Steam to begin selling non-gaming software

[Guild McCommunist]

Game distribution service Steam is beginning to expand its horizons this September, beginning with the sale of non-gaming software.

Starting September 5th, you'll be able to purchase an array of software from Steam that aren't just games. While no programs were announced, they will include both "creativity and productivity" applications and benefit from Steam much in the same way games do. They'll have easy, automated installation, automatic updating, and your data can be stored in the Steam Cloud.

This won't be the first instance of non-gaming software on Steam. A film, Indie Game: The Movie, was sold on Steam exclusively, marking the first film sold via Steam. Later, Valve launched their filmmaking and animation program Source Filmmaker, which lets users create film and animation inside Valve's Source engine.

Source

 

[Wizerzak]

Ooooooohhhhh JUST beat me to it. About 5 seconds in it.

 

[Issac]

Oh this is interesting! I'd like to see their solution for the file system on the cloud... I see this as a perfect thing for office-like applications for students. Having multiple computers, just logging into steam to use their software and always have the files at hand (no need to email the files to yourself / carry a USB-stick / whatever). But here comes the deal, saving a file in the cloud, how do you browse the files? will it work like dropbox? Will you be able to share them easily? Or could you save them offline aswell (or only offline)? Many thoughts about this, but all positive. Student based office suite, film making tools, music producing tools, and best of all, not having to deal with licenses and managing discs, just log into steam and download it all. And only being able to use one session of steam at the same time. perfect.

 

[RemixDeluxe]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

 

[Species8472]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Well not the steam logo, but Valve has sold apparel and accessories carrying images of their other products for several years.

 

[Attila13]

Actually the indie game movie can be purchased directly from the makers and from iTunes too.

 

[jamesaa]

I was wondering if they would start doing such a thing after they released the Source Filmmaker, didn't think much of it though.

I can imagine people at work "I need this specific application, unfortunately it's only available through Steam " (Particularly looking at my IT department who are well known for spending their day at a ping pong table or on Wii Sports )

 

[Wizerzak]

I was wondering if they would start doing such a thing after they released the Source Filmmaker, didn't think much of it though.

I can imagine people at work "I need this specific application, unfortunately it's only available through Steam " (Particularly looking at my IT department who are well known for spending their day at a ping pong table or on Wii Sports )

Your IT team are epic. (reminds me of The IT Crowd).

 

[SifJar]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Steam does make installing games much easier, with it's automatic installing of dependencies, updates etc. Translating that to software can only he good. (although I do find steam a little bloated, it's been better in recent years, and I think the hassle saved is worth it)

 

[Deleted_171835]

Honestly I'm not interested. I don't want their proprietary DRM to be applied to programs I use on a daily basis (heaven forbid my internet goes down).


I doubt this will get much support, anyways. Steam has the stigma of being a gaming service so I doubt devs will be rushing to get their work applications on here.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Steam does make installing games much easier, with it's automatic installing of dependencies, updates etc. Translating that to software can only he good. (although I do find steam a little bloated, it's been better in recent years, and I think the hassle saved is worth it)

I wonder if Steam would install my old original copy of Unreal Tournament and make it work for me. I have installed it and all the updates and patches that supposedly will let it work under Windows 7 and the game still runs at like 500% speed It's so fast that it becomes just a glitch fest.

 

[Gahars]

If they include this new software in the future summer sales, count me in.

 

[AlanJohn]

Can't to buy adobe master suite CS6 for only 3 bucks.
Also they should fix their messed up offline mode first.

 

[Attila13]

Honestly I'm not interested. I don't want their proprietary DRM to be applied to programs I use on a daily basis (heaven forbid my internet goes down).


I doubt this will get much support, anyways. Steam has the stigma of being a gaming service so I doubt devs will be rushing to get their work applications on here.

I totally agree!

 

[Ace Overclocked]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Yeah.

 

[RemixDeluxe]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Yeah.

Yeah I just realized the difference in "not" and "non". Sorry for the Confusion.

 

[Minox]

Also they should fix their messed up offline mode first.

This sort of messed up offline mode is reluctantly acceptable for games since that's not something you really need, but for general software I'd have to agree that fixing that would be one of the first things they'd have to do.

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Yeah.

Idk what your trying to tell me. Technically T-Shirts and Coffee mugs are "non-gaming software". What was wrong with that statement?

Software usually refers to virtual wares, as weird as it sounds a t-shirt would more likely be classified as hardware since it's something you can actually touch.

 

[Gahars]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Yeah.

Idk what your trying to tell me. Technically T-Shirts and Coffee mugs are "non-gaming software". What was wrong with that statement?

Because they aren't software at all.

Sure, T-Shirts may be soft wares, but that's as far as it goes.

 

[Nathan Drake]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read "non-gaming software" was like T-Shirts and Coffee mugs with steam logos on them. *is disappointed*

Yeah.

Idk what your trying to tell me. Technically T-Shirts and Coffee mugs are "non-gaming software". What was wrong with that statement?

Non-gaming is used as an adjective. As in, it's software for non-gaming purposes. Shirts and mugs aren't software. That's just merchandise.

 

[RemixDeluxe]

Yeah I just realized the difference in "not" and "non". Sorry for the Confusion.