Sustainable Substitutes for Steam

A leading gaming platform with monopolistic market share

Reasons to avoid Steam

Steam, operated by Valve, is a dominant force in PC gaming and holds a near-monopoly in the PC game distribution market, controlling approximately 75% of sales, which allows it to impose high fees and restrictive practices like price parity rules. This dominance extends to data control, as publishers are effectively locked into Steam’s ecosystem, limiting competition and keeping prices high.

Additionally, Steam has faced multiple privacy and security incidents, including data breaches that exposed users’ personal information, raising concerns about its data protection practices. The platform has also introduced AI-driven features, such as moderation tools and AI-powered recommendations, and now permits most AI-generated games, contributing to AI bloat.

Ethical and Sustainable Steam Alternatives

itch.io

Indie game marketplace with fair compensation for creators.

itch.io respects user privacy with minimal data collection and no invasive tracking.
The platform does not force ads on users, providing a clean and uninterrupted experience.
itch.io strongly supports indie developers with flexible pricing models, allowing creators to set their own terms and revenue sharing.
Downloaded games can be played without an internet connection.
Website

GOG.com

DRM-free game store from Poland with privacy focus.

GOG.com has a strong privacy policy, with minimal data collection and no invasive tracking.
Games are DRM-free and can be downloaded and played offline indefinitely.
The platform does not display forced advertisements to users.
GOG.com supports developers with fair revenue sharing and no hidden fees or restrictive policies.
GOG.com is based in Poland.
Website

The 3 main issues with Steam

Monopoly - Market dominance that stifles competition and limits user choice.

Steam holds a dominant position in the PC gaming market, with estimates suggesting Valve controls approximately 75% of the market for PC game sales. Lawsuits, such as the one filed by Wolfire Games, allege that Steam uses its monopoly power to impose high fees (30%) and restrictive practices, such as price parity rules, which limit competition and keep game prices artificially high.Source:Ars Technica: Humble Bundle creator brings antitrust lawsuit against Valve over Steam (2021)

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Steam has faced multiple privacy and security incidents, including a 2015 breach that exposed users' personal information, such as addresses and credit card data, as well as a 2025 data leak involving SMS transmission logs. These incidents highlight ongoing concerns about how Steam handles user data and protects privacy.Source:The Register: Valve admits forum hack exposed gamers' privates (2011)The Verge: Steam security issue exposes users’ personal information (2015)Heise: Alleged Steam hack: Data leak contains SMS transmission logs (2025)

AI Bloat - Service has unnecessary or harmful AI features.

Steam has introduced AI-driven features, such as SteamGPT for moderation and AI-powered game recommendations. Additionally, Steam now allows the majority of AI-generated games on its platform, provided developers disclose their use of AI, contributing to what some see as unnecessary AI integration.Source:Ars Technica: Valve now allows the “vast majority” of AI-powered games on Steam (2024)Ars Technica: What leaked “SteamGPT” files could mean for the PC gaming platform’s use of AI (2026)