Steam - The Definitive Gaming Platform5899022
Gaming has redefined itself constantly over the years, pushing boundaries never believed possible - Not just technically, but socially, economically and even spiritually.
Computer gaming has usually been at the forefront of such advancement, although recently our beloved platform of choice has been frequently overlooked in favour of a more casual gaming audience - That of the common Console owner. Don't get me wrong, consoles are fantastic in what they can achieve and also have their fair share of enthusiast titles. The underlining issue is that the core gaming market is made primarily of casual gamers or the media's perception of what defines a core gamer. Nintendo's wii is a testament to how well-liked casual gaming has become.
Blizzard have been in a position to capitalise on the Computer as the premier MMORPG platform for its WOW franchise. Making full use of a PC's ability to establish numerous social networking services to compliment a game has definitely helped make WOW a huge achievement. Real Time Strategy and to some extent, First Person Shooters are still each premier Computer gaming examples, although the benefit the Computer Gamer has in these locations is gradually evaporating.
Taking MMORPG's out of the image, the state of Computer gaming is at a bit of a crossroads. Console Port following port, Infinite versions of The Sims, Poor retail sales for large Pc Franchises, It all appears rather ominous. Or does it?
Valve on many occasions have publicly embraced the Pc as their platform of option. Pushing the boundaries of modern gaming and gaining acceptance in the enthusiast neighborhood has not usually been an simple job.* Early implementations of Steam were met with fierce opposition. People by their very nature do not like change, I am just glad Valve had been persistent, pushing past the numerous bugs, poor press and competition, making the Steam platform as it is today.
First we require to establish what Steam is in the first location. Valve defines Steam as the Nexus of Computer Gaming, and they are most likely right. Absolutely nothing comes close in terms of functionality, appeal and usefulness to Pc gamers.
Simply place, Steam is an sophisticated digital distribution platform which enables gamers to download games, play on-line, produce and participate in multiple unique gaming communities all with the ability 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 most likely the most unique and evolutionary aspect of the Steam platform. The Source engine has been in a position to continually evolve, powering games such as Team Fortress 2: A perfect example of how a game can be influenced by the gaming neighborhood and continue to grow beyond the original implementation. This is all thanks to the Steam idea and the hardware it runs on.
