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Steam to stretch beyond gaming

Steam to stretch beyond gaming

Steam LogoToday Valve announced that their popular Steam PC gaming distribution platform will begin to offer applications other than games on the service.

The service, set to launch September 5th, will offer software titles such as “creativity to productivity” applications, according to the somewhat vague press release. Developers can submit their non-game applications to be distributed on Steam through the Steam Greenlight service, which allows the community to participate and vote on applications they’d like to see “Steamified”.

Having an application distributed via Steam brings more than just easy downloads and purchases. Developers can implement Steamworks features such as automatic updates, Steam Cloud integration, and ability to access your software library from any computer (say, while traveling).

There were no launch titles mentioned. Valve’s Mark Richardson says that the new service is the direct result of customer requests.

Comments

  1. mertesn
    mertesn I wonder what kind of achievements we'll see with these apps...

    Lrn2English: Create a text document with 1,000+ spelling/grammar errors
  2. Thrax
  3. Thor It's a smart move.
  4. NullenVoyd
    NullenVoyd So someday we'll be selling TF2 hats to fill the Steam wallet to pay off the month's Creative Suite subscription?
  5. BobbyDigi
    BobbyDigi They recently started distributing Music and Movies (granted they are Game Soundtracks and a Video Game Documentary) via steam so this is no surprise.

    -Digi
  6. Soda
    Soda This could honestly be awesome...or horrific. yay/meep?
  7. BuddyJ
    BuddyJ This goes with my prediction of a Steam console/media center. Forget Apple TV. I want Steam TV.
  8. Theironhand
    Theironhand I would love to see a Netflix app on steam.
  9. Thrax
    Thrax
    I would love to see a Netflix app on steam.
    Could you explain how you think that might work? At the moment I don't see the value.
  10. CB
    CB Yeah, this isn't really News. They've been saying this for years (or maybe just everyone else has been saying they should) It was inevitable. It'll be news when they come out with a list of upcoming releases. If they can get someone like Adobe on board with this, it will be something epic.
  11. Theironhand
    Theironhand
    I would love to see a Netflix app on steam.
    Could you explain how you think that might work? At the moment I don't see the value.
    I'm just assuming they'll might as well add it if there going with app store idea like Apple, but I would like a Netflix launcher on the PC, rather then launching it through the web browser.
  12. Garg
    Garg Steam could integrate with Netflix, then post to getglue.

    Then maybe Steam can merge with Foursquare, so my badges can get me hats in TF2.

    Maybe one day we could use Yelp to review the best community-made maps in Civ5.

    All of my screenshots could be posted directly to Instagram with an 8-bit filter.

  13. RootWyrm
    RootWyrm
    All of my screenshots could be posted directly to Instagram with an 8-bit filter.
    All of my screenshots could be posted directly to Instagram with an 8-bit filter.

    All of my screenshots could be posted directly to Instagram with an 8-bit filter.

    YES.
  14. Garg
  15. Mikkel This is great, more steam on steam (lol). I love their workshop, and I think this might be a success as well!

    I love their focus on open development, and that they allow new developers to have a shot of glory on their very popular platform.

    +1 to steam.
  16. Garg
    Garg
    All of my screenshots could be posted directly to Instagram with an 8-bit filter.

    YES.
    image

  17. fatcat
    fatcat Steam will contain the application Origin soon, EA be damned
  18. drasnor
    drasnor I'm seeing all my engineering CAD applications on Steam, going on sale 2-3 times a year. With achievements. Glorious!
  19. midga
    midga Holy shitsnacks... My business software procurable during a Steam sale, or addable to a wishlist for gifting opportunities? I think I might be drooling a bit.

    OTOH, I somehow doubt there will be a lot of software I would use (at least off the bat), and I also doubt they'll do sales like they do with games (of course, that might not be the case). It may, however, be a good way for indie software developers to get their products out there (since, you know, Steam's been pretty damn good for that in the indie game realm). Who knows, maybe we'll see a Humble Not-Games Software Bundle happen (calling it now) with Steam codes available.

    I honestly see Adobe going the way of Blizzard (i.e. EF U STEEM) with this, especially since they're already pushing their own cloud services. At least I wouldn't get my hopes up.
  20. QuadyTheTurnip
    QuadyTheTurnip Technically speaking, they have already been doing so, what with the game engine and game development tools avaliable through Steam for its' games. Sounds great that they're expanding on this!
  21. GHoosdum
    GHoosdum This is dark magic. One cannot simply hold such power without being corrupted by it. Look what it did to poor Smeagol.
  22. ardichoke
    ardichoke
    I would love to see a Netflix app on steam.
    Could you explain how you think that might work? At the moment I don't see the value.
    I'm just assuming they'll might as well add it if there going with app store idea like Apple, but I would like a Netflix launcher on the PC, rather then launching it through the web browser.
    You can already do this... In Chrome, go to Menu > Tools > Create Application Shortcut. No need for Steam to get involved at all.

    I welcome my new app auto-updating overlords. I hope pidgin gets put in there so I can finally keep it updated.

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