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Latest News

Prima Launches In-Game Steam Guides

by Brian Leahy, May 21, 2010 1:00am PDT

Prima, longtime provider of video game strategy guides, will now be offering digital guides through Steam. Using the Steam overlay, guides can also be accessed within a game. The digital guides also include videos, which are obviously not available in print.

Images from the Left 4 Dead 2 digital guide from Prima

Regularly priced at $19.99, all guides are 50% off to celebrate the launch. Currently, guides are available for:

This is a great idea, but the Steam overlay also includes a web browser, which can be used to find the most up-to-date strategies, walkthroughs, cheats, and more for no additional charge around the Internet.

Still, as a consumer, it's nice to have the option of purchasing a professionally made digital guide along with a digital game.

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18 Threads | 41 Comments

#41

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By: Skillmore x Show Full Post

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It's not a particularly bad idea. However, most people can buy the game for the some amount of the guide if it's on sale.

May 21, 2010 12:32pm PDT

It's not a particularly bad idea. However, most people can buy the game for the some amount of the guide... : Skillmore

#28

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By: oO SilentK Oo x Show Full Post

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What was the last game guide you bought (or was bought and given to you)?

Mine was Tomb Raider 2 (PC). It was a gift with the game from my dad, and even back then I thought, "You didn't need to buy this, it's all on the internets!"

If I was Prima, I'd start partnering with devs to include exclusive, substantial DLC codes or something - that's the only way I see myself buying one. Not that I want that to happen...
Yeah, please don't listen to me Prima.

May 21, 2010 5:16am PDT

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What was the last game guide you bought (or was bought and given to you)? Mine was Tomb Raider 2 (PC). : oO SilentK Oo
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 8 replies.

#38

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By: node x Show Full Post

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Nice idea, though surely not as likely to be a hit with the kinda gamers who use Steam. We use GameFAQs and Wikis. Plus even at 50% they're more expensive than some Steam games.

May 21, 2010 9:36am PDT

Nice idea, though surely not as likely to be a hit with the kinda gamers who use Steam. We use GameFAQs a... : node

#37

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By: Iazu x Show Full Post

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I know not everyone shares the same outlook, but one of the reasons I play a game is for the discovery involved in playing it, mastering it's systems. Buying a strategy guide would ruin that, making the game less valuable to me.

If I had bought a guide for, say, Deus Ex, and played through it according to the guide, I can guarantee that I wouldn't have near as many fond memories of it. I would have most likely completely forgotten about it.

Also, isn't it a failing of the game if it requires someone who's reasonably intelligent to consult a guide to proceed past certain points? Why should I pay even more money when it's most likely a bad design decision on the developer's part.

May 21, 2010 8:11am PDT

I know not everyone shares the same outlook, but one of the reasons I play a game is for the discovery in... : Iazu

#10

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By: Yxalitis x Show Full Post

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Even more bizzare is the $50 printed guides available in EB etc...what, do people NOT have Internets at home? There isn;t a thing in these guides you can't learn for free in forums/fansites, and often they are outright wrong or misleading...
People eh?

May 20, 2010 8:01pm PDT

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Even more bizzare is the $50 printed guides available in EB etc...what, do people NOT have Internets at h... : Yxalitis
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  $50 for a strategy guide!? Holy shit! : razor851
  - Yeah, they have these hardcover, super thick "limited edition" strategy guides now. They look nice, but a... : Iazu

#26

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By: landaishan x Show Full Post

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where do guides like prima get there game information from?

you can find out everything for a game for free on the net without having to buy a guide

May 21, 2010 4:19am PDT

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where do guides like prima get there game information from? you can find out everything for a game for... : landaishan
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 3 replies.
- I guess Prima pay for early access to the game and related material (design documents). : el0j
- The last one I bought (6 or 7 years ago) was so full of bad information and "duh" tips that I never purch... : Topsiderover

#7

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By: frumplejoon x Show Full Post

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is prima still making $$, what with the whole internet thing and all?

May 20, 2010 7:20pm PDT

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is prima still making $$, what with the whole internet thing and all? : frumplejoon
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 4 replies.
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  There are guides on the internet?!? For FREE? : FirstPersonCooter
  - toggle
    there is browser in steam overlay?! omg : Unkei
    - Steam? What? That didn't come with my copy of L4d2 on the PS3. Wtf are you on about? : TheMupps

#22

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By: purekillforce x Show Full Post

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i have a load of prima guides from when i didnt have easy access to the internet.
got guides for Perfect Dark, Worms Armageddon and Turok 2. got a few others but can't think. havn't bought i guide since these games were released tho.

May 21, 2010 1:01am PDT

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i have a load of prima guides from when i didnt have easy access to the internet. got guides for Perfec... : purekillforce
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 2 replies.
- i lie, i bought a guide with Fable2 (pre-order discount) but i hardly used it and only thought i would ne... : purekillforce

#15

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By: bloodypalace x Show Full Post

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Alright, now let's stop saying you can find those info online. I'm not gonna pay for a guide either BUT these guides are way more complete, accurate and comprehensive than ANY guide that you can find on random websites. Afterall, they buy all of the info directly from the devs.

May 20, 2010 10:12pm PDT

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Alright, now let's stop saying you can find those info online. I'm not gonna pay for a guide either BUT t... : bloodypalace
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 4 replies.
- I'd put any one of these guides up against the combined power of gamefaqs and youtube. : critch
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  I suspect that (most) gamers here first try until they cry like a baby and then grudgingly decide to go ... : Lukiopimp
  - yeh, me and a friend of mine tried for hours to do the spec ops missions in MW2 until we decided it was w... : purekillforce

#23

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By: Joerdgs x Show Full Post

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Strategy guides are just a waste of money. It's like watching a movie after reading the plot beforehand. I prefer to develop strategies myself.

May 21, 2010 1:14am PDT

Strategy guides are just a waste of money. It's like watching a movie after reading the plot beforehand. ... : Joerdgs

#3

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By: mahmoodpoya x Show Full Post

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you must be google retarded if you purchase these.

May 20, 2010 6:10pm PDT

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you must be google retarded if you purchase these. : mahmoodpoya
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 3 replies.
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  haha good one : Unkei
  - Exactly my thoughts. : agentboolen

#14

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By: jimboxoxo x Show Full Post

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google -> free? or 50% off $20. I think I would choose free - assuming I ever get stuck in a game.

May 20, 2010 9:02pm PDT

google -> free? or 50% off $20. I think I would choose free - assuming I ever get stuck in a game. : jimboxoxo

#11

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By: Mr. Goodwrench x Show Full Post

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I don't think i've used a game guide or FAQ since I was bout 10 years old. Takes all the fun out of the game.

May 20, 2010 8:21pm PDT

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I don't think i've used a game guide or FAQ since I was bout 10 years old. Takes all the fun out of the g... : Mr. Goodwrench
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 2 replies.
- You don't have to lie to make friends. I hope..... : Dragomier89

#9

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By: Grayman222 x Show Full Post

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The price seems really high for a digital guide, even one with videos.

Even if I was to buy a more limited version of content on the internet I would not 20 dollar buy it for a steam overlay version.

May 20, 2010 7:50pm PDT

The price seems really high for a digital guide, even one with videos. Even if I was to buy a more lim... : Grayman222

#8

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By: nicknick86 x Show Full Post

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i bought one of these for bc2 before it was released. Yeah i didnt learn anything that i wouldn't have learned in a couple weeks of playing.

May 20, 2010 7:38pm PDT

i bought one of these for bc2 before it was released. Yeah i didnt learn anything that i wouldn't have le... : nicknick86

#6

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By: dreamwraith x Show Full Post

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the only reason i will end up with one of these is if it comes free as part of a pre-order or package deal.

May 20, 2010 6:55pm PDT

the only reason i will end up with one of these is if it comes free as part of a pre-order or package dea... : dreamwraith

#1

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By: Johnnsen x Show Full Post

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20 Dollar for the digital guide? I would rather buy games for that. It could be argued if you need guides at all, but if I would, I would get them online. And if I really felt like spending money for it, I would rather have the paper. Meh.

May 20, 2010 6:03pm PDT

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20 Dollar for the digital guide? I would rather buy games for that. It could be argued if you need guides... : Johnnsen
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 3 replies.
- paper version definitely...unless i just need a few pointers....then Google is god (are those in guide... : soundcreepy
- Yeah, I genuinely can't imagine anyone buying one of these. If they were, like, a buck a piece I could im... : Happy Doodle Muffin

#4

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By: X-GOUKI x Show Full Post

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steam ingame web browser + gamefaqs = free
Hell, you can even youtube video walk-thrus

May 20, 2010 6:15pm PDT

steam ingame web browser + gamefaqs = free Hell, you can even youtube video walk-thrus : X-GOUKI

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