From what i gathered in a previous interview about E3, Microsoft is now distributing some games on Steam as well but such decision is ultimately up to the ones managing the game itself.

I really hope that this new MSFS will be distributed not only on the Xbox/Windows Store app but also on Steam for a number of reasons:

1) I have most games on it already
2) Steam offers a variety of nice tools to use, it's a known, reliable and serious game distribution platform. DLCs can be sold there too and it's the only PC platform out there who deals with over 15 million active accounts every day.

3) The Xbox app on Windows is still in its early stages lacking a lot of features. One which i think can be quite annoying for example is that you cannot change the game language since the app detects the language which is running on Windows and automatically applies it both to its interface and the games installed with it.

4) The Xbox app infrastructure apparently is using the Windows Store to distribute files and well, that has been disappointing for a long time and the release of Sea of Thieves on it should give it a good hint about it too (buggy download, the app is downloading a lot of GBs even tho it had to download a way smaller patch etc etc)
 

Edited October 4, 20196 yr by france89

I think there's a good chance it will be on Steam as well. Gears 5 and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition are two recent Microsoft games released on Steam (they were also available for pre-order there), and Microsoft Flight was on Steam too along with all the DLC (though that horrible GFWL client was necessary too).

I have a Steam account with tens of games on it but I really do not see how having FS20 there will be of any use to me ? 

And, Heavens, don’t I curse it when I launch a game and Steam makes me wait 15 minutes to update the client ! 

Edited October 4, 20196 yr by domkle

4 minutes ago, domkle said:

I have a Steam account with tens of games on it but I really do not see how having FS20 there will be of any use to me ? 

And, Heavens, don’t I curse it when I launch a game and Steam makes me wait 15 minutes to update the client ! 

Why having MSFS there woudn't be of any use to you when you have tens of games on it already?

As for the other thing ,that depends on your connection. Never happened to me and i have an under average connection even.

Edited October 4, 20196 yr by france89

7 minutes ago, domkle said:

I have a Steam account with tens of games on it but I really do not see how having FS20 there will be of any use to me ? 

And, Heavens, don’t I curse it when I launch a game and Steam makes me wait 15 minutes to update the client ! 

It will still be available on the Xbox App if that's what you prefer. Personally I prefer Steam, and letting users choose their favourite client is optimal. I'd rather if it weren't tied to a client, but that's how games are delivered nowadays.

As for that client update, you have to close Steam before turning off your computer. Shutting down with Steam open will cause this the next time you start it up. It's a rather unfortunate bug.

8 minutes ago, france89 said:

Why having MSFS there woudn't be of any use to you when you have tens of games on it already?

As for the other thing ,that depends on your connection. Never happened to me and i have an under average connection even.

I’ve games there mainly because there are the sole distributor for them and/or have attractive sales a couple of times a year.

Edited October 4, 20196 yr by domkle

3 minutes ago, ChaoticBeauty said:

It will still be available on the Xbox App if that's what you prefer. Personally I prefer Steam, and letting users choose their favourite client is optimal. I'd rather if it weren't tied to a client, but that's how games are delivered nowadays.

As for that client update, you have to close Steam before turning off your computer. Shutting down with Steam open will cause this the next time you start it up. It's a rather unfortunate bug.

My post was sounding too polemical. Don’t make me wrong I like Steam even with that update thing. But I had to buy DA:I at Origin and I was not much bothered. 

Actually if having Steam breaks any monopoly MS may have on the distribution of addons, it might be a good thing. If they let Steam some liberty about their catalogue... But even better would be to let people like A2A, PMDg etc having their own outlet.

 

 

 

That may be a problem some studios are moving away from steam, and steam have a problem with the new EU rules with the resale of goods act, under new EU rules if you bought MSFS on steam and found it not what you wanted you could sell it to another steam member at a discount to offload it, steam at the moment blocks that.

If Microsoft wants maximum exposure then making MSFS available on Steam may be a wise move.

There are many FSX-SE, XP, DCS, AF2, and Fly Inside users who would not be able to help notice the arrival of MSFS, and find it quite convenient/delightful to purchase.

I'm not sure if the proposed MS distribution path will allow it, but one advantage of Steam is that you get the opportunity to try a game and get a refund if you don't like it or it won't run on your system.

Edited October 4, 20196 yr by vortex681

I think there was some reference made to things like freeware being possible with the new sim, does Steam allow that?

+1

I would buy it on Steam if available there and also would be awesome to have the add-ons/DLCs on Steam.

10 minutes ago, andyjohnston.net said:

does Steam allow that?

Yes, in the community section under workshop.
I've added all sorts of freeware for ETS2 and Train Sim previously.
 

Just now, F737NG said:

Yes, in the community section under workshop.
I've added all sorts of freeware for ETS2 and Train Sim previously.
 

Have the developers of the said games a word to say ?

2 minutes ago, domkle said:

Have the developers of the said games a word to say ?

Sorry Dominque, I don't fully understand the question.

The community workshop is like the Avsim library, usually using a specific game's SDK and game objects, mods are created and then shared.

Modding is very commonplace and is probably welcomed by developers as it keeps gamers interested in the original product. It also means freeware creators are freeing-up time for the original developers to spend time on more profitable tasks such as payware DLC expansion packs.