I joined the Steam beta back in 2002, under an old alt. account that I wish I still had, merely for "Years of Service" recognition alone. The precursor to Steam's digital distribution dominance began as an ugly, uninspired & unsophisticated user-interface. In only a few short years, the platform would act as VALVe's virtual vending vehicle.

Whilst we were waiting on the next CS beta, or playing TFC - Nobody could've guessed that this new bare-bones, olive green "Half-Life MOD organizer" BETA app would be the replacement for the beloved WON.net service! It would surpass the likes of all other platforms amongst gaming; PC.

Gone, are the networks that would eventually dwindle & wither away after decline in playerbase. For all of the good that Heat.NET and MPlayer tried to offer, even that wasn't enough.
56k waiting times, browser-based management of credentials, tournaments, funding and monotonous routines & systems probably didn't offer the most appeal to players.

It seemed like consoles were just going to be THE players' clubs and gaming culture icons, with only the most dedicated of 'puter admins supporting the cause to champion for computer gaming.



|;,.-~*'`:`'*~-.,;,.-~+▬=>╬ ╬<=▬+~-.,;,.-~*'`:`'*~-.,:|



___________________............................................................................................... - - - ---




▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀



|;,.-~*'`:`'*~-.,;,.-~+▬=>╬ ╬<=▬+~-.,;,.-~*'`:`'*~-.,:|


∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼º○∙°·☼
░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒
▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░ ▓≈Let off some STEAM≈▓ ░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░
░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒░▒
○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼∙°○·☼


_____________________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| |
| - - - - - - ---√\/^------√\/^------√\/^-----√\/^-----√\/^---√\/^-----√\/^---


____________________________________________________________________________



+ PC Gaming LIVES +


▄██▄
▀██▀





PC

Play it.
Perfect it.
pwn it.