Valve’s popular Steam digital game download service has been slowly expanding its software offerings. It has offered a Mac OS X client as well as a planned Linux client. Further, the service has started to offer software beyond games including game map editors, digital magazines, and videos.
According to a recent announcement by Valve, the company is going to even further expand its non-game software offerings starting September 5th. Whether this is in response to the Windows Store or if it has been planned for some time and the Windows Store is why Gabe Newell is irked by Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system is unknown.
While the company did not mention any specific pieces of software that will be available at launch, users can look forward to software in categories ranging from creativity to productivity. Even better, some of the new software titles will be able to take advantage of Valve’s Steamworks service to offer cloud syncing of files and automatic updating (et al).
The new programs will start showing up on September 5th, and developers can start submitting their applications to Steam using its Greenlight service.
Valve’s Mark Richardson stated that “The 40 million gamers frequenting Steam are interested in more than playing games. They have told us they would like to have more of their software on Steam, so this expansion is in response to those customer requests.”
The automatic updating in particular is exciting, and it could well give Microsoft’s Windows Store a run for its money. If Valve brings the non-game software to all platforms–Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows–it could easily rival Microsoft’s Windows 8-only offering. What do you think about this announcement, would you use Steam for software other than games?
Hah, I knew this would
Hah, I knew this would happen.
I hate the idea of non-transferable software licenses bound to a cloud login. Especially not one that can be banned at the touch of a button by a support tech having a bad day. I likely won’t partake until Steam adds an option to just be an automatic installer/updater with no further interactions with me when I use a particular software.
Yeah, I logged into Steam
Yeah, I logged into Steam today and saw that new subscriber agreement. Apparently if you disagree you lose access to your accout wtf 🙁
I wouldn’t worry too much
I wouldn’t worry too much about the EULA, i read through it and it seems pretty standard. There are a few clauses that may freak people out. Such as if you publish something on your profile, say a picture or a video, they own it. But even that is just to protect themselves from a lawsuit. The only thing i would be worried about with steam is what happens to the hundreds or thousands of dollars you have invested in games if their service goes away.
If you are forced to say yes.
If you are forced to say yes. That cannot stand up in court.?
If you say no you loose, in my case anyway, hundreds of Euro worth of games. Surely, this can only apply to new Steam users as they are just joining. I agreed to different terms when I joined and bought my games.
I cannot see a day when I would want to be part of a class action, so its a strange topic to be talking about.
IANAL but I would hope that
IANAL but I would hope that being essentially coerced to agree to the new terms or else would help a court to tell Steam for frack off and side with the users but with my luck who knows 🙁
If there is going to be other
If there is going to be other media content on the steam store then the search, the layout, and the ephemeral downloading menu (how do you easily get to the downloads list now anyway if something isn’t in progress) needs a serious revamp. Also, they can’t be changing the basic layout every month like they do now.
If they change all the
If they change all the popular games to linux N divers from AMD and nividia are there as they have join linux group.
i would support them.
Feedback will help them.
they work for us, not them selves, right?
I like the idea of supporting all games in OpenGL.
I think it could grow a lot more faster and could become more enticing for others to join in to use it.
Maybe google will help, who knows.
Well the start of the end of
Well the start of the end of Steam.
It had a nice run.
I, like 90% of other PC gamers have no interest in Office, Anti-Virus or other stuff (Well I use avg free). Indeed what business is going to buy ADOBE CS6 or any other creative software from a gaming portal.
Steam has gone crazy.
Its starting to make the very basic Origin look good.
Indeed, if the range of games and new releases were improved
I would consider moving over more of my purchases over.
Sad to say my broadband went down for an hour yesterday.
Though I could play my civ game offline.
Not a chance. Steam wouldn’t run. Just tried doing an update,
even though it was up to date and there was no connection.