Steam - The Definitive Gaming Platform7070781
Gaming has redefined itself continuously over the years, pushing boundaries by no means thought feasible - Not just technically, but socially, economically and even spiritually.
Pc gaming has always been at the forefront of such advancement, although recently our beloved platform of option has been frequently overlooked in favour of a much more casual gaming audience - That of the typical Console owner. Do not get me wrong, consoles are great in what they can accomplish and also have their fair share of enthusiast titles. The underlining issue 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 well-liked casual gaming has turn out to be.
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 ability to establish numerous social networking services to compliment a game has definitely helped make WOW a massive success. Real Time Strategy and to some extent, First Person Shooters are still both premier Computer gaming examples, though the benefit the Pc Gamer has in these locations is gradually evaporating.
Taking MMORPG's out of the image, 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 Pc Franchises, It all appears rather ominous. Or does it?
Valve on many occasions have publicly embraced the Computer as their platform of choice. Pushing the boundaries of modern gaming and gaining acceptance in the enthusiast neighborhood has not usually been an simple task.* Early implementations of Steam were met with fierce opposition. People by their extremely nature do not like change, I am just glad Valve were persistent, pushing past the various bugs, poor press and competitors, creating 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 Pc Gaming, and they are most likely right. Absolutely nothing comes close in terms of functionality, appeal and usefulness to Computer gamers.
Simply place, Steam is an advanced digital distribution platform which enables gamers to download games, play on-line, create 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 able to continually evolve, powering games such as Group Fortress 2: A ideal instance of how a game can be influenced by the gaming community and continue to develop beyond the original implementation. This is all thanks to the Steam idea and the hardware it runs on.
