Steam - The Definitive Gaming Platform2995112
Gaming has redefined itself constantly more than the years, pushing boundaries never thought feasible - Not just technically, but socially, economically and even spiritually.
Pc gaming has usually been at the forefront of such advancement, although recently our beloved platform of choice has been often overlooked in favour of a more casual gaming audience - That of the typical Console owner. Don't get me incorrect, consoles are great in what they can achieve and also have their fair share of enthusiast titles. The underlining problem is that the core gaming market is made mainly of casual gamers or the media's perception of what defines a core gamer. Nintendo's wii is a testament to how popular casual gaming has become.
Blizzard have been able to capitalise on the Computer as the premier MMORPG platform for its WOW franchise. Making full use of a PC's capability to establish numerous social networking services to compliment a game has definitely helped make WOW a massive achievement. Real Time Technique and to some extent, First Person Shooters are nonetheless each premier Pc gaming examples, although the advantage the Computer Gamer has in these areas is slowly evaporating.
Taking MMORPG's out of the picture, the state of Pc gaming is at a bit of a crossroads. Console Port following port, Infinite versions of The Sims, Poor retail sales for large Computer Franchises, It all seems rather ominous. Or does it?
Valve on numerous occasions have publicly embraced the Pc as their platform of choice. Pushing the boundaries of modern gaming and gaining acceptance in the enthusiast neighborhood has not usually been an easy job.* Early implementations of Steam had been met with fierce opposition. People by their very nature do not like alter, I am just glad Valve had been persistent, pushing previous the various bugs, poor press and competition, making the Steam platform as it is these days.
First we require to establish what Steam is in the first location. Valve defines Steam as the Nexus of Computer Gaming, and they are probably right. Absolutely nothing comes close in terms of functionality, appeal and usefulness to Pc gamers.
Simply put, Steam is an sophisticated digital distribution platform which enables gamers to download games, play online, produce and participate in multiple unique gaming communities all with the capability to auto update itself and any Steam supported game you have.
The seminal update capability and the way it has been implemented by Valve is probably the most unique and evolutionary aspect of the Steam platform. The Supply engine has been able to continually evolve, powering games such as Team Fortress 2: A perfect example of how a game can be influenced by the gaming community and continue to grow beyond the original implementation. This is all thanks to the Steam concept and the hardware it runs on.
