Steam
Steam is a online gaming platform/app for Mac & Windows PCs and laptops introduced by VALVE. They are the creators of games like Dota and Counter strike. Steam is one of the fastest growing gaming platforms and is my favorite platform to play games. Valve initially started Steam to control piracy of their own games.
An user can download the application from www.steampowered.com . Install the application, register and finally login with their email id and password. Only drawback is that you need to install and play with a net connection.
Around the year 2010, Steam started to become popular, so Valve decided to allow other big publishers like WB games, Rock star games, Activision and many more to publish their games on this platform for 30-70% (figure varies) on the sales.
Slowly Valve started allowing small indie game developers like me to publish their games on this platform. Indie game developers had to go through a process unlike the big publishers. We had to put up our games in Steam Green Light and ask other players/users in steam to vote for our games. For each game the number required to get approved varied. After approval, the green light license had to be acquired, we can also get it before if we are sure of the game getting the required votes.
In the past few years, Valve has started introducing game software, video editing software, and other software at a subsidized rate. For example, game maker app ( a game engine ) was 100 usd in the game maker website, however it was costing much lesser in Steam. Last year onwards Steam started showing movies and documentaries too.
When a player buys a game or a software or a movie from the Steam store, it will automatically appear in their library which is linked to their email account. if their mac or windows gets corrupted, there is no need of worry. The app or game is still in their steam library. Then they just have to install steam and reinstall the application.
Nowadays any new game which is launched, it is published in steam platform. Even if you to go a physical store and buy a game for windows or mac. The publishers give a physical key to be put in the Steam library.
Valve has tied up with a few PC/laptop makers like alien ware alpha consoles to make their own PC gaming consoles to compete with x box and play station series. Alien ware alpha consoles have their own windows version and steam OS version. Both are the same product with same configurations only difference is the OS. Valve has given us the option to upgrade the systems without affecting the warranty. Valve has also come out with their own controller, it is my favorite controller so far because the buttons are easy to handle.
There are more than 3000+ games in many different categories. Some of them are free and some cost from 5 to 100 usd. You can add friends depending on which level you are ( it depends on how many games you have) and compete with them. There are achievements for different games, which can be showcased in your steam profile, so far i could only get 100% achievement for the game Life is Strange.
For me the best games that are available in steam are age of empires 2 hd and 3, age of mythology, split second, shadow of mordor, lotr : war in the north, don brad man cricket 14, call of duty: black ops 1, 2 and world at war, Grand theft auto 5, life is strange and rocket league. There are steam sales through out the year, try to get these games.
Most anticipated games in 2017 for steam are Shadow of war, Life is strange 2 and Call of duty: world at war 2.