Steam (content delivery)

"Steampowered" redirects here. For the steam engine, see Steam engine.
Steam
Steam logo.svg
SteamcontentMay2010Storehighlight.jpg

The home page of the Steam Client for Windows
Developer(s) Valve Corporation
Initial release September 12, 2003 (2003-09-12)[1]
Development status Active
Written in C++
Platform Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X[2]
Size 41.5 megabytes (Windows)
153.5 megabytes (Mac)
Available in 21 languages
Type Content delivery
Digital rights management
Social networking
License Steam Subscriber Agreement (Proprietary software)
Website store.steampowered.com

Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute games and related media online, from small independent developers to larger software houses. Steam also has community features, automated game updates, and in-game voice and chat functionality.

As of 2010, there are over 1,100 games available through Steam.[3] In January 2010 Valve claimed that it had surpassed 25 million active user accounts.[4] Although Valve never releases sales figures, Steam is estimated to have a 70% share of the digital distribution market for video games.[5]

Many major publishers have catalogs on Steam, including Electronic Arts, Activision, 2K Games, Ubisoft, THQ, Sega, Codemasters, id Software, LucasArts, Capcom, Rockstar Games, Square Enix and Bethesda Softworks.

Contents

Client functionality

Steam includes a digital storefront called the Steam Store, through which users can purchase computer games digitally. Once purchased, software is permanently attached to the user's Steam account. Content is delivered using a proprietary file transfer protocol from an international network of servers.[6] While logged in, games can be downloaded to any computer that has the Steam client installed. Steam includes a server browser for users to search, filter, bookmark, and join Internet and LAN servers for games that integrate with it. It can be accessed from the desktop or from a games menu system, and queries friends to show a list of servers to which a user's contacts are connected. Currently accounts cannot be merged or deleted by their creators.[7]

Once patches for a user's installed software have been uploaded to Steam, they are applied the next time the user logs in or launches a game. Once a patch has been applied, it cannot be removed unless a patch is released which reverses the previous one. Individual games can be set to only update when requested by the user. Steam requires that games be fully patched before they can be played, however.

Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC), Valve's proprietary anti-cheat system, is available for online game servers to use. VAC-secured servers automatically detect users who are using cheats.[8]

Localization

Steam is currently available in the following languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, and Thai.

Steam games are typically purchased through the integrated Steam Store via a web-based basket/checkout system. Steam sells its products in US dollars, Euros and pounds sterling, based on the user's location.[9]

Mods

The Steam interface allows for user-defined shortcuts to be added. In this way third-party mods, and games not purchased through the Steam Store, can use Steam features. Valve sponsors and distributes some mods for free,[10] and mods that use Steamworks can also use VAC, Friends, the server browser, and any Steam features supported by their parent game.

Multiplayer lobbies and matchmaking

Introduced in Left 4 Dead and made available through Steamworks, a lobby system allows for players to organize and agree on game settings before joining a server and a matchmaking system can automatically group players together based on a certain criteria.

Steam Community

The Steam Community's homepage

On September 12, 2007, Valve released the Steam Community, a social network service that allows Steam users to communicate with each other on a many-to-many scale.[11] It is accessible from both the desktop (in a web browser or the Steam client) and through an "overlay" program that can be viewed on top of 3D-accelerated games. In January 2010, Valve reported that 10 million of the 25 million active Steam accounts had signed up to Steam Community.[4]

Notwithstanding privacy settings, a user's page includes some brief personal information, links to any friends' user pages, details of any games owned, the number of hours of playtime during the past two weeks, a 0–10 "Steam Rating" of activity,[12] and links to any groups of which the user is a member. Users can also receive a feed of their friends' actions, including groups joined, games purchased, and Steam Achievements earned.

An IM conversation in Steam

Friends, Steam's instant messaging tool, supports both one-to-one and group conversations, held publicly or privately, and Peer-to-Peer VoIP. It provides extended information about what games each user is playing, allowing others to join their contacts in Steam-integrated multiplayer games.

On July 1, 2010[13], Valve made an announcement about Steam Community being able to act as an OpenID provider, thus enabling authentication of user's SteamID without requiring them to enter their Steam username or password on any third-party site.[14]

Steam Cloud

Valve provides a service called Steam Cloud. For supported games, Steam Cloud stores various amounts of game data, such as keyboard shortcut settings and single-player game saves, on a central server. Any changes to relevant game files are uploaded to the main server, and newer files are automatically downloaded and used when a game is started.[15] Valve launched the service simultaneously with the release of Left 4 Dead, and the service now supports most newer Valve games.[16] It is one of the services offered to game developers through Steamworks. Users can individually disable Steam Cloud on a per-game and per-account basis.[17]

Downloadable content

Steam offers a framework for selling and distributing downloadable content (DLC) for games.[18] DLC, if available, is listed on the game's Store page. New DLC releases are listed alongside full games in the "New Releases" section on the storefront.

File system

Steam-integrated games are stored as single non-compressed archive files with the extension .gcf (an acronym for Game Cache File[19]). Steam allocates space on the user's hard disk for .gcf files before downloading in order to reduce fragmentation which may occur when downloading large files and performing disk access. Game Cache Files help to make games more portable, stop users from accidentally overwriting important files, allow for easy modification of resources, and allows for validation of content for errors.[20] For games that do not integrate, a 'No Cache File' system is provided. Here, a .ncf index file points to a directory of loose files somewhere else on the system.[21]

Retail boxed games

Users who buy selected boxed games sold at retail stores are required to register the game on Steam with the included CD key, which will then be attached to the user's Steam account in the same way as a digital purchase. The game will then act in every way like a digital copy. Most of Valve's current games are sold in this fashion, as are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Supreme Commander 2.

Statistics collection

Steam collects and reports anonymous metrics of its usage, stability, and performance.[22] With the exception of Valve's hardware survey,[23] most collection occurs without notifying the user or offering an opt-out. Some of these metrics are available publicly, such as what games are being played or statistics on player progress in certain games.[24] Valve has also used information from these statistics to justify implementing new features in Steam, such as the addition of a defragmentation option for game caches.[25] Announced on the 15th July, Steam will soon start offering users to allow Steam to collect the details of what programs are installed on their system which are listed within the Windows' Programs and Features control panel.[26]

Steamworks

On January 28, 2008, Valve released Steamworks, a free development and publishing suite (granted at Valve's discretion or with an Unreal Engine 3 license)[27][28][28] that gives developers access to every component of Steam.[29] Steamworks can be combined with a standard Steam distribution agreement, the latter of which gives it advertising space in the Steam store but also provides Valve with a share of revenue; Audiosurf became the first game to be released in this way in February 2008.[30] Several major games have since implemented Steamworks, including Aliens vs. Predator, Modern Warfare 2, Dawn of War II, and Unreal Tournament 3. Most games using the Steamworks API also opt for a presence in the Steam store. The only known exception (since Valve does not make announcements about such games) is NBA 2K9.[31]

Promotions

Steam regularly offers a variety of promotions, which include Guest Passes, Free Weekends, and weekend-long sales.

"Guest Passes" are allocated to a user when he or she purchases an applicable game. The user can then share the passes with others who have not purchased the game, allowing the new user to play the game for a limited time (which varies depending on the game). Once an activated guest pass expires, the recipient will be prompted to purchase the game in order to continue playing. The number of guest passes available to a game purchaser is determined on a game-by-game basis, and they expire one month after being granted if not used.[32]

"Free Weekends" are multi-player promotions in which a game becomes free to play on Steam for a weekend. When the promotion ends, the game files remain on the participating users' computers, but they are barred from playing further until they purchase the game.

Valve runs the subscription-based Valve Cyber Café Program,[33] which is the only legal way for a cyber café to offer Steam-based games.

Hardware promotions

Steam keeps a record of the hardware in the computer it is running on for various purposes, one of which is enabling hardware manufacturers to run after-sale promotions directly to their customers. Both AMD's ATi and nVidia use this feature: owners of ATi's Radeon video cards receive Half-Life 2: Lost Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, as well as a discount on Half-Life 2,[34] while owners of nVidia's GeForce video cards receive Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, Portal: First Slice and Peggle Extreme.[35]

History

Beginnings

Mac OS X Half-Life 2

Prior to Steam, Valve had problems releasing updates for their online games, such as Counter-Strike, wherein a patch would result in the disconnection of the larger part of the online user base for several days. They decided to make a platform which would update games automatically, and implement better anti-piracy and anti-cheat measures. Valve originally approached several companies—including Microsoft, Yahoo!, and RealNetworks—to build a client with these features, but all turned them down.[36]

Steam's development began at an uncertain date prior to 2002. Working titles included "Grid" and "Gazelle".[37] It was revealed to the public on 22 March 2002 at the Game Developers Conference, and was presented purely as a distribution network.[38] To demonstrate the ease of integrating Steam to a game, Relic Entertainment had created a special version of Impossible Creatures.[39] The game was ultimately not released on Steam, however.

Valve partnered with a number of companies including AT&T, Acer and GameSpy Industries. The first mod on the system was Day of Defeat.[40][41] (See Mods.)

The Steam client was first made available for download in 2002 during the beta period for Counter-Strike 1.6. At that time, its primary function was streamlining the patch process common in online computer games. Installation and use of Steam was mandatory for Counter-Strike 1.6 beta testers, but Steam remained an optional component. 80,000–300,000 gamers tested the system when it was in its beta period.[40][42] The system and web site choked under the strain of thousands of users simultaneously attempting to play the latest version of Counter-Strike.[43] In 2004, the World Opponent Network was shut down and replaced by Steam.

Around this time, Valve began negotiating contracts with several publishers and independent developers to release their products on Steam. Rag Doll Kung Fu and Darwinia are two examples, and Canadian publisher Strategy First announced in December 2005 that it would be partnering with Valve for digital distribution of current and future titles.[44] In 2002, Gabe Newell the head of Valve said he was offering mod teams a game engine license and distribution over Steam for $995.[40]

Half-Life 2 release

Main article: Half-Life 2 Distribution

On November 16, 2004, Half-Life 2 was officially released. The title required activation via Steam in order to play the game. Later in the day of the launch, a significant number of buyers (both through Steam and retail) found themselves unable to play the game, due in part to a bottleneck of Valve's Steam system. The European authentication servers went down for a reported 5 hours before being fixed, preventing those with accounts stored on them from unlocking or playing the game.[45] Other problems included long download times, glitches, and seemingly unnecessary updates.[46][47][48] Some customers buying the in-store game had found that the CD keys with the game had already been hacked, users contacting support were told to wait for at least two weeks for a solution.[49] It came second in 1UP.com's Top 5 Botched PC Gaming Launches.[50]

Many hacks sprang up following Half-Life 2's launch, each claiming to be able to circumvent Steam and enable the user to get the games for free.[48] Valve responded to these hacks by patching the servers and disabling accounts.[51]

Profitability

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, at QuakeCon 2007 presenting the release of all id Software games on Steam

In 2005, the first third-party games began to appear on Steam. Valve also announced that Steam was starting to be profitable, if only due to some highly successful Valve games. Although digital distribution was still no match to retail in terms of sales volume, profit margins for Valve and developers were far bigger on Steam than at retail.[52] Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, estimated in 2002 that $30 gross profit can be made from a $50 game sold over Steam, much greater than the $7.50 profit made from games sold through retail.[41]

In 2007, big developer-publishers such as Eidos Interactive, Capcom, and id Software started to distribute their games on Steam. In May 2007, 13 million accounts had been created on Steam, and 150 games were for sale on the platform.[53] In October 2007, the release of The Orange Box, and the distribution of high-profile games such as BioShock, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, helped increase Steam's popularity.

Interface update and Mac OS X release

On 23 February 2010, Valve released a public beta for a major update to the Steam client.[54][55] The update added a new "Library" panel, and the rendering engine for the Store and Community pages, including in the game overlay engine, was changed from Internet Explorer's Trident engine to a WebKit implementation. It was launched on 26 April.[56]

On March 8, 2010, Valve announced that Steam was in development for Mac OS X.[57] Prior to this announcement, it teased the release through several images emailed to Mac community and gaming web sites featuring Valve game characters with Apple logos or featured in parodies of old Macintosh advertisements.[58][59] In one case, Valve developed a full video homage to the 1984 Apple Macintosh commercial to announce the availability of Half-Life 2 and its episodes to the service, with some concept images for the video previously used to tease the Mac Steam client.[60]

Prior to Steam's Mac OS X release, Valve released teaser ads that paid homage to famous Apple advertisements, such as the 1984 commercial.

Originally planned for release in April 2010, Steam for Mac OS X computers was launched worldwide on May 12, 2010, following a successful beta period.[61] In addition to the Steam client, several features were made available to developers to take advantage of a cross-platform Source engine and platform and network capabilities using Steamworks.[62] Through SteamPlay, the Mac OS X client will allow players who have already purchased compatible products in the Windows version to re-download the Mac versions at no cost, allowing them to continue to play the game on the other platform; however some third party titles may require the user to purchase again to gain the cross-platform functionality.[63] The Steam Cloud will be cross-platform compatible. Multiplayer games can also be cross-compatible, allowing Windows and Mac players to play with each other.[57]

Upon launch, over 50 games, most supporting the SteamPlay feature, were available for the client. As part of the launch, Valve offered both PC and Mac users to download Portal for free during the first two weeks of launch.[64][65] For some weeks after the Mac client launch, Valve will expand the catalog of offerings for the service on a weekly basis, with each week highlighting a new feature of the service.[66] Valve plans to include native Mac OS X; OpenGL versions of Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Portal, and the entire Half-Life series following Steam's release.[67] Portal 2, due in 2011, will be the first Valve title simultaneously released on both the Windows and Mac versions of Steam.[68]

Linux

Based on Valve's website "There are no plans to create a native Linux Steam Client at this time."[69] Following the announcement of Steam for Mac OS X, Linux benchmark and news website Phoronix found Linux-related references in a beta release of the Mac Steam client. This was followed later by the discovery of files for an incomplete Linux client available for download on Valve's own web servers.[70][71][72][73][74][75][76] On May 12, 2010, The Daily Telegraph claimed that Valve had confirmed that a Linux client was planned to be released "in the coming months", but gave no other details.[77] This claim was then repeated on other websites as conclusive proof.[78]

PlayStation 3

At E3 2010 Valve announced that Steamworks would arrive on the PlayStation 3 with Portal 2. It will provide automatic updates, community support, downloadable content and other unannounced features.[79]

Criticism

Regional restrictions and pricing

Steam allows developers and publishers to change prices and restrict game availability depending on the user's location. This can cause some games to cost more than retail prices, despite digital distribution removing the costs of manufacturing, packaging, design, and logistics.[80][81][82]

Valve also restricts game registration to the buyer's country of residence. One example of this regional restriction can be seen where Valve uses Steam's authentication to prevent boxed versions of their games sold in Russia and Thailand, which are priced significantly lower than elsewhere, from being used outside those territories.[83]

Steam offers products in three currencies; US Dollar, Euro and Pound Sterling. The currency is selected automatically based on the user's location, and cannot be changed. Due to how Steam handles the US Dollar to Euro/Pound Sterling conversion, prices in Eurozone countries are often much higher than in the United States, which has led to much criticism from European Steam users since the Euro support was introduced on December 12, 2008.[84]

System failure

It is necessary to validate every Steam game online, whether purchased via Steam itself or installed via a retail disc, the first time it is played,[85] although an offline mode is available.

According to the Steam Subscriber Agreement, Steam's availability is not guaranteed and Valve is under no legal obligation to release an update disabling the authentication system in the event that Steam becomes permanently unavailable.[86]

Despite this, Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, said in a post on the Steam User Forums that "Unless there was some situation I don't understand, we would presumably disable authentication before any event that would preclude the authentication servers from being available." He added, "We've tested disabling authentication and it works."[87]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Steam Client Released". Valve Corporation. September 12, 2003. http://store.steampowered.com/news/183/. Retrieved February 3, 2008. 
  2. ↑ "Valve to Deliver Steam & Source on the Mac". Valve Corporation. 8 March 2010. http://store.steampowered.com/news/3569/. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  3. ↑ "Steamworks 2010 Brochure". Valve Corporation. p. 4. http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/SteamworksBrochure2010.pdf. Retrieved 20 March 2010. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Steam Realizes Extraordinary Growth in 2009". Valve Corporation. 2010-01-29. http://store.steampowered.com/news/3390/. Retrieved 29 January 2010. 
  5. ↑ Graft, Kris (November 19, 2009). "Stardock Reveals Impulse, Steam Market Share Estimates". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=26158. Retrieved November 21, 2009. 
  6. ↑ "Content Server Stats". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/stats/content. Retrieved November 15, 2008.  (click “View individual server statistics”)
  7. ↑ "SteamID, Steam Account Names, Merging Accounts and Deleting Accounts". Valve Corporation. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1558-QYAX-1965. Retrieved June 16, 2010. 
  8. ↑ Valve Corporation. "Steam Support — Valve Anti-Cheat System (VAC)". https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7849-RADZ-6869. Retrieved 18 January 2010. 
  9. ↑ "Steam News — European Local Currency Available". Valve Corporation. 2008-12-17. http://store.steampowered.com/news/2110/. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  10. ↑ "Steam mod hosting announcement". Valve Corporation. http://storefront.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/message/1843/. Retrieved 2008-10-01. 
  11. ↑ Miller, Ross (13 September 2007). "Steam Community officially launched". Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/13/steam-community-officially-launched/. Retrieved 18 January 2010. 
  12. ↑ "Steam rating". Valve Developer Community. http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Steam_rating. Retrieved November 3, 2007. 
  13. ↑ TF2 Team (1 July 2010). "Steam Web APIs". Team Fortress 2 blog. http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=4014. Retrieved 2 July 2010. 
  14. ↑ "Steam Web API Documentation". Steam Community. Valve Corporation. http://steamcommunity.com/dev. Retrieved 2 July 2010. 
  15. ↑ Breckon, Nick (May 29, 2008). "Valve Announces Steam Cloud; Online Network to Store Saved Games Indefinitely". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52906. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  16. ↑ Faylor, Chris (September 3, 2008). "Steam Cloud Launching With Left 4 Dead; Custom Settings To Be Automatically Backed Up, Applied". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55705. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  17. ↑ "Steam client update released". Valve Corporation. 2010-07-01. http://store.steampowered.com/news/4012/. Retrieved 2010-07-05. 
  18. ↑ "Steam offers gamers in-game downloadable content". Valve Corporation. 2009-03-16. http://store.steampowered.com/news/2355/. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
  19. ↑ "Game cache file (GCF)". http://supportwiki.steampowered.com/wiki/Game_cache_file_(GCF). Retrieved 20 January 2010. 
  20. ↑ "Steam GCF File Format". Wunderboy.org. http://www.wunderboy.org/docs/gcfformat.php. Retrieved 20 January 2010. 
  21. ↑ "The Valve Developer Community — NCF". http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Ncf. Retrieved 20 January 2010. 
  22. ↑ "Valve Privacy Policy". Valve Corporation. http://www.valvesoftware.com/privacy.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-25. 
  23. ↑ hardware survey "Valve Hardware Survey". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/ hardware survey. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
  24. ↑ "Half-Life 2: Episode One Stats". Valve Corporation. http://steamgames.com/status/ep1/. Retrieved 2007-10-25. 
  25. ↑ "Wednesday May 31, 2006 - Steam client update released". Valve Corporation. 31 May 2006. http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/message/639/. Retrieved 2006-10-26. 
  26. ↑ http://store.steampowered.com/news/4073/
  27. ↑ "Steamworks FAQ". Valve Corporation. http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/FAQ.php. Retrieved March 14, 2020. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Steamworks Integration Now Available to Unreal Engine 3 Licensees". Epic Games. March 11, 2010. http://epicgames.com/press_releases/steamworks.html. 
  29. ↑ "Steamworks API Overview". Steamworks partner site. Valve Corporation. May 1, 2008. https://partner.steamgames.com/documentation/api. Retrieved August 1, 2008. 
  30. ↑ "Audiosurf purchase page". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/app/12900/. Retrieved February 26, 2008. 
  31. ↑ "NBA 2K9 PC Ships to Stores Without CD Keys; Update: Fix Through Steam". Shacknews. October 21, 2008. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55472. Retrieved October 28, 2008. 
  32. ↑ "Gifts and Guest Passes". Valve Corporation. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?p_faqid=549. Retrieved October 27, 2008. 
  33. ↑ "Valve Cyber Café Program". Valve Corporation. https://cafe.steampowered.com/. Retrieved November 7, 2007. 
  34. ↑ "ATi Steam Offer". Valve Corporation. May 30, 2007. http://steamgames.com/ati_offer1a/. Retrieved June 4, 2007. 
  35. ↑ "Portal: The First Slice for NVIDIA owners". Valve Corporation. http://www.valvesoftware.com/news.php?id=1398. Retrieved 2008-01-11. 
  36. ↑ Lee, James. "The Last of the Independents?". GamesIndustry.biz. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/the-last-of-the-independents-. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
  37. ↑ "Steam Registers 13 million Active Accounts". http://www.gameguru.in/pc/2007/24/steam-registers-13-million-active-accounts/. Retrieved 2007-12-08. 
  38. ↑ "GDC 2002: Valve unveils Steam". GameSpot.com. 22 March 2002. http://gamespot.com/news/2857298.html. Retrieved 7 September 2006. 
  39. ↑ Walker, Trey. "GDC: Steam pushes software over Net". ZDNet. http://www.zdnet.com/news/gdc-steam-pushes-software-over-net/121632. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 James, Wagner (2002-04-16). "Triumph of the mod — Salon.com". Dir.salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/story/tech/feature/2002/04/16/modding/index.html. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 "A small games startup is gunning for big publishers". Redherring.com. 2002-05-05. http://www.redherring.com/Home/6517. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  42. ↑ "Steam Powered — Broadband distribution system to go live — dslreports.com". Broadbandreports.com. http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/32475. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  43. ↑ "Losing Steam — Broadband distribution's rocky road — dslreports.com". Broadbandreports.com. http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/32981. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  44. ↑ Strategy First (2005-12-08). "Strategy First to Deliver Multiple Titles On-Line via Steam". Press release. http://www.strategyfirst.com/press/DisplayArticle.asp?sLanguageCode=EN&iArticleID=3250. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
  45. ↑ "Half Life authentication servers steam up". http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/11/16/half-life-authentication-servers-steam-up. Retrieved 2007-12-09. 
  46. ↑ Netjak review "Half Life 2 Review". http://www.netjak.com/review.php/780 Netjak review. Retrieved 2007-12-09. 
  47. ↑ "Half Life 2 Review". http://www.sharkyextreme.com/features/games/article.php/3449611. Retrieved 2007-12-09. 
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 "Half Life 2 fires up web users". Contractor UK Limited. http://www.contractoruk.com/news/001819.html. Retrieved 2008-02-19. 
  49. ↑ Harris, Wil (2005-01-31). "Steam comes out of Half Life 2 players' ears". http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1017268/steam-comes-out-of-half-life-2-players-ears. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  50. ↑ "Top 5 Botched PC Game Launches". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3166996. Retrieved 2008-04-07. 
  51. ↑ "Ban hits Half-Life 2 pirates hard". BBC News Online. November 25, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4041289.stm. Retrieved February 2, 2008. 
  52. ↑ "Digital distribution: Keep the money and run?". The Hollywood Reporter. 2005-06-13. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000955338. Retrieved 2010-01-31. "Valve won't talk about how many units it's sold through Steam, but Lombardi describes the venture as being "extremely successful. Even though the lion's share of our sales is still at retail, the digital units are wildly more profitable for us."" 
  53. ↑ "Steam Surpasses 13 Million Accounts". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/news/1050/. Retrieved 31 January 2010. 
  54. ↑ "A Brand New Steam". Valve Corporation. February 23, 2010. http://store.steampowered.com/uiupdate/. Retrieved February 24, 2010. 
  55. ↑ Leahy, Brian (February 23, 2010). "Valve Launches Public Beta For New Steam UI". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62488. Retrieved February 24, 2010. 
  56. ↑ "New Steam Client Officially Released!". Valve Corporation. 2010-04-26. http://store.steampowered.com/news/3753/. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Faylor, Chris (2010-03-08). "Steam Coming to Mac in April, Portal 2 This Fall". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62687. Retrieved 2010-03-08. 
  58. ↑ Nelson, J.R. (2010-03-07). "Valve All But Confirms Steam and Portal 2 Coming to Mac OS X". Desktop Preview. http://www.desktopreview.com/default.asp?newsID=970&News=Apple+Mac+OS+X+Gaming+Valve+Steam+Portal+2. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  59. ↑ Slivka, Eric (2010-03-03). "Valve teases upcoming Half life release for Mac". Mac Rumors. http://www.macrumors.com/2010/03/03/valve-teases-upcoming-half-life-release-for-mac/. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  60. ↑ Leahy, Brian (2010-05-25). "Half-Life 2 Hits Mac Steam Tomorrow; Teased via Epic Homage Trailer". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/63976. Retrieved 2010-05-25. 
  61. ↑ Citizen, Jessica (2010-04-30). "Steam for Mac on May 12". GamePron. http://www.gamepron.com/news/2010/04/29/steam-for-mac-on-may-12/. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  62. ↑ Remo, Chris (2010-04-29). "Valve Dates Steam Mac For May 12, Updates Steam PC". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28317/Valve_Dates_Steam_Mac_For_May_12_Updates_Steam_PC.php. Retrieved 2010-05-19}. 
  63. ↑ Faylor, Chris (2010-05-13). "Steam's Cross-Platform PC/Mac Game Availability Explained: Some Must Be Bought Again". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/63793. Retrieved 2010-05-13. 
  64. ↑ http://store.steampowered.com/freeportal/
  65. ↑ http://www.cnet.com.au/steam-released-for-mac-portal-free-until-may-24-linux-soon-339303101.htm
  66. ↑ Chalk, Andy (2010-05-12). "Steam for Mac Sets Portal Free - UPDATED". The Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100633-Steam-for-Mac-Sets-Portal-Free-UPDATED. Retrieved 2010-05-19. 
  67. ↑ Kuchera, Ben (2010-05-04). "Steam for Mac: the beta is limited, but the future is bright". Ars Techinca. http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/05/valves-not-so-subtle-hints.ars. Retrieved 2010-05-19. 
  68. ↑ Carolli, Eric (2010-05-12). "Steam Launched For Mac, Portal Offered For Free". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28529/Steam_Launched_For_Mac_Portal_Offered_For_Free.php. Retrieved 2010-05-19. 
  69. ↑ https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1313-QIPD-5381
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  73. ↑ Mathews, Lee (2010-04-22). "Steam's new Mac client hints at Linux support". Download Squad. Weblogs, Inc.. http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/04/22/steam-new-mac-client-hints-at-linux-support/. Retrieved 2010-06-07. 
  74. ↑ "Linux gamers will get some Steam". The Inquirer. Incisive Media. 2010-04-23. http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/blog-post/1602541/linux-gamers-steam. Retrieved 2010-06-07. 
  75. ↑ Steam for Linux next on cards after OS X? SlashGear, May 4, 2010
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  77. ↑ Steam for Mac goes live Telegraph.co.uk, May 12, 2010
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  81. ↑ "How your PC can entertain you for less". Lovemoney.com. 2009-10-14. http://www.lovemoney.com/news/ways-to-save/how-your-pc-can-entertain-you-for-less-4028.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
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  83. ↑ Breckon, Nick (October 29, 2007). "Valve Responds to Steam Territory Deactivations (Updated)". ShackNews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/49656. Retrieved November 26, 2007. 
  84. ↑ "Valve Inflicts European Gamers with $1 = €1 Equation". December 19, 2008. http://www.techpowerup.com/79349/Valve_Inflicts_European_Gamers_with_$1_=_%E2%82%AC1_Equation.html. Retrieved December 20, 2008. 
  85. ↑ Reimer, Jeremy (2005-09-26). "Microsoft previews online software purchasing with the Digital Locker". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2005/09/5351.ars. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  86. ↑ "Steam Subscriber Agreement". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/. Retrieved January 31, 2009. 
  87. ↑ Newell, Gabe. "What will happen if Steam go bust?". http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10642189&postcount=28. Retrieved 21 November 2009. 

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