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Steam Expands Beyond Games
- nthitz 14y agoValve is trying to take on Microsoft head on? I hope this doesn't end up as vaporware (pun intended)
- Foy 14y agoDon't forget the only thing that would really change is that there would be non-games on the Steam store. The entire "product" already exists, they just need to bring non-game titles to Steam. (and from the sound of that announcement it seems they already have something lines up)
- hammersend 14y agoSteam will work on Windows 7 and XP unlike the Windows 8 app store. It also runs on OSX and soon Linux. What exactly is Microsoft supposed to do about it?
- thejerz 14y agoHere is a listing of the categories that might be offered.. http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/15/3161651/valve-steam-software http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/15/3161651/valve-steam-softwa...
- teamonkey 14y agoThey'll probably start with basic cross-platform office software (e.g. OpenOffice) and tools that would be useful to game modders (graphics, sound and 3D packages).
- graylights 14y agoMy prediction for a starter app is a basic teleconference app. Steam already offers API for friends lists and authentication.
- teamonkey 14y agoMaybe Teamspeak, since that's the system of choice for Steam users.
- joshma 14y agoDid I read this right? Did Steam just announce that it was becoming a cross-platform application store? Easy installing / automatic updating sounds nice, given my past experience with Steam games, while a personal Steam cloud sounds very much like an iCloud/Dropbox/Google Drive competitor. I'm a bit apprehensive about having to decide between Yet Another Storage Provider, but I'm (naively?) hopeful that the open-minded folks at Steam will consider something like Dropbox / Google Drive integration. Valve seems like an incredibly appropriate company to do so. I hate to play the extrapolation game, but this could potentially encourage cross-platform apps, much like Valve is doing for gaming on Mac/Linux, especially if Valve releases dev tools to help support the process. (Hopefully it doesn't turn into a GTK/Swing nightmare.) All in all, interesting times should be ahead. It'll be interesting to see how a "gaming" company like Valve adapts to a new field.
- milesskorpen 14y agoI'm not sure where you're getting the Dropbox competitor bit. Steam has had a storage system for game content for a while—this would let you transfer save game files between computers, for example. I didn't see anything in the story which suggests this would be extended to general purpose content.
- joshma 14y agoWell the press release says right there: "Many of the launch titles will take advantage of popular Steamworks features, such as easy installation, automatic updating, and the ability to save your work to your personal Steam Cloud space so your files may travel with." I'm assuming my work is more than my save game files. :)
- milesskorpen 14y agoI was assuming this was like iOS' cloud system—saving a document to the cloud, but not accessing a real Dropbox equivalent.
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- barista 14y agoAsking genuinely... What benefit does yet another marketplace have to offer? I can see that by being a cross platform marketplace, If I buy something from them on my iPad, I can also use that same software on my PC (assuming both the platforms allow this) But the big question is will they?
- Lagged2Death 14y agoThe other cross-publisher software managers/marketplaces for Windows apps that I know about are all game-oriented, would-be-Steam-alikes. Is there a comparable marketplace for applications?
- Simucal 14y agoOne thing to consider is that the Windows app store will be Metro (not sure what to call it now) only. So Steam might be a pretty attractive option for filling the niche of distributing traditional desktop applications. Being able to keep all my Windows desktop applications updated easily through Steam would be a lot better than having them all try and do it themselves.
- trafficlight 14y agoThat's how game purchases work currently. If the game works on PC and Mac, you can install either or both.
- hammersend 14y agoThe Windows app store will be Windows 8 only on the desktop so Steam can serve the hundreds of millions of users on the older versions. Also, what marketplace comparable to this offering exists for Windows?
- halo 14y agoUser-base. Millions of people already have Steam but don't regularly use any other marketplace.
- springishere 14y agoSteam already has great community options built in to connect their massive user base (2.9 million currently online) , and sales prices that absolutely cannot be beaten. Not to mention a much better reputation then other online software vendors.
- laserDinosaur 14y ago"The 40 million gamers frequenting Steam are interested in more than playing games" That's an odd sentence. Is he saying 40 million gamers said they want more than games in their games platform? Or was it just a portion of the 40 million? If so, why not say that number. THE 40 million gamers are interesting in more than playing games? THE 40 million said this? I feel like I stumbled into the smoke and mirrors PR world of EA or Sony, not Valve.
- Foy 14y agoAll 40 million gamers do things on occasion that are not video games... If, as a gamer, you already frequent Steam for your games and they also happen to sell non-games that you want.... why not buy from Steam?
- danielweber 14y agoI hope they sell a relational database and call it Cornerstone.
- nwmcsween 14y agoI lost respect for valve after they slam windows 8 as garbage without merit and now we see it's because microsoft's app store is a competitor.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- loganfrederick 14y agoOn the flip side, maybe Gabe/Valve disliked Windows 8 and Microsoft's store, so they decided to build their own because they saw a market for a better store?
- tarice 14y agoGabe/Valve are also competing against the Apple/Mac OSX App Store, but they aren't speaking out against them. I sincerely think that Valve has legitimate reasons for deriding Windows 8, particularly since their criticism seems to resonate with many early Win8 adapters.
- jeffool 14y agoI think you missed something... He slammed it as a catastrophe exactly because off the Windows store. Maybe you read a different article than I did, or missed the thrust of it? http://venturebeat.com/2012/08/08/microsoft-defends-windows-8/ http://venturebeat.com/2012/08/08/microsoft-defends-windows-... What Newell is blatantly raging against is the idea that Windows, in running its own store, will make it more difficult for users to install their own software. No doubt he's chiefly worried about users' ability to install Steam, his store. I felt that was obvious from the onset. And really? Lost respect for him? For his being an honest business man? And you're on YCombinator? (Edited for overly mean tone. I don't mean to chastise, I just don't understand what you're saying.)
- vannevar 14y agoMaybe Steam-for-Linux is really a stalking horse for Steam-for-Android, and Steam-for-Android has a lot more leverage if you don't have to get your apps somewhere else but can just get them through the same channel you're already getting your games through.
- jonursenbach 14y agoSteam for Android would certainly solve the current discovery problem that exists in finding quality apps.
- goostavos 14y agoThis is the biggest issue I have with the playstore. Outside of the top 100, which are really mostly rather crap apps in my opinion, there seems to be no logical categorization. It's a huge pain to separate the wheat from the chaff.
- NickPollard 14y agoSteam for Android has seemed like an obvious target for me for a good while now - I would literally bet money on it happening in the next 12 months.
- hammersend 14y agoThey may be concerned about fragmenting their ecosystem since virtually no apps will be "cross-platform" between Android and the desktop without a significant rewrite.
- sbarre 14y agoIf they start stocking Mac software, I will be very grateful. An alternative (especially one as established as Steam) to the Mac App Store is sorely needed on OS X..
- shinratdr 14y agoI can't think of a single OS X user that would even begin to consider using Steam as an app store or launcher for anything but games.
- duaneb 14y agoME! Christ, I hate the app store. They don't need to do much to improve on it. Also, part of the reason that you can't imagine it is because Steam is currently a games network. Who knows how people might perceive steam in a year? Also, they may make money simply by offering the excellent software that isn't sandboxed: Alfred, Sourcetree, etc. Plus, I will never release on the app store unless I don't plan on making any money on it. It's simply developer-unfriendly: no trials, no paid upgrades - it's as if Apple is trying to kill off using the Mac to make a living of selling software and force developers into subscription/freemium models.
- shinratdr 14y agoThat's a pretty fair decree of the App Store. Doesn't mean even slightly that Steam is a better alternative. It's a horrible launcher and a terrible Mac OS X app. It's a great service and games store and I use it all the time, but as an OS X app it's awful. It requires you to have "enable access for assistive devices" on just to render its interface. Valve knows absolutely nothing about the platform except what it needs to to make basic ports. Mark my words, they will not become a viable distribution system in OS X without completely and radically overhauling Steam from the ground up. Just "adding apps" isn't going to do anything.
- c0n5pir4cy 14y agoYou only have to "Enable access for assistive devices" for the in-game interface, because it requires directly controlling the hardware. In Windows this is done by dll injection, of which even a similar process isn't possible in any *NIX operating systems.
- Kerrick 14y agoThey already have done this, though. They have had PC Gamer Magazine and a making-of Portal interactive on the Steam Store for months.
- drawkbox 14y agoVery smart move. Windows store will be locked to the OS and Microsoft ecosystem. Mac App Store / iTunes is locked to OSX/iOS. Valve will be cross platform and Linux and more independent. For pricing competition and developer support this is a good competitive future. It is the cross platform angle that Microsoft and Apple can't and won't match.
- smbwrs 14y agoI was complaining a couple weeks ago about how someone needed to open an alternative to the Mac App Store for legit apps that don't work with sandboxing, desire demos or paid upgrades, etc. Never thought of Steam as a possibility, even though I use it weekly for gaming. I have high hopes; if anyone can pull it off, it's Valve.
- sp332 14y agothe ability to save your work to your personal Steam Cloud space so your files may travel with you. Anyone know how to export files from Steam Cloud?
- Foy 14y agoUntil now I don't think it's been terribly important. Mostly it's just game save / config files. Although I suspect that all the steam cloud files are present locally and only put on the steam cloud as backup.
- tyleregeto 14y agoI recently switched out my primary hard drive; I was able to backup and transfer all my save data by copying save files from my user folder, eg: C:/Users/myname
- Foy 14y agoValve does the "cloud" right. Everything is local but on the cloud as backup if needed.
- recoiledsnake 14y agoExtremely interesting. 1) Why so late? If this had come out a couple of years ago, they could've cemented themselves in Windows 7. 2) AFAIK the real reason for Microsoft not making an app store for native apps is that they can install spyware, browser toolbars, change browser home page, change default search provider, eat up battery, install always running services and what not because they're not sandboxed. How will the Steam store deal with the inevitable barrage of such user hostile apps? Will the approval process be highly exclusionary or inclusionary? Where are the app store terms? What's the cut? 30%? I think dealing with adware, spyware, malware and grayware is going to be a challenge. If they're pretty exclusionary, expect devs to get pissed off. 3) Sadly Steam Store won't be allowed to include WinRT apps but Microsoft allows links to desktop apps on their app store. If they solve the malware problem, I think they'll have a huge market and help devs immensely. Anyone know or remember Intel AppUp Center? It completely failed to take off. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_AppUp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_AppUp
- wtracy 14y agoValve manually reviews all the apps. I assume the process is fairly similar to Apple's app store.
- hammersend 14y ago1)Maybe whatever events that led to them doing this didn't exist 2 years ago. 2)That seems like more reason to have an app store as you can weed that kind of stuff out. They will use Steam Greenlight a community driven process to vet apps for inclusion. Basically you submit and if the community wants it they get it. 3)Since most PC users will be on Windows 7 and XP for a while after Windows 8 is released there will still be a huge market for Steam even if by some miracle RT just took over.
- mrschwabe 14y agoThis is super awesome news for desktop software developers. I would love to publish my product to Steam - it has me lot more excited than publishing to the Windows 8 app store. Another cool thing about this, if even for Windows users - is that it may mitigate motivations for upgrading to Windows 8. If Steam becomes the most popular, most profitable place to publish Windows apps - and every app is fully compatible with Windows 7 - they will have 'cemented' themselves quite nicely as milesskorpen would say.
- cheez 14y agoSteam-for-Linux in the hizzouse.
- wtracy 14y agoIn my mind, this piles on the reasons why Steam should really be spun off as a separate business from the game-making mothership.
- DanBlake 14y agoJust a hunch and I am sure many will decry it as impossible, but I bet that microsoft buys valve in the next 2 years. It will be billed as a "hands off" type of acquisition (similar to skype) where they will simply more deeply integrate steam into other platforms like xbox and surface and keep them independent. It just makes too much sense for microsoft to buy steam, regardless of the price. I know the steam fans would completely hate it, but it really feels like it is going to happen. Microsoft is dieing to have its own successful app store with a niche to have a advantage on the ios store and gaming/steam is exactly the type of 'we have this, they dont' which could completely make MS phones relevant again.
- Gustomaximus 14y agoIt's not just about Microsoft wanting to buy. Gabe has to want to sell also and not all founders are simply looking for an exit.
- ChrisNorstrom 14y agoYou don't know much about Steam or Gabe Newell then. They would NEVER sell the company. Gabe's mentioned before he's gotten big offers and rejected every single one. Valve has the highest employee retention rate and satisfaction rate in the industry. There's no managers, no titles, everyone's happy. Only a fool would sell a company like that. And Gabe's not a fool. Don't let the silicon valley mindset warp your perception of what a company is. There isn't always an IPO or exit at the end of every company's rainbow. Sometimes, just sometimes, profitable private companies stay profitable private companies.
- jokermatt999 14y agoTo add a reference to your comment (good explanation btw), see the recently posted "Why Valve?" post from Valve's economist which contains more information on their corporate structure and philosophy, as well as links to the employee handbook and such. http://news.ycombinator.net/item?id=4333578 http://news.ycombinator.net/item?id=4333578
- DanBlake 14y ago
- ChrisNorstrom 14y agoWell surprise surprise. http://www.chrisnorstrom.com/2011/03/re-envisioning-steam-part-1-an-all-in-one-digital-marketplace/ http://www.chrisnorstrom.com/2011/03/re-envisioning-steam-pa... Naa. I think it was a pretty obvious move. Although my prediction was that they would tackle film and music before software. They obviously tried but after seeing what a pain in the ass it is to work with hollywood / music industry gave up for now. They renamed "My Games" into "Library" with Games, Media, & Tools subtabs and after giving up on the whole media bit just have "Library" now. Software is a more logical step considering they're already set up to deliver software (games).
- wlesieutre 14y agoBut not all software is created equal: the single-machine sign on limit is OK for games because you'd never try to play two games at once on different computers. But hell if I'm going to buy a copy of TextExpander for my laptop if quits (and needs a password to relaunch) every time I run a game on my desktop. I'd love to have an alternative to the App Store that doesn't mandate sandboxing and have Apple's mysterious restrictions, but Steam's DRM system is too limiting for me to be comfortable buying "real software" from it.
- lloeki 14y ago> I'd love to have an alternative to the App Store that doesn't mandate sandboxing and have Apple's mysterious restrictions Like http://appbodega.com http://appbodega.com ?
- wlesieutre 14y agoExactly like that! But with the toolbar at the top and less of the kitschy storefront skeumorphism. But interface wise, it's still nicer than anything I foresee coming from Valve in the next decade or so. Bodega really nailed the updates system. It found all of my non-app-store software that was out of date, and handled the updating with one click and a password. It's having trouble with Calibre, but Adium, Transmission, Pixen, BetterTouchTool, and others all worked fine. Thanks for pointing this out! The only areas I see Steam having an advantage are preexisting users, and the ability to sell cross platform (Mac+Windows+Linux) software.
- milesskorpen 14y agoGreat. I'm looking forward to being able to purchase utilities which I can run no matter what OS I'm booting into. It is constantly frustrating to need to separate copies/licenses on core software, like 1Password, etc.
- detay 14y agoBefore they do anything, I hope they'd get rid of the BLACK theme. Anytime I access steam, my eyes burn.
- uvTwitch 14y agoyour eyes burn? from all the.... brightness..?
- jebblue 14y agoThe page is mostly black and hurts my eyes trying to read it, was there anything interesting on it?
- springishere 14y agoI hope they start in with movies as well. That would be truly amazing. Big step in the right direction for Steam.
- klipt 14y agoI once forgot both my Steam password and the associated secret question and had no way to restore it (even though it was linked to my email account). Luckily that account contained nothing particularly valuable...
- Fargren 14y agoNewer versions of Steam don't require a security question for resetting your password; they instead send a confirmation code to your email address.
- kposehn 14y agoThis is exciting. Seems like what Gabe is doing is what Google wanted to do with Chrome OS...without the OS. I could definitely see Valve becoming a competitor in this sense with a cross-platform app + document experience that works smoothly on most desktop devices. The question is whether they can expand this sort of system onto tablets and phones.
- quarterto 14y agoIs it me, or is Valve gearing up to launch its own Linux distro? With Steam as primary content distribution and app catalogue and a bit of thought and focus-groupery poured in to the UI/UX the same way they design their games, they could own the desktop space in half a decade.
- cfn 14y agoThat sounds like good news but the selection process is a bit strange. If I understand correctly, my app needs to be voted into their store by the community but how is the community going to evaluate it before it is in the store? Does anyone know what are their current fees?
- kunil 14y ago>Access to this site was blocked by system administrator >The page you are trying to browse to is categorized as "Games" >If you believe you are getting this message by mistake, try contacting your administrator or Helpdesk. Should I contact my administrator?
- franzus 14y agoGreat. I hope they will sell Mac apps too so I can have an alternate distribution channel for my apps.