Do NOT get a "free" Steam key if you want to support Frontier

[SentineI]

There is a long-ish thread discussing the release of Elite: Dangerous Steam Keys, in which Ed Lewis appears to imply that linking your Elite Dangerous account to Steam will mean that Valve will take a future cut of ALL purchases you make (even from Frontier's own store). Lots of people have claimed that this is a complete nonsense & Ed obviously didn't mean that...

... HOWEVER, it's well over a day later, and Ed has replied on that thread about other Steam Key issues, but he has studiously failed to answer the hot topic of whether or not he has been misinterpreted about Valve taking a cut out of Frontier's own store. So I think it is clear that he is not allowed to answer. Which obviously means that Valve DO take a cut, but they have an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) preventing Frontier from stating that fact.

Here's Ed's first post:

By generating a Steam key all future purchases made with your Frontier account will also be associated with your Steam account. ... sticking with the EliteDangerous.com store remains the best way to support ongoing development with 100 percent of your money on future purchases. We especially appreciate it when you buy direct from us

He mentions generating a Steam key, and then makes an arguably-unrelated comment that they'd prefer you to buy from Frontier's own store to ensure all your money goes direct to Frontier. Not everyone is willing to read between the lines (that Frontier would prefer you didn't generate a Steam key), so many people asked for clarification. And this is what they got:

I expect that generating steam keys is free, but by doing so any future FD store purchases become subject to the "valve tax". A bit of confirmation on that point wouldn't hurt but it makes sense to me.

Yeah, that's a fair interpretation. We don't think of it as a tax though, just part of working with third party retailers.

Some have claimed Ed didn't carefully read what he was quoting, but I think the fact he hasn't posted any correction by now should speak louder than anything else.

And although Ed would seem to be better placed than any of us to know what the truth is, some have tried to argue it couldn't possibly be true because they've never heard of Valve applying such a draconian rule before. But I think Valve's NDA is probably the reason people haven't heard of this before, and someone has claimed it is in fact perfectly normal for Valve to take such a cut:

So Steam gets a cut out of the Frontier Store?

Yes, if you link your account to Steam with a Steam key. It's part of the standard contract with Valve for downloadable content.

edit: CaptainKremmen kindly pointed out that all of this fits very well with something Michael Brookes said in April:

turning EliteDangerous.com customers into Steam customers unfortunately isn't 100 percent our decision and isn’t free for us in the context of the game’s ongoing growth and development

edit: Breaking news! Ed gives what I suspect is his final reply on this subject:

I feel a bit crude talking about 'cuts' and 'percentages' but yes, once you've linked an account, any future purchases on the FD store are affected by this.

While it's still a bit evasive, if taken with all the previous statements from Frontier, it appears that all sales from ED's store (including cups, t-shirts & other physical goods!) will be subject to a cut from Valve. For anyone asking for further clarifications: Pretty sure you won't get one, without Frontier upsetting Valve.

edit:Breaking news! #2 Ed clarifies that Valve only takes a cut of DLC:

Sorry, should've been clear on this one too! This doesn't apply to physical merchandise. Valve don't touch on that, only in-game content.

That makes a lot more sense to me! (Someone, who shall remain namless, had previously told me they'd been told by Ed that Valve took a cut of physical products too...)


So for those on the fence about getting a "free" Steam key: Don't do it if you want to support Frontier. Otherwise Valve will get a cut (probably 30%) of all Elite Dangerous DLC products that you buy in the future. Cups, T-Shirts & other physical goods are excluded from this. If you still wish to get a Steam key after all that, that's absolutely fine, you are entitled to it - Frontier chose to offer Steam keys knowing they would take a hit.


EDIT: To clear-up a few misunderstandings: I'm NOT a Steam hater (I have far more games on Steam than I'd like to admit). I'm NOT against Elite Dangerous being sold on Steam (it's a massive market for Frontier). I even like the general idea of adding ED to my Steam account. I am ONLY warning people who bought Elite Dangerous, from Frontier's own store, that linking it to their Steam account has a negative consequence for Frontier. I have no ulterior motive, and unlike Ed Lewis's replies you don't need to read between any lines!

EDIT: This is NOT an anti-Steam thread. Please keep discussions on-topic!

 

[Alexander the Grape]

Not getting a steam key for this exact reason. Screw valve, they don't earn the 30% they charge

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Makes sense to me. (It is also the perfect conspiracy though since no one can prove it is true if the NDA exists )

In any case I expect I will buy the DLC expansions thingys and link my account after that.
Steam whilst being awesome and amazing lost me on the microtransactions rubbish that they keep pushing with cards and gems and shiny lights. I mean some people paid £100 for a profile overlay that lasted 3 weeks and steam took a 10% cut...

 

[deathmagnet]

I mentioned this earlier in another thread. I will not be linking my account to Steam. Really I don't see a reason to do so and I do want FD to get all the money I spend on their game. Why would I want a third party to get a cut? Doesn't make sense to me. The more money FD gets the more time it can pump back into the game.

CMDR DeathMagnet will be Steam free for FD!

 

[Petersen]

Not getting a steam key for this exact reason. Screw valve, they don't earn the 30% they charge

When they reach people like me who otherwise wouldn't even know the game exists... That 70% FD made is better than the 0% they would have made without Steam.

 

[deathmagnet]

When they reach people like me who otherwise wouldn't even know the game exists... That 70% FD made is better than the 0% they would have made without Steam.

I agree. It's great to reach new people that otherwise they wouldn't have come by, for me I already play. No reason to "link" my account.

 

[Gasoline]

Happily linked my account to Steam.

FD already got my money months ago, and so far they haven't shown enough expertise to warrant further direct support.

 

[CMDR Holycow]

When they reach people like me who otherwise wouldn't even know the game exists... That 70% FD made is better than the 0% they would have made without Steam.

Were talking about people that have been backing this game since release, or beta, or earlier, that already own the game.

 

[popuptoaster]

Most Steam users wont care, they are just to lazy to put the game into their Steam library manually or manually update the launcher on the odd occasion it requires it. Maybe if Steam bring in more customers it will balance out the 30% and they can claim to have earned that money but I don't like Steam (I do have it, there are some games you need it for unfortunately) much prefer to have a physical copy and i really don't give a about sharing achievements or finding friends on there.

FD should have resisted the pressure but they probably couldn't afford to.

 

[Monk]

I personally won't get a steam key. Partially for the cut but also because I don't gain enough benefit from it to bother.

However, business is business and keeping you current customers and future customers happy is worth the cost. FWIW, don't you think $ony and Micro$oft will be taking their cuts, too?

 

[ape808]

There are benefits in the long term to having customers linked to steam. It allows them to retain contact with less committed players, and offer them an avenue to buy expansions and skins in future years, rather than hoping they frequent Frontier's shop. Another benefit is being able to buy skins and the like using steam wallet funds (gained from selling game items and trading cards), which may lead to more sales overall.

I would hope that Frontier integrate skin sales directly into the steam store to help drive more sales in that area.


But I agree with OP's interpretation. I don't think Frontier are allowed to divulge details of their agreement with Valve, which would explain why we've seen no further clarification on the matter.

 

[Asp Explorer]

Were talking about people that have been backing this game since release, or beta, or earlier, that already own the game.

While I have nothing against Steam (I'm about 9 years in with urm, a couple of games) I don't feel it adds any value. It can be quite irritating, and nearly all the features it offers I consider absolute junk. Using my "free" Steam key would, for me, seem almost like a betrayal to FD - so I simply won't do it.

However, part of me wants to generate that key, get the receipt email and junk it without ever using it - so FD know it's been generated and locked to my account, and some muppet can't hash it later to get a free game - if that's even still possible these days.

 

[VR Morgan Grimes]

By generating a Steam key all future purchases made with your Frontier account will also be associated with your Steam account. ... sticking with the EliteDangerous.com store remains the best way to support ongoing development with 100 percent of your money on future purchases. We especially appreciate it when you buy direct from us

That could easily just mean that if you buy direct from FD they get the money but if you buy extras via steam then steam gets a cut and nothing more sinister whatsoever, however it is somewhat ambiguous. I've no intention of generating a steam key, I've no need for it and do not want to put my account in steams hands after some of the horror stories I've read about accounts being completely disabled. The added lack of clarification is also a concern, you are correct.

 

[TheThingIs]

Unfortunately I went and generated a key before Ed clarified that it would affect future purchases. I wonder if I can de-link my account from steam again?

 

[Daeron]

I'm staying very ironically independent.

 

[Jim Steinman]

Unfortunately I went and generated a key before Ed clarified that it would affect future purchases. I wonder if I can de-link my account from steam again?

I suspect not, the damage as it were is most likely done. Raise a support ticket and ask.

 

[Captain w00t]

I will be. I'll be ensuring I use that gracious act from Frontier to leave a mint review of an excellent game, and I'll be supporting them in other ways via the store regardless.

It raises ED's profile and opens the market to new players, it's a good thing even if you don't agree with Steam's cut, it's the largest platform on the planet for PC games.

 

[Sly]

Personally I decided to link my account; as a premium beta backer I already bought any expansions they come out with and I'm not big on paint jobs.

I understand why people don't want to link their accounts, particularly if they plan to make significant additional purchases in the future, but there are benefits to FD for linking. Linking raises ED's concurrency numbers on Steam and allows us to post positive reviews.

 

[Anthony Jones]

I've linked my account but I will not be buying any future DLC

I've got lifetime free content

 

[Privata]

Well I love steam and love FD , so what my plan is when I get a bit more money when I worked for a bit more I will buy all the paint jobs and other such things , because they are awsome and made a game that in 2yrs managed to over do everything SC is doing