Steam Expands Beyond Games

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Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced the first set of Software titles are heading to Steam, marking a major expansion to the platform most commonly known as a leading destination for PC and Mac games.

The Software titles coming to Steam range from creativity to productivity. 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 you.

More Software titles will be added in an ongoing fashion following the September 5th launch, and developers will be welcome to submit Software titles via Steam Greenlight.

"The 40 million gamers frequenting Steam are interested in more than playing games," said Mark Richardson at Valve. "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."
 
And now Gabe shows off the real reason he doesn't like Windows 8: He's afraid of competition from the Windows Store.
 
So, will the execution of these apps require Steam be installed and logged in? If so, not interested. I'm not a fan of all this Cloud shit, especially when it comes with handcuffs.

It's ok for games,but no way I'd purchase apps under this model.
 
now if only they'd let me change my log in from the email address i had 10 years ago with an ISP that no longer exists...
 

Well, that's kinda the whole point here. Valve is getting rather big, and they need to be nimble when it comes to content delivery and integration. They already have OS guys working on game/media platform light operating systems. They aren't really looking to replace the desktop OS, but the gaming/media/apps segment doesn't have a portable, multi platform behemoth yet. This year is crucial when it comes to getting a stranglehold on that market.
 
Steam just changed it ToS as well.
All that new lingo about how you don't own the software from them, you only lease it indefinitely. You can not re-sell the software. So on and so forth.

I am really starting to get away from Steam more and more and move back to physical discs. It's the only way to retain your rights as a consumer.

As for auto updating apps? If my software isn't working properly I'll find an available patch easily enough. I will NOT trade my rights for a small bit of convenience.
 
Hmmm, I support steam over pirating because steam makes games convenient, the social features are actually convenient, and they charge reasonable prices (in general).

Productivity software, on the other hand, is something that I can justify getting at a... "discount" so to speak. Adobe wants $2,600 for CS6 Master. Thats a joke. I fail to see how steam is going to magically fix my issue with software like that. Also, right now steam has this thing for only letting you run one game at a time. I sure hope it wouldn't lock you out of running a steam "productivity software" program and a game at the same time.

So I really don't see this taking off, but maybe that's just me.
 
Well, that's kinda the whole point here. Valve is getting rather big, and they need to be nimble when it comes to content delivery and integration. They already have OS guys working on game/media platform light operating systems. They aren't really looking to replace the desktop OS, but the gaming/media/apps segment doesn't have a portable, multi platform behemoth yet. This year is crucial when it comes to getting a stranglehold on that market.

Valve will never make and OS though. It's just all Valve fanboys wet dreams. Working with Ubuntu makes a lot more sense.
 
Well, that's kinda the whole point here. Valve is getting rather big, and they need to be nimble when it comes to content delivery and integration. They already have OS guys working on game/media platform light operating systems. They aren't really looking to replace the desktop OS, but the gaming/media/apps segment doesn't have a portable, multi platform behemoth yet. This year is crucial when it comes to getting a stranglehold on that market.

They do have quite an opportunity ahead of them. They don't necessarily need a Steam-based OS derived from Linux, but picking out a single distro might do. Though I'm not sure how this would do with the already abundant and free repositories within the Linux community... I suppose they could still make it work.
 
And now Gabe shows off the real reason he doesn't like Windows 8: He's afraid of competition from the Windows Store.
And microsoft wouldn't do anything to give themselves and edge, especially with the uninformed masses.

:rolleyes:
 
So, will the execution of these apps require Steam be installed and logged in? If so, not interested. I'm not a fan of all this Cloud shit, especially when it comes with handcuffs.

It's ok for games,but no way I'd purchase apps under this model.
People said the same thing about games. You might have been among them. Time will tell.. time will tell.

now if only they'd let me change my log in from the email address i had 10 years ago with an ISP that no longer exists...
Have you tried contacting/calling their support department?

As for auto updating apps? If my software isn't working properly I'll find an available patch easily enough. I will NOT trade my rights for a small bit of convenience.

While this may be ok and easily done by you, consumers with your skill sets are not the norm. That convenience can be considered huge and well worth it for some of the less technically capable sections of the consumer population.
 
Steam just changed it ToS as well.
All that new lingo about how you don't own the software from them, you only lease it indefinitely. You can not re-sell the software. So on and so forth.

I am really starting to get away from Steam more and more and move back to physical discs. It's the only way to retain your rights as a consumer.

As for auto updating apps? If my software isn't working properly I'll find an available patch easily enough. I will NOT trade my rights for a small bit of convenience.

Owning a disc offers you no more rights. It's still a software license with an EULA. Steam has a function to turn off auto updates, as well.
 
Gabe's a classy fellow. Shit on Windows 8 because of the Microsoft Store then turn around and start pushing apps on Steam.

:mad:
 
Valve will never make and OS though. It's just all Valve fanboys wet dreams. Working with Ubuntu makes a lot more sense.

Not a fully functional OS in the traditional sense. We are talking about media streaming, app store, gaming functionality for you home theater/gaming/media platform.
 
Where the hell is episode three? Valve needs to quit dicking around with this sideshow stuff and get back to what's really important!
 
I'm guessing that Steam will only allow the software to run under the account that has it, so it'll basically be a per-user software license. This may work okay with games, but I'd rather my productivity software be installed so that anyone on the computer can use it.
 
I had no idea that games didn't count as "Software". (According to the press release, at least.)
 
I'm guessing that Steam will only allow the software to run under the account that has it, so it'll basically be a per-user software license. This may work okay with games, but I'd rather my productivity software be installed so that anyone on the computer can use it.

if you leave steam logged in and running in the background, i don't see how this would be an issue?
 
Where the hell is episode three? Valve needs to quit dicking around with this sideshow stuff and get back to what's really important!

They've discovered it's more profitable to sell the shovels than to try and dig the gold themselves ;)
 
Have you tried contacting/calling their support department?

yes via email, haven't tried calling. A quick google of the issue will show you i'm one of quite a few that they have a zero exception policy supposedly (unless you have had a different experience?). Perhaps they just can't do it, I don't know. But it is ironic since i'm pretty sure you can't even use email addresses as usernames anymore, though i signed up the day Steam went live, and back then I believe that was the recommendation.
 
So you mean, they're making an Apple App store.
 
Meh... This all seems redundant to me, and I don't know how well this will pale out for the Linux community. We already have our own repositories. Cloud storage? How many fucking companies must offer cloud storage? Jeez. No more of that shit

They should just stick to making more games, or bring out Ep3 or L4D3.
 
I sort of lost interest in Steam when BF3 had to be purchased through Origin. I don't want apps particularly, but I would love to purchase all my games in one spot. Steam fit that bill for a long time. Times are changing.
 
Meh... This all seems redundant to me, and I don't know how well this will pale out for the Linux community. We already have our own repositories. Cloud storage? How many fucking companies must offer cloud storage? Jeez. No more of that shit

They should just stick to making more games, or bring out Ep3 or L4D3.

It makes sense to keep Steam as widely used as possible, as it makes them much more money than their games do.

If you go into the Hot Deals section and post "Best Game Ever Created for $1.99, plus all DLC for free on GOG.com" 90% of the comments will be people saying "Meh, does it activate on Steam? If not, fuck off".

People like a convenient package more than a good deal.
 
It makes sense to keep Steam as widely used as possible, as it makes them much more money than their games do.

If you go into the Hot Deals section and post "Best Game Ever Created for $1.99, plus all DLC for free on GOG.com" 90% of the comments will be people saying "Meh, does it activate on Steam? If not, fuck off".

People like a convenient package more than a good deal.
I gather that once people build libraries with one provider, they like being able to keep it under one umbrella. Steam Sales cause people to build libraries under them quickly. After a while, people want to stay with Steam only. But they know they'll get close to the best price there eventually and usually before or soon after someone else.
 
I sort of lost interest in Steam when BF3 had to be purchased through Origin. I don't want apps particularly, but I would love to purchase all my games in one spot. Steam fit that bill for a long time. Times are changing.

Interesting. I lost interest in EA for making me use their shit DL service.
 
wonder if they will start to sell programs that deal with game making, for indie devs

that would be cool. i hope they have steam sales on those if they are any good
 
I'm fine with this but I hope it doesn't interfere with my gaming experience. I love seeing game-related stuff plastered everywhere and would rather not be reminded that Quicken 2012 is now available.

Keep your serious business in the 'serious business' section. That won't happen, though.
 
I pick and choose some games from Steam, but depending on the game, I'd rather go through somewhere else.

I have bad luck from Steam. I bought my wife the Thief game pack and it's a hit or miss if they run at all.

If they didn't have those sales, I wouldn't even have it installed anymore, really.
 
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