only buying on Steam and only wanting to use SteamOS.
I actually want one of the WindowsOS handhelds or at least dualboot to better install Itchio, GOG, and fangames to a DeckLike.
But yes, it would be nice if Itchio possibly had a launcher similar to GOG Galaxy or had GOG Galaxy integration (noting that Galaxy even has Steam and EPIC integration). Working with CDPR is at least a start without bettering the Itchio install process for SteamOS users.
I've done the opposite (find some game on steam and then go to itch) because some devs put aside a number of free community copies of games or it is pay-what-you-want and I generally don't have money to spend on games anymore, namaste
When I saw game on steam, I go to itchio to check if the game is there. (Steam is stealing too much money from devs, also, it's pretty uncomfortable for me using steam).
as small as it might seem, itch's CSS customizability makes it VERY appealing in today's internet (to me), where it can be hard to make your game page feel like its own entity, instead of just a default template you are given. i think itch should better advertise its CSS editing as a start
No. If I'm interested in getting a game on PC, I'll always check itchio first, and if the game's on there I'll buy from there. If not I'll check GOG. If it's not available on either platform I probably wont get it at all. The Steam client is just too clunky and sluggish on my ancient PC these days.
I honestly only got Steam months ago, from friends egging me on so that they could gift me games now and then. I hate needing to go to a third party, no matter which one it is, to get anything. It would be even worse to now have to go to multiple third parties... so I don't.
Steam tend to have a monopoly over the digital game market. I still prefer Steam cause of the application. The itch app is pretty basic and lack in a lot of UX design. I still use it cause it’s more useful to keep track of what you have played and the game you download. But it needs work.
If it's available on both, I don't see why you'd get it on Steam. The Itch version is essentially guaranteed to not have DRM. I guess I'm just more paranoid about media ownership than most other people are.
I can understand that. I still do most of my game buying on steam simply because their multiplayer support is just top tier and I want to play with my friends. Anything solo I buy through either Itchio or GOG specifically to avoid the DRM issue.
I really think the Itch app is 80% of the way there, with the last 20% being problems getting it started (its chromium requires --no-sandbox to run it), app causing HTTP 429s, game version management (install/play multiple versions of a game), and for some, actually supporting Itch app install.
Steam offers more direct access to stuff I own. All games are guaranteed to install because it's built that way. I think for Itch to have a better time with arbitrary data (comics, resources, etc) it should give the option to just, download the zip using the app, and let the user handle the rest.
The app is really the best way forward in terms of getting more people to see the potential of Itch in my opinion. And while I didn't mention it right away, Itch could adopt GE-Wine / Proton in order to help those who're buying on Steam BECAUSE of Proton support.
I would honestly be more open to buying games on itch if I had less issues with the desktop app and could more effectively manage my library and collections. I have a bunch of games saved that I would be open to buying but until then, I am more likely to buy elsewhere
@itch.io What's missing for me in the launcher is being able to add free games to the library to make them easier to install. Now i have to go through owned games and a collections view to install everything i wanted.
Factors that affect this for me, especially in the past year having moved from Win to Linux: some devs don't update their games on Itch (or GOG), compatibility issues/crashing/controller and the desktop app not being as great UI for finding specific games, sorting and managing past bundle purchases
That being said, itch is the place to go for DRM free, indie devs, discover unique games that would never make your Discovery feed on Steam, the randomizer, sandboxing and the ease of managing game versions
I find discoverability really tough on Itch. If I want to find platformers made for Game Boy, I have to hope the maker used both the tag "platformer" and "game boy". If there's a way to search for ALL the games available in .gb and .gbc format, I haven't found it.
To be fair, I like to have all my games under the same library/manager. But that's just a convenience thing and apart from that I see no issue with Itchio.
Whatever the case, I'm really grateful for your website. it's a really nice space where I find indie games and developers and I have found great ones that have warmed my heart and have made my life a little better💜
Not accounting for things like achievements, trading cards, and the overlay; I've seen a lot of games which are on both itch and Steam, where I got the vibe that the itch listing is neglected by comparison. It makes me worry if the itch version will be fully up to date.
It's specifically that pattern you mentioned, of games launching on itch first and then Steam, that gives me concern that the itch release is just the dress rehearsal version.
So many of my games are on steam, it's super convenient. Many of those were baught via bundles though. Flash sales and seasonal sales can also help when my budget is tight.
I doubt Valve is going under any time soon, so it makes sense to have a collection there.
No regional pricing murders my ability to acquire games on itch. The only time I ever bought games was when there was an enormous bundle that far more than justified its price.
And i loved it! I often prefer getting games there than on Steam when they're free! But I often can't *BUY* games there.
This is the main reason why I mostly consume Steam games; localized prices made it possible for people in Argentina to buy games. Compare that to Nintendo for example, where 99% of the people I know who own a Switch just download pirated copies of the games because the prices are super high for us.
I did that with Anger Foot, found it on itch io but it was like early alpha. when it came to steam a couple years later thats when I bought it. i like to have games in my steam library, having them in a bunch of different locations is annoying. Plus i play a lot of steam deck now.
I'll admit to doing this. I launch almost all of my PC games through Big Picture, so having a game on Steam gives me the least friction for installing and launching.
Itch usually has the demos early on, Steam is just generally easier for games in general because everything is on it at this point. You’ve got your updates and achievements and friend activity all in one place where devs can get tons of exposure
Often I only buy games on Steam if it's easier to do multiplayer or modding through it, otherwise I look games up on itch or at least GOG to better support the creators and/or the DRM free model
As a buyer in the UK I do lean towards using itch over Steam, but a big push factor is that often prices are the same as Steam, except not including sales tax where the Steam price does. A 20% premium is palatable on smaller amounts, but it stings on a £20+ title.
that's interesting, but i'd caution against relying solely on online polls for informed decision-making. they often don't accurately represent the opinions of a larger population.
Comments
Sometimes I just cannot afford the original price of a game and because steam has the local prices feature it can fit on my brazilian ass wallet
Poki is getting bigger by the day with web games, why isn't itch getting on this too? Poki only allows ad based monetization though, not every dev wants that. They also don't let a developer freely upload any game.
Sorry. :(
Also, Steam is just easier when you daily drive Linux.
but I understand steam's marketplace and the functionality of a steam account is quite appealing,
While I can play itch games on the deck, it's not optimal.
This said, please consider leaving X.
-First sort by Featured
-Another pass with 5% random chance any entry will be swapped with another random entry.
Result is strong items + better discovery of others
https://gbdk-2020.github.io/gbdk-2020-gallery
I've had games that spent a while in top tier for tags and got lot of amplified traffic as a result, which was cool- but that can mean a small share of games sort of "hog" traffic in an ongoing way due to positive feedback traffic loops.
-Popular
-New & Popular
-Top sellers
-Top rated
-Most Recent
So if something has no success initially it likely falls into semi-obscurity forever.
Consider adding
-Random
-Sort Ascending
Having it accept arbitrary filters maybe a start, would still prefer main browse + some random
TL;DR I don’t think games are surfaced enough throughout the site. I do ❤️ itch though
Are the results good for you?
But! Using the itch app (which as a player, I use more than the website) this doesn't even show up if I click "library".
The itch app seems to struggle to deal with login information and the process of buying stuff usually leads to having to go to the site and buying it.
The itch app doesn't download updates in the background.
Steam has steamworks, so again, is a natural fit for games, but not so much apps, so again, putting them in itch means no steam client is needed.
You are directly on Steam and receive everyday sales ads
Many times it's a matter of convenience - the game will run on proton automatically and work on a steam deck.
Just my notes on how I go about it.
Also i think Itch is better for early access than Steam.
The jams and general camaraderie is nice too. I've found more friends, fans, patrons, and collaborators through itch by far!
We're planning on releasing a longer demo on itchio so we'll always come back!
I check Itch, GoG, and Zoom-Platform FIRST before buying games from Steam
Which is what the question was about.
---
Steam has recently had to admit that they don't sell games but licenses.
On the other hand, any games you download from itch or GoG are yours forever.
Next time I'll try to do the reverse
Itch is a good place to try games and see if you like them before committing
That said, I'd love to have regional pricing on Itch!
I also do this because Steam more often than not has the upgraded versions of games that were previously free on Itch because they were for game jams.
https://itch.io/app
I would prefer an oficial plugin for the GOG galaxy client instead, I manage all the other game launchers there
You can not see the games purchased in a bundle if you disable the web browser, I understand it was to avoid flooding the library but that is unnecessary in a local client
There are no achievements and the statistics are very basic.
Again a plugin for GOG galaxy would have the same functionality except for access to the store
Tags, genre, specific platform, something other than just games, tools, books
With all the MASSIVE bundles that have been available over these past years I may never SEE half the games in my library, let alone my collections
Itchio decided to do that to avoid flooding libraries with hundreds of new games/tools when a bundle like yours is purchased.
I've never heard of it before.
It looks pretty slick and the fact that I can download and play a game I released HTML only on itch is very cool. Anytime someone asks for a downloadable version I'll be referring them to that.
I have no excuse.
Easy to miss it if you mentally filter out all cookie notices, newsletter prompts, and whatever else appears nearly everywhere on the web.
I couldn't imagine buying on steam over itch after finding a game there
- Achievements
- Social aspect of steam
- Convenience of having steam cloud saves
Like I said previously, lame reasons, I am sorry itch 😭
I actually want one of the WindowsOS handhelds or at least dualboot to better install Itchio, GOG, and fangames to a DeckLike.
I often find a good game on the internet, hop on over to Steam, then find myself surprised at how big my "third world discount" is
I doubt Valve is going under any time soon, so it makes sense to have a collection there.
/1
There's also an immense amount of games on steam, it can be hard to get any attention.
My games on itch are small, and easy to play through the browser; there's an "indie" feeling there.
And i loved it! I often prefer getting games there than on Steam when they're free! But I often can't *BUY* games there.
I understand regional pricing is definitely non trivial, but it's a thing that could help all of us.
I love itch and use it regularly, but rarely when given the direct choice between a Steam version and itch version.