It is a bit different. Have you invested thousands of hours developing skills with a piece of productivity software, and locked your data into their proprietary data format? Has that vendor looked at your investment, and found that they have plenty of leverage to turn the screws on you?
With a game, you invest tens of hours developing skills, lock your “master sword” in a proprietary save format, and then you save the princess. After that, you’re done. It is an ephemeral experience, give or take wanting to replay a few really good games. The game vendor doesn’t have that much hold over you, and their grip doesn’t get stronger the more you use it. I can replace your game with hundreds of other games, and I don’t really lose anything by doing so.
I absolutely agree with you, but look at launchers and such. Steam is very much proprietary and commercial. I find it a little odd that those who might do anything to avoid proprietary software, willingly use it for gaming.
It is a bit different. Have you invested thousands of hours developing skills with a piece of productivity software, and locked your data into their proprietary data format? Has that vendor looked at your investment, and found that they have plenty of leverage to turn the screws on you?
With a game, you invest tens of hours developing skills, lock your “master sword” in a proprietary save format, and then you save the princess. After that, you’re done. It is an ephemeral experience, give or take wanting to replay a few really good games. The game vendor doesn’t have that much hold over you, and their grip doesn’t get stronger the more you use it. I can replace your game with hundreds of other games, and I don’t really lose anything by doing so.
I absolutely agree with you, but look at launchers and such. Steam is very much proprietary and commercial. I find it a little odd that those who might do anything to avoid proprietary software, willingly use it for gaming.
Those are just my thoughts.