Buying Celeste

So... chances are, if you are reading this page, you're looking forward to getting a copy of Celeste. However, Celeste is available on several platforms and stores, and as such, it may be confusing to choose which one to buy. This guide aims to help you decide where you should buy Celeste.

The quick version

• For the most stable and most "free" Celeste experience, one which is not constrained by digital restrictions management or other artificial limitations, purchasing on itch.io is your best bet.
• For those whom want to be on the bleeding edge, having access to beta versions of Celeste, and whom value convenience, the Steam version of Celeste is best suited for you. However, this version is encumbered with digital restrictions management.
• For console gameplay, you should buy the version corresponding to your console, whether XBox, Playstation or Nintendo.
• And don't even consider "purchasing" Celeste on any cloud gaming services.

Itch.io

Itch.io is a website for users to host, sell and download indie games. Released in March 2013 by Leaf Corcoran, the service hosts nearly 100,000 games and items as of February 2018. It notably hosts Celeste Classic and Celeste Classic 2, in addition to Celeste.

Advantages to buying on itch.io include:

• No launcher application is required to play
• No digital restrictions management
• You own a set of binaries, which be used to install the game; it's that simple!
• The portable nature of the installation binaries makes it semi-portable
• Full support for all common operating systems including GNU/Linux
• Can be integrated with streaming services, such as Steam Remote Play
• Support the developers!

Disadvantages to buying on itch.io include:

• No access to beta versions of Celeste
• High price ($20 USD); Celeste never goes on sale and does not have regional pricing on itch.io.
• No automatic game library features; Celeste must be manually installed on every computer where it is desired. No cloud saves either.

Buying on itch.io is recommended for anyone who can spare the money needed to shell out a copy. However, for people requiring access to beta versions of Celeste, it is not recommended to buy the itch.io version.

You may also have already obtained the game through itch.io if you have supported the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, Bundle for Palestinian Aid, or Bundle for Ukraine on itch.io.

Steam

Steam is a video game digital distribution service by Valve. It was launched as a standalone software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their games, and expanded to include games from third-party publishers. Steam has also expanded into an online web-based and mobile digital storefront.

Advantages to buying on Steam include:

• Access to beta versions of Celeste (exclusive to Steam!)
• Full support for all common operating systems including GNU/Linux
• Native support for Steam Remote Play and other Steam-integrated features
• Often low price (75% off ($5 USD) is common); regional pricing can bring this closer to $1
• Automatically synchronizing save files

Disadvantages to buying on Steam include:

• Presence of digital restrictions management; game copies are not portable
• Steam is absolutely required in order to play
• Valve takes a 30% cut from profits (unlike itch.io, which takes 10%)

Buying on Steam is primarily recommended for people whom highly value access to beta versions of Celeste, or are otherwise unable to afford the itch.io version.

Epic Games Store

The Epic Games Store is a digital video game storefront for Microsoft Windows and macOS, operated by Epic Games. It launched in December 2018 as both a website and a standalone launcher, of which the latter is required to download and play games. The storefront provides a basic catalog, friends list management, matchmaking, and other features.

Advantages to acquiring Celeste on the Epic Games store include:

• It sometimes has been free before!
• No digital restrictions management

Disadvantages to buying on the Epic Games Store include:

• No support for GNU/Linux, or any operating system with a free software license.
• No access to beta versions of Celeste
• The Epic Games store checkout interface requires saving credit card info, which may pose a security risk

It is generally not recommended to buy Celeste on the Epic Games Store, primarily since there is no GNU/Linux support; there is effectively no way of run the Epic Games Store version on non-proprietary operating systems. However, if Celeste is available for free on the Epic Games Store, go for it!

Console storefronts

On consoles, you are absolutely required to purchase the version of Celeste matching with your console. As such... you kind of have no choice here! For the Xbox lineup of consoles, you can only really buy the digital copy. For Playstation and Nintendo consoles, you can buy either the digital copy or the Collectors' Edition; however, for here, only the digital copy will be discussed.

Advantages to acquiring a digital copy for console include:

• Console gameplay! (of course)
• Playing Celeste on the go (applicable for Nintendo Switch only)

Disadvantages to doing so include:

• Absolutely no mods support
• Presence of digital restrictions management; game copies are not portable and are tied to an account
• No access to beta or even the latest versions of Celeste
• No ability to transfer save data to other platforms

For short: if you wish to play on a console, go for it. It is especially recommended to purchase on console if you have a Nintendo Switch, as it enables you to play Celeste on the go. However, it is not recommended to purchase on console if you solely wish to play with a controller (computer versions have controller support too!) or if you have access to a computer (primarily for mod support).

Physical collectors' editions

Fangamer sells physical, collectors' editions of Celeste. These are the crème de la crème of Celeste copies, and comes with either an optical disc or a game cartridge, bundled with a generous amount of goodies and the Celeste OST (both cassette and digital via Bandcamp).

Collectors' editions are available for Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, and Playstation.

Advantages to acquiring physical copies include:

• Get the absolute best of the best copy of Celeste available!
• Everything that is bundled with the copy of Celeste provided... there's a lot of 'em!
• Physical medium means that you truly own the game (primarily PC version only)
• No digital restrictions management (PC version only)
• Support the developers!

Disadvantages to acquiring the collectors' editions include:

• VERY high price tag that never goes down! ($59 USD for PC, up to $79 USD for console)
• No native GNU/Linux or macOS support (PC version only)
• No Xbox support (console versions only)
• No access to beta or even the latest versions of Celeste - your copy of the game will be frozen in time!
• No ability to transfer save data to other platforms
• No automatic game library features; Celeste must be manually installed on every computer where it is desired. No cloud saves either. (PC version only)
• Often out of stock!

For short, only buy the collectors' edition for the stuff that comes with the collectors' edition, including the disc, but not the game! For buying solely the game itself, without all the goodies coming along with it, purchasing at itch.io, Steam, or your console storefront is much better.

Places where you should never purchase Celeste

Microsoft Store

Microsoft is known for extremely shady and possibly illegal practices when it comes to, well, literally everything. Buying Celeste from the Microsoft Store poses similar problems. Here are a list of disadvantages from purchasing on the Microsoft Store (not to be confused with the Xbox Store):

• Absolutely no mods support
• No GNU/Linux support
• No macOS support
• No support for any version of Windows released prior to Windows 10
  • Using Windows 10 means kissing your privacy goodbye!
• No access to beta versions of Celeste

Unless you already own a digital copy of Celeste via an Xbox console, do not buy Celeste on the Microsoft Store.

Google Stadia

Purchasing Celeste from streaming platforms where the ability to download the game is non-present, such as Google's Stadia "cloud gaming" SaaSS (service as a software substitute), is an extremely bad idea. You do not own the game, and must continue paying for the service in order to be able to continue playing Celeste unimpeded; you are also unable to download Celeste onto your computer. If the service is discontinued (oh, seems like it is now, too bad), you no longer have access to the game. If you wish to stream Celeste (so you can play on your phone or on a lower-power computer), it is recommended to use either a service that can stream the game locally (e.g. Steam Home Sharing), or a service that uses binaries that you already own (e.g. Geforce NOW).

Do not buy Celeste off Stadia under any circumstances.

Piracy

Since people will pirate anything, piracy does deserve a (semi-)honorable mention. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of acquiring Celeste through legal grey zones.

Advantages include:

• It's free! (Even when the Epic Games store doesn't make it free)
• Available on all PC platforms (GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows)

Disadvantages include:

• Outdated game versions are very common when it comes to piracy
• Access to beta versions is impossible
• Updating your game? Guess what, that's basically impossible.
• No console versions!
• No automatic game library features; Celeste must be manually installed on every computer where it is desired. No cloud saves either.
• Don't expect positive reactions when you disclose that you pirated an indie game that's buyable on itch.io!
• You're most definitely not supporting the developers!

Celeste Wiki and its editors know that piracy cannot be stopped, but here's one thing we'll say: Why not go pirate some game published by Electronic Arts instead? They're just greedy fools, unlike Maddy Thorson and friends (whom are super nice).