Desura is like Valve's Steam but not a direct competitor. In fact, they offer Steam keys for games they do not carry themselves. According to founders, it is aimed to fill the gaps in the market where Valve's Steam is lacking. It offers indie and open source games, other games not suitable for Valve's licensing. Steam games must have a native Windows version, for example (Some Android developers offer android-native games for desktop users through various methods). Desura does not require nor disallow any platform. Nothing forbids Wii homebrew games for instance (client compatibility not withstanding). Desura has Linux, Mac, Windows, and Android clients, and offers platform native games for each. Like Steam and GOG, emulation and games running on compatibility layers are also offered, if said game 'just works' as such (using wine, DosBox, or SCUMMVM for examples). Desura has also opensourced its client software (making potentially available to any platform).
Also different from Steam, Desura was first to offer tools for the indie community and indie game development and mods and they continue to offer the most choices. Desura also offers distribution for game mods for games that are not themselves available on Desura. Many Steam-only games are available through Desura's site and client for purchase an play (using Desura as a layer on top of Steam's software)
Desura provides and/or handles... (not necessarily anything notably different compared to other digital distribution services)
* A large international customer base (almost certainly larger than a indie dev would have to start with if they went it alone)
* Customer interaction forums and events.
* Developer/publisher set pricing at all market stages and decides on pre-ordering themselves
* Advertising and promotion, even before the release date.
* Real time stats from games.
* EZ mods and downloadable content management under developer/publisher control.
* Auto patching at developer's/publisher's option
* API integration at developer's/publisher's option.
* Beta testing as at developer's/publisher's option. Developer/publisher can decide/provide their own group if preferred.
* Mod and UGC tools if the at developer's/publisher's option.
* Tech support to developers/publishers.
* Crowd-funding options with investor rewards and investor interactions.
About Available on Desura
Tried to make the article shorter, but I'm not sure I can cut off much content. Tried to clarify some parts too.
Vague, not covered by anything after.
Besides that Steam doesn't allow games to sell stuff with real money in-game without using Steam Wallet, this is vague allegation.
Completely unexplained, what tools are these? If they're the ones mentioned in the list after it, they aren't something Steam doesn't provide.
Many of the features listed with this are vague in their meaning. Guess also the various bits that are "in developer control" and such.
Overall, I feel like this is nitpicking on Steam's/Valve's handling of things without actually knowing how Steam handles things. There's other digital distributors besides Steam too, that offer far less (D2D, Impulse, GameTap, etc.).
It is aimed to fill the gaps in the market where Valve's Steam is lacking.
Vague, not covered by anything after.
It offers indie and open source games, other games not suitable for Valve's licensing,
Besides that Steam doesn't allow games to sell stuff with real money in-game without using Steam Wallet, this is vague allegation.
Also different from Steam are tools for the indie community and indie game development and mods
Completely unexplained, what tools are these? If they're the ones mentioned in the list after it, they aren't something Steam doesn't provide.
... if the developer prefers.
Many of the features listed with this are vague in their meaning. Guess also the various bits that are "in developer control" and such.
Overall, I feel like this is nitpicking on Steam's/Valve's handling of things without actually knowing how Steam handles things. There's other digital distributors besides Steam too, that offer far less (D2D, Impulse, GameTap, etc.).
Please name names and expound on Steams features, differences, and advantages (I don't claim Valve does not offer advantages) in the the steampowered. I'll start:
* Universal installation method (other services are not so strict, sometime leaving users to fiddle with scripts and installing required libraries manually)
* Guaranteed compatibility (All Linux games, for example, are required to install and run on Ubuntu & SteamOS. Where as Desura or Itch.io could offer, say, Arch only or Gentoo only games.)
* Largest install base/offers the most customers to devs (There are many customers that believe Mac and Linux games exist only because of Steam and did not exist prior. I'm not exaggerating)
* Integrated social features
* Stable Client (I have encountered annoying bugs, but the Steam Client has rarely given me problems with basic functionality. Where as other clients have failed to install or work entirely for me. Note however, I use other clients much more often and more evidence should be collected than my experience)
* Universal installation method (other services are not so strict, sometime leaving users to fiddle with scripts and installing required libraries manually)
* Guaranteed compatibility (All Linux games, for example, are required to install and run on Ubuntu & SteamOS. Where as Desura or Itch.io could offer, say, Arch only or Gentoo only games.)
* Largest install base/offers the most customers to devs (There are many customers that believe Mac and Linux games exist only because of Steam and did not exist prior. I'm not exaggerating)
* Integrated social features
* Stable Client (I have encountered annoying bugs, but the Steam Client has rarely given me problems with basic functionality. Where as other clients have failed to install or work entirely for me. Note however, I use other clients much more often and more evidence should be collected than my experience)