Steam may be the greatest thing to happen to gaming since the “Half-Life 3 confirmed” meme. What started off as a platform to make patching games easier, Steam has grown into a magnificent hub that all gamers can enjoy. Whether you’re a player or a dev, Steam caters to every aspect of the gaming community, and it doesn’t inconvenience the user for wanting to do some damn gaming. Without this delightful online game platform, the face of gaming would look more like a meth addict than Cillian Murphy, and that’s because it offers everything you could ever need.
Steam is the ultimate hub of PC gaming, and it’s one hell of a hub at that. Once you log in, everything is at your fingertips: Chat, store, forums, screenshots, music, mods, downloads, reviews, basically everything your mind can muster. There’s no need to alt-tab and potentially wreck your game’s sanity when shift-tabbing is guaranteed to work. There’s even dev tools too, and they’re not just sold in the background; they’re put on the front page with all the other games. It’s the Cheers of the gaming community, and it’s popularity is one of the reasons why it works so well.
It’s everything you could ever need
The widespread acceptance of Steam has made it more convenient to use than any other game platform out there. If The Humble Bundle is selling a copy of a bitchin’ game, you get a Steam key. If I get a review copy of a game, I get a Steam key. It’s ingrained and widely used, so I don’t need to jump between DRM services every time I want to play a game, which only strengthens my adoration for it. Of course, people aren’t just flocking to Steam because it’s convenient due to popularity.
Steam is designed to be convenient. Really convenient. If I want to play a game, assuming it doesn’t need to patch itself, I just go down the list and click play. If it does need patching, I can prioritise the download to get it done ASAP. It’s organised and intuitive, and I can even import non-Steam games and programs into the list to keep everything in one place. Even getting people into games with you is convenient thanks to the Steam overlay. It’s just a matter of hitting shift+tab, right clicking your friend and inviting them to your game. As if this isn’t enough, the interface doesn’t alienate people using controllers.
You just have to see the Big Picture
To maintain convenience for people who prefer controllers, Steam implemented Big Picture mode. Say you use your PC at a TV, perhaps as a media centre or because you like huge screens, but you just want to lay back and use a controller instead of hunching forward with a keyboard and mouse. Big Picture mode is perfect for that kind of set-up, and it’s not just a gimmicky add-on. It’s the Steam interface optimised for a controller, and it works great. Of course, if you want to do any of this, you need to download the client first, but there’s a good reason for that.
The Steam client was born to patch games, and it’s got the process down to a fine art. It auto-updates by default, so if you log in, grab a drink and come back, your patches will probably be done. This has made keeping updated with online games far more manageable, and you can stay up to date with any game you own without any hassle. Of course, you can just turn auto-updates off, but it seems pretty stupid when the whole point of the client is to keep your games updated, especially when we include mods.
[DROOLING INTENSIFIES]
Another huge benefit of Steam is the ease with which anyone can publish and install mods. The Steam Workshop is something of a treasure trove amongst fans of Bethesda games, and don’t even get me started on the content available in Tabletop Simulator. All it takes is one click and BAM; the mod is installed. What’s great about Steam is that it’s auto-updating ensures your mods stay updated too. Instead of keeping track of the 400 mods you installed, Steam does it for you across all your games, which should be a large number considering the size of the store.
I can’t discuss Steam without mentioning it’s beautiful, awe-inspiring store. The Steam catalog is as intimidating as it is inviting, and when a sale hits, it hits hard. There are thousands upon thousands of games available, and plenty of those are indie titles that would otherwise go unnoticed. Browsing and purchasing games is a streamlined process, complete with consumer reviews, and the fact that you can sell items back to gain money in your Steam wallet to buy things is ingenious. It’s hugely consumer-centric, and if you don’t think so, just remember that you can refund any game you buy within 14 days of purchase for any reason (30 for hardware). What’s even more impressive is that Steam made digital distribution attractive without dicking customers over with overbearing DRM or online-only functionality.
Refunds? Refunds.
The concerns with digital distribution have always revolved around DRM, but Steam got it right the first time round. If you can’t log in, you can still play games in offline mode, unlike Origin or Uplay. Valve has also stated that if they were ever to go bankrupt and shut down their servers, they’d release a patch to allow P2P transfers for all Steam content. Sure, that’s putting a lot of trust in Valve, but they’ve demonstrated that they value their community. When they released paid mods, the community lashed back, and Valve rescinded instead of trying to push their agenda. I’m willing to put my trust in them, and if they keep supporting Steam, I’ll keep on using it.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Steam is a radiant beacon that enriches us all with its generosity. It caters to every gamer out there, whether you’re a die-hard PC guy or someone who prefers the laid back controller life. Its convenience is undeniable, and its widespread acceptance isn’t out of necessity, it’s out of an appreciation Valve has taken. Steam is awesome, and without it, the gaming world wouldn’t be what it is today.
* This article has been written as part of a dual-article pairing. To see the argument for the other side, click right here.
