Steam (service)

Steam is a <a href="/facts/Digital_distribution/9gbe83sK">digital distribution</a> service and storefront developed by <a href="/facts/Valve_Corporation/zlRE5vJL">Valve</a>. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 to provide game updates automatically for Valve's games and expanded to distributing third-party titles in late 2005. Steam offers various features, such as <a href="/facts/Matchmaking_(video_games)/9SflVIAK">game server matchmaking</a> with <a href="/facts/Valve_Anti-Cheat/HAGhn9RL">Valve Anti-Cheat</a> (VAC) measures, <a href="/facts/Social_networking_service/qFIh6VT1">social networking</a>, and <a href="/facts/Game_streaming/CB43hEW6">game streaming</a> services. The Steam client functions include update maintenance, cloud storage, and community features such as direct messaging, an in-game overlay, discussion forums, and a virtual <a href="/facts/Collectable/SxRuAwUI">collectable</a> marketplace. The storefront also offers <a href="/facts/Productivity_software/WcKtjN6j">productivity software</a>, <a href="/facts/Video_game_music/4WkNBtI5">game soundtracks</a>, videos, and sells hardware made by Valve, such as the <a href="/facts/Valve_Index/lvorlvpF">Valve Index</a> and the <a href="/facts/Steam_Deck/E6VmDMWV">Steam Deck</a>.
Steamworks, an <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">application programming interface</a> (API) released in 2008, is used by developers to integrate Steam's functions, including <a href="/facts/Digital_rights_management/4AF8JmDt">digital rights management</a> (DRM), into their products. Several <a href="/facts/Video_game_publisher/VIhF1r4J">game publishers</a> began distributing their products on Steam that year. Initially developed for <a href="/facts/Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>, Steam was ported to <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a> in 2010 and 2013 respectively, while a mobile version of Steam for interacting with the service's online features was released on <a href="/facts/IOS/mK5cggH5">iOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a> in 2012.
The service is the largest digital distribution platform for <a href="/facts/PC_game/AEDr23gA">PC games</a>, with an estimated 75% of the market share in 2013 according to <a href="/facts/IHS_Screen_Digest/zLPQeaBT">IHS Screen Digest</a>. By 2017, game purchases through Steam totaled about US$4.3 billion, or at least 18% of global PC game sales according to <a href="/facts/Steam_Spy/d4DcoBHN">Steam Spy</a>. By 2021, the service had over 34,000 games with over 132 million monthly active users. Steam's success has led to the development of the <a href="/facts/Steam_Machine_(computer)/Dt86Gaj7">Steam Machine</a> gaming PCs in 2015, including the <a href="/facts/SteamOS/fL2Je1Ge">SteamOS</a> Linux distribution and <a href="/facts/Steam_Controller/DIK3osc1">Steam Controller</a>; <a href="/facts/Steam_Link/ebMy1sHe">Steam Link</a> devices for local game streaming; and in 2022, the handheld <a href="/facts/Steam_Deck/E6VmDMWV">Steam Deck</a> tailored for running Steam games.

Steam (service) open-in-new

Steam (service)