redeyebut those import duties/ taxes are “killer”… (for stuff not made in Brazil) how much more is the ps5.., so much people stay on ps4!

Taxes levied for individuals and companies are at different rates, not to mention the Deck is a computer, not a gaming console. Which again, has different taxes applied. Not to mention legislation has changed and evolved over time.

kapone32I guess you don't know the history of Video Games as well as I do. Sega, through a Company has exclusive rights to video Game consoles. When the Genesis was no more in North America, it was the rage in Brazil. Yes some of it is scale of economy. There is a documentary on Gaming in Cuba that is insane. There is some of the fact that at that time North America was still the leader in Consumer spending levels. A $300 Dreamcast would have been over $600 + import penalties. In 1998 the Interest rate in Brazil was 40%. What was the name of the company that marketed the Genesis again. Did not the Genesis sell in Brazil well into the 2010s?

Yes, Brazil was and remains the world's most popular market for Sega consoles. So you have an idea - the Master System is still literally manufactured and sold here, and it sells relatively well, and there was a licensed re-run of the Mega Drive recently. But it's not because of cost, it's because Sega games have always been historically popular with Brazilians - especially considering things like games that featured Ayrton Senna (widely considered to be a national hero) were impossibly big at the time of his passing.

Cost has nothing to do with Sega's success here, especially since you missed the crucial point: the consoles were nationalized and manufactured by Tec Toy locally, the same company which still makes Master System and were responsible for the MD re-run. Likewise, Nintendo nationalized their manufacturing through another company called Gradiente, which is still around but no longer makes video games, just general home electronics. Not that it matters - for example, you can buy a Switch Lite here for about $180 USD, and that's about the same price they go for the ol' US of A.

I just don't see the correlation between Brazilians liking Sega consoles and Valve not selling the Deck here, after all, ASUS sells both the Ally and Ally X, the Chinese handhelds from GPD and the like tend to be available - and yes, you can even have an imported Deck on your own dime, which is pretty much nonsense considered the other brands' handhelds have better specs.

AusWolfI'm only in my mid-30s, but I feel exactly the same as you. Gaming is escapism, gaming is immersion. Neither of which is achievable on a 5-7" touchscreen on my break at work.

Gaming is a hobby as that is what a card collector would say about their cards. A movie lover (before) in their DVD library or a Stamp Collector. Tablets, handhelds even phones are just PCs ina different form factor. It is all relative however.

I just got an Ally. I must admit I am a little whelmed. I thought it would have been a different experience. It feels exactly like a PC but just smaller. I installed Grim Dawn and forgot that it is a real PC Game so no controller support. I was downloading 40k Martyr but then the Premier League started and City Skylines 2 was calling.

Everyone knows I have a 43" 4K monitor but you should see the Old World (Mod) Map of TWWH3 on a huge screen. Redout 2 is also quite a blast on a big screen. Immersion is when you plug in your imagination. Today Games are so intense at 4K that I have Gaming nirvana moments, like after watching the 6 hours of Fuji, I loaded that up on LMU and had the Glickenhaus, Isotta and Vanwall to add to the grid. There was a moment when all of them were on the screen at the same time going through the curvy part of Fuji. Excelsior.

When Football is done I will how the Ally feels with a Game that has controller support and I actually like.

"the consoles were nationalized"

So ask yourself why the Steam Deck is not sold in Brazil. Why would the Government have to nationalize video Games?

kapone32Gaming is a hobby as that is what a card collector would say about their cards. A movie lover (before) in their DVD library or a Stamp Collector. Tablets, handhelds even phones are just PCs ina different form factor. It is all relative however.

I just got an Ally. I must admit I am a little whelmed. I thought it would have been a different experience. It feels exactly like a PC but just smaller. I installed Grim Dawn and forgot that it is a real PC Game so no controller support. I was downloading 40k Martyr but then the Premier League started and City Skylines 2 was calling.

Everyone knows I have a 43" 4K monitor but you should see the Old World (Mod) Map of TWWH3 on a huge screen. Redout 2 is also quite a blast on a big screen. Immersion is when you plug in your imagination. Today Games are so intense at 4K that I have Gaming nirvana moments, like after watching the 6 hours of Fuji, I loaded that up on LMU and had the Glickenhaus, Isotta and Vanwall to add to the grid. There was a moment when all of them were on the screen at the same time going through the curvy part of Fuji. Excelsior.

When Football is done I will how the Ally feels with a Game that has controller support and I actually like.

"the consoles were nationalized"

So ask yourself why the Steam Deck is not sold in Brazil. Why would the Government have to nationalize video Games?

Sorry the bottom part was for Dr Dro.

kapone32Gaming is a hobby as that is what a card collector would say about their cards. A movie lover (before) in their DVD library or a Stamp Collector. Tablets, handhelds even phones are just PCs ina different form factor. It is all relative however.

I just got an Ally. I must admit I am a little whelmed. I thought it would have been a different experience. It feels exactly like a PC but just smaller. I installed Grim Dawn and forgot that it is a real PC Game so no controller support. I was downloading 40k Martyr but then the Premier League started and City Skylines 2 was calling.

Everyone knows I have a 43" 4K monitor but you should see the Old World (Mod) Map of TWWH3 on a huge screen. Redout 2 is also quite a blast on a big screen. Immersion is when you plug in your imagination. Today Games are so intense at 4K that I have Gaming nirvana moments, like after watching the 6 hours of Fuji, I loaded that up on LMU and had the Glickenhaus, Isotta and Vanwall to add to the grid. There was a moment when all of them were on the screen at the same time going through the curvy part of Fuji. Excelsior.

It's not about size. It's about the fact that when you're on a touchscreen, half of it is covered by your hand, so you can't see a bloody thing, and you don't have any tactile feedback of your actions, either, no clicks, no mouse/stick movement, nothing, and that kills immersion, imo. Gaming isn't just what you see on a screen. You have to feel what you're doing, and that's impossible when you're only tapping on cold glass.

kapone32So ask yourself why the Steam Deck is not sold in Brazil. Why would the Government have to nationalize video Games?

Again, this has absolutely nothing to do with the government, it's a way that companies used to bypass import restrictions in the 1980s and early 1990s, you've never lived in a country ruled by a military junta so I guess you wouldn't understand the far reaching implications of that, even years after it ended

AusWolfI guess it just shows how different we all are. Personally, I think gaming = escapism, therefore, it is best done alone, in one's game room / living room, etc. on a big screen, when immersion is at its best. Having a quick session at work on a break seems pretty pointless to me. I'm not saying that it's wrong, just that I don't see the point.


Because I have no need for it. Everything I want from a phone (staying in touch, banking, shopping, holidays, etc.) can be done via free apps. For anything more complex, I've got a desktop PC.

I'm also one of those who do enjoy mobile gaming to an extent, heavily depending on the genre/game.
I've kinda got into playing gacha games in the past years and those play pretty well on a mobile screen while I'm resting in the bed or when I just cant sit infront of my PC any longer and want to lie down.
Currently I'm playing 2 and both have a PC client too, one I'm exclusively playing on PC only cause it has a fast paced/reaction based combat and thats a big nope on a mobile imo. 'tbh I couldn't even play that with a controller..'
Other one is more chill with a lot of text based story so no extra inputs needed other than the touch controls, those I like to read on my mobile in the bed + I can also quickly hop into the game and do my dailies if I don't have the time to use my PC.
For the end game difficult content I use the PC client only so its a win-win sitution in this case.
I've actually bought a gaming performance budget king 'Poco X6 Pro' phone just for that very reason like 2 months ago.:oops: 'I hardly ever use my phone for anything other than media consumption/browsing the net or playing said games'

For me PC and Mobile gaming can coexist and I'm also in my mid 30s '35 to be exact' and grew up playing exclusively on a PC 'like my family never owned a single console'

Dr. DroHas already worked for me! My opinion of Steam has never been lower than it is right now, and I don't have any particular love for Google Play nor Apple's App Store. Then again, I've always been more or less on Tim's side with this one. I am not fond of hegemonies, and the EGS has done well with the "less is more" philosophy, it brings me back to the days Steam wasn't bloated garbage and that games were cheap and readily available. The weekly giveaways are nice, even though I probably won't ever play most of them - it's not like I will play most of the shovelware on my Steam account either, and I paid for all of that.



I like how "Steam Deck support" is now considered a platform advantage, yet years later (I wishlisted it August 10 2021) :shadedshu:

I also have a 19 years old Steam account and tbh I've never really cared about or used those so called extra 'features' of Steam.
Yes EGS is simple, I get/install my games and then I'm off to play them and thats it and I'm fine with that.

kapone32Is that Steam's fault or Sega? You live in Brazil.

Legit question but what does Sega have anything to do with it?

I assumed it was just that Valve did not bother to do distribution in those regions.

(I am also from brazil but I do have a deck)

persondbLegit question but what does Sega have anything to do with it?

I assumed it was just that Valve did not bother to do distribution in those regions.

(I am also from brazil but I do have a deck)

Did you buy your deck officially from a store in Brazil or Online through a VPN? When Dr Dro said that the Govt nationalized video Game consoles through Sega it gives a reason for there to be no inventory of Steam Decks sourced locally (not sure about that one). It would either be seen as contraband or face fierce tariffs.

SithaerI'm also one of those who do enjoy mobile gaming to an extent, heavily depending on the genre/game.
I've kinda got into playing gacha games in the past years and those play pretty well on a mobile screen while I'm resting in the bed or when I just cant sit infront of my PC any longer and want to lie down.
Currently I'm playing 2 and both have a PC client too, one I'm exclusively playing on PC only cause it has a fast paced/reaction based combat and thats a big nope on a mobile imo. 'tbh I couldn't even play that with a controller..'
Other one is more chill with a lot of text based story so no extra inputs needed other than the touch controls, those I like to read on my mobile in the bed + I can also quickly hop into the game and do my dailies if I don't have the time to use my PC.
For the end game difficult content I use the PC client only so its a win-win sitution in this case.
I've actually bought a gaming performance budget king 'Poco X6 Pro' phone just for that very reason like 2 months ago.:oops: 'I hardly ever use my phone for anything other than media consumption/browsing the net or playing said games'

For me PC and Mobile gaming can coexist and I'm also in my mid 30s '35 to be exact' and grew up playing exclusively on a PC 'like my family never owned a single console'

Each to their own, I guess.

For those resting in bed moments, I have a PS2 and a small PC attached to the TV. When I'm too lazy to turn even those on, I grab my trusty old PSP. I'm looking at replacing it with a Steam Deck, but it's out of stock at the moment, so I'm waiting for availability. For reading, I've got a first gen Amazon Kindle. The e-paper screen is much better on my eyes than any backlight. But yeah, each to their own. :)

Epic can offer me free money and i'll refuse it.

FreedomEclipseWhat Tim Sweeny has continuously failed to understand is that STEAM is more than just a shop where you can buy games. Its an entire platform where you can discover games based on your library that you might enjoy. There is also the community element to it where people can post guides, mods and fan art for games they like.

None of which I've ever wanted in a launcher. If there has to be a launcher - just do the DRM component and have another downloadable module if you want the social, community, store-front, fan-art aspect etc. etc.

beedooNone of which I've ever wanted in a launcher. If there has to be a launcher - just do the DRM component and have another downloadable module if you want the social, community, store-front, fan-art aspect etc. etc.

Store-front you can access via an internet browser... Chrome, Firefox, Edge - whatever you want.

as for the rest you can go into steam settings and change a few settings to change what you see when you log in.



You can log in direct to your library - the 'DRM component' and do all your game downloads and what not from there without ever having to dip into the dark side of steam.

Yep, set to start in Library, and have community content disabled from library pages if that's yer jam.

AusWolfI never buy games on mobile. What's the point in (pretending to be) playing on a touchscreen anyway?

Mobility?

I mean I can see it in concept but most mobile games are pay 2 win crapfests so...

FreedomEclipseYou can log in direct to your library - the 'DRM component' and do all your game downloads and what not from there without ever having to dip into the dark side of steam.

So you're saying with "modern" Steam, I don't need to have any baggage, or guff installed. I can just do the DRM part - if so, I may be interested in having another look.

R-T-BMobility?

I mean I can see it in concept but most mobile games are pay 2 win crapfests so...

What's the point of mobility if your gaming experience is trashed by tapping on an unresponsive, cold glass panel devoid of any feeling or feedback?

beedooSo you're saying with "modern" Steam, I don't need to have any baggage, or guff installed. I can just do the DRM part - if so, I may be interested in having another look.

Yep. Set the start page to your library, disable community content, friends and all the extra fluff, and if your library gives you tabs, just hide them forever.

FrickPixel Dungeon. Mini Metro. Race for the Galaxy (that works better on a tablet though). But above all ... I can play those games anywhere, and I can play them on a device I already have (a phone, any phone). A couple of games of RftG on the lunch break if I feel like it? Yes please. There's a reason why mobile gaming is bigger than PC and console gaming.

And I see a lot of stuff "I would never buy an app for a phone lol" and my question is, why not? If it's good, why not? This goes for games too, we're expected to pay for games in all other formats buy buying a PHONE GAME for like €5? Over my desecrated corpse! Then complain about all the ads everywhere.

I didn't read the "I won't buy" as "I'll pirate". Rather "I will not play mobile games". I'm not assaulted by ads because too many people steal but because the companies just want more money. You'll routinely still see ads after you purchased the product outright, you'll still see in-game transactions for a game you bought, the company will still monetize your data even if you are a paying customer. And eventually you'll be asked to pay to keep a game you already bought but don't own. These are the real reasons people don't want to pay and prefer to just not play or steal. It's never the "poor companies suffering and having to resort to lowly ads", it's the customers always suffering. Don't underestimate corporate greed. You get ads on your $5k TV, more ads on the streaming service you pay in full, ads on the OS you bought retail, and you don't even own the games you buy.

I agree that some games are probably very good and also only playable on a touchscreen. Different paradigm. I'm not a fan of those games and also actively want to avoid looking at the phone too much so I have 0 mobile games on my phones. Not a brick breaker, not a tower defense, nothing, neither bought or pirated. I'm sure many others are like that, hence "I will not buy [or even get for free]" argument.

FrickPixel Dungeon. Mini Metro. Race for the Galaxy (that works better on a tablet though). But above all ... I can play those games anywhere, and I can play them on a device I already have (a phone, any phone). A couple of games of RftG on the lunch break if I feel like it? Yes please. There's a reason why mobile gaming is bigger than PC and console gaming.

And I see a lot of stuff "I would never buy an app for a phone lol" and my question is, why not? If it's good, why not? This goes for games too, we're expected to pay for games in all other formats buy buying a PHONE GAME for like €5? Over my desecrated corpse! Then complain about all the ads everywhere.

Well I don't buy those games for pretty much the same reasons I don't buy online gacha bullshit on the PC anymore.

Its a glorified slot machine, you have no control over the content, everything is subject to change whenever. Fuck that. I'm not contesting that mobile games can be enjoyable. But the overwhelming majority is just complete and utter junk and a waste of time. There are exceptions, but it really depends on how much time one has for 'on the fly' mobile gaming, if you don't NEED to play on that kind of setup, why would you? I think that's where I agree with @AusWolf . OTOH when I compare mobile gaming to say a Steam Deck... the differences are night and day. Playing on Deck doesn't quite feel like a box of uncomfortable compromises, you've got the same calibre of games, more often than not cheaper and much more expansive, you've got all the control you have on a PC over your content. But its still mobile; nonetheless I'd never just get my Deck to 'play a ten minute game'... if I game, I'm gaming.

GerKNGEpic can offer me free money and i'll refuse it.

Right? I'm playing through a free Death Stranding and Control and still... I don't even feel the slightest urge to give them money. And I even love what Tim Sweeney is doing to the market for digital distribution, fighting a good fight. But as long as their EGS is such a slow, unresponsive mess I just can't, don't want to, and will minimize my visits there. To illustrate, I've even put my Death Stranding shortcut straight on the desktop so I don't have to go through the EGS library and store to start it up. I click the icon, EGS starts in background, and I'm in the game. I don't do this for ANY of my Steam based games, or GoG.

closeI didn't read the "I won't buy" as "I'll pirate". Rather "I will not play mobile games". I'm not assaulted by ads because too many people steal but because the companies just want more money. You'll routinely still see ads after you purchased the product outright, you'll still see in-game transactions for a game you bought, the company will still monetize your data even if you are a paying customer. And eventually you'll be asked to pay to keep a game you already bought but don't own. These are the real reasons people don't want to pay and prefer to just not play or steal. It's never the "poor companies suffering and having to resort to lowly ads", it's the customers always suffering. Don't underestimate corporate greed. You get ads on your $5k TV, more ads on the streaming service you pay in full, ads on the OS you bought retail, and you don't even own the games you buy.

I agree that some games are probably very good and also only playable on a touchscreen. Different paradigm. I'm not a fan of those games and also actively want to avoid looking at the phone too much so I have 0 mobile games on my phones. Not a brick breaker, not a tower defense, nothing, neither bought or pirated. I'm sure many others are like that, hence "I will not buy [or even get for free]" argument.

Exactly this. I just feel in every fiber of my body that I'm entering a commercial clusterfk and I've learned to avoid that like the plague. Simply because it NEVER stops at just being a good deal for everyone. They always want more. Greed never stops, and with that, you're committed to undergoing constant changes that you need to keep track of, to avoid being screwed over. I present a massive middle finger to that strategy by just not taking part in it. No, you can't incentivize me, salesman, now kindly fuck off while I manage my own entertainment at a price and set of conditions I want. And with that, you haven't got anything to sell me anyway; I've already got a better product in my hands. I'm a big promotor of 'the customer is always right'. Either get with that program, or no deal - that's the balance of power as it should be. Commerce is here to serve us. Not the other way around.

The funny thing is, lots of indie studios seem to have understood that kind of demand in the market for gaming. Lots of independent creators too - they give free content and open a donation 'whatever you want' button next to it. With the ultra-low barrier of entry to actually make half decent content, I think that's the way to go. Yes, the price for content will and must go down, not up, which has been the mojo of triple A gaming lately 'because development is so expensive' (its really not, that's just a simple matter of project management and scope choices) - and then you learn the better half of the budget is actually spent on marketing campaigns. In other words, you're not only paying that price to pay for THEIR marketing to sell YOU a game, you also know that money hasn't actually gone to making a game at all. Oh yeah, don't forget franchise and licensing 'costs', another thing that we don't really see in the game itself other than the logo and reskin they chose. And suddenly it becomes crystal clear why indie games tend to just be better and offer more.

SithaerI also have a 19 years old Steam account and tbh I've never really cared about or used those so called extra 'features' of Steam.
Yes EGS is simple, I get/install my games and then I'm off to play them and thats it and I'm fine with that.

Yep. That's exactly my reasoning. My Steam account is over 15 years old, to put it in to perspective that's half as long as I've been on this Earth.

AusWolfWhat's the point of mobility if your gaming experience is trashed by tapping on an unresponsive, cold glass panel devoid of any feeling or feedback?

Haptics isn't a new thing so its not really feedbackless, but it is an arguably inferior experience I will grant. I just understand that for mobility, sacrifices must be made. Whether or not they are acceptable? Thats a personal question.

especially since that storefront is only available on iOS in the EU, leaving only Android for the US—the world's second-largest video game market and the country with the highest number of iPhone users.

that's untrue, the store ia available for Android worldwide, not only in the US.

R-T-BHaptics isn't a new thing so its not really feedbackless, but it is an arguably inferior experience I will grant. I just understand that for mobility, sacrifices must be made. Whether or not they are acceptable? Thats a personal question.

To me personally, they're not acceptable, especially considering that handheld gaming consoles with proper hardware and controls are available, and some of them are quite affordable, too.

AusWolfTo me personally, they're not acceptable, especially considering that handheld gaming consoles with proper hardware and controls are available, and some of them are quite affordable, too.

To each their own comes to mind...

My main issue is the quality of the actual "games."

A click on my phones "Games" store tab seems like a portal to hell:

Are people really suggesting mobile games are "not real games" when the mobile gaming dwarfs the PC and console market combined by like 3x?

RamenJunkieAre people really suggesting mobile games are "not real games" when the mobile gaming dwarfs the PC and console market combined by like 3x?

I mean, if half the world is playing garbage like the above, I can see why some prefer the term "brain cancer" rather than "mobile games" frankly.

Sometimes the dollar is not the end all.

R-T-BI mean, if half the world is playing garbage like the above, I can see why some prefer the term "brain cancer" rather than "mobile games" frankly.

Sometimes the dollar is not the end all.

Exactly. The fact that lots of people like something doesn't make it actually, objectively good. Crisp (chips) sandwich is a popular breakfast dish in the UK, but it's really just a bunch of carbohydrates on another piece of carbohydrates with zero nutritional value and very little taste.