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"Steampowered" redirects here. For the steam engine, see Steam engine.
Steam

The home page of the Steam Client for Windows
Developer(s) Valve Corporation
Initial release September 12, 2003 (2003-09-12)[1]
Stable release API: v012 Package: 1742/1742 (November 11, 2011; 16 days ago (2011-11-11)) [+/−]
Preview release [+/−]
Development status Active
Written in C++
Platform Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X[2]
PlayStation 3 (partially)[3]
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, in-game voice and chat functionality.

As of October 2011[update], there are over 1,400 games available through Steam,[4] and 35 million active user accounts.[5] Although Valve never releases sales figures, Stardock, the previous owner of competing platform Impulse, estimated that, as of 2009, Steam had a 70% share of the digital distribution market for video games.[6]

Many major publishers have large catalogues available on Steam, including Bethesda Softworks, Activision, Rockstar Games, Square Enix, 2K Games, Telltale Games and Electronic Arts.

Contents [hide]
1 Client functionality


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