Steam Now Selling Non-Gaming Software

In what could be taken as a sign of striking back against Amazon and Microsoft, Valve has officially launched its non-gaming software section on Steam. The company's digital distribution platform is now offering ArtRage Studio Pro, CameraBag 2, GameMaker: Studio, 3D-Coat, 3DMark Vantage and 3DMark 11.

To celebrate the launch, all Software titles on Steam will be available for 10 percent off their regular price throughout the week. For instance, GameMaker: Studio Professional originally costs $99 USD, but it's now on sale for $89.10. Both 3DMark Vantage and 3DMark 11 originally sell for $19.99, but this week they're priced at $17.99. Valve's Source Filmmaker is free.

While this may not sound like a big deal, many software titles now offered through Steam take advantage of popular Steamworks features. Like PC games, installations and updates are managed by the Steam client, so users won't have to worry about heading to the appropriate website to download the latest patch. The user's work is also stored in the Steam Cloud space so that files can be accessed anywhere.

GameMaker Studio, for example, features integration with Steam Workshop that allows GameMaker users to share their work via Steam, Valve said. 3D Coat allows users to actually import their 3D models directly into Team Fortress 2.

So far Valve's selection seems to focus on the developer/PC gaming crowd, but that will likely change in the near future. Genre listings include Accounting, Animation & Modeling, Audio Production, Design & Illustration, Education, Photo Editing, Software Training, Utilities, Video Production, and Web Publishing.

"The 40 million gamers frequenting Steam are interested in more than playing games," said Mark Richardson at Valve. "They have told us they would like to have more of their software on Steam, so this expansion is in response to those customer requests."

As previously reported, this launch could be Valve's assault on Amazon. The two companies are seemingly going head-to-head on the PC gaming front, fighting for the consumer dollar with rock-bottom prices in various promotions. Valve may also be attacking Microsoft in fear that Windows 8 will create a walled garden with the new Windows platform.

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  • Pgooch
    kudos to steam
    Reply
  • Copyrighted
    Not surprised, so many people use Steam, its just more money for Valve.
    Reply
  • Abion47
    "How many of your friends are using Quickbook Pro?"

    This should have some interesting results.
    Reply
  • master_chen
    It is a start of a new vision on how online stores should be. Steam just makes the first step...
    I think that, in 10 years from now, there would be a lot more high-quality stores like Steam.
    Steam is a definite pioneer in this kind of thing, but the progress won't stop on it.

    "Hymn of Steam". Click, and sing along with it if you truly like Steam.
    Reply
  • memadmax
    There is plenty of equivalent software for free...
    Reply
  • DRosencraft
    I can see how some might be interested/benefit from this, but personally I have little interest. Most programs nowadays have some sort of integrated update checker, so there's hardly ever a reason to go combing the website for updates or patches. Don't like cloud services, so I wouldn't be using that. Really the only real upside is probably the chance to get good deals on software, but how often is that gonna happen? Good luck to anyone who is looking forward to this. I hope it works out well for you.
    Reply
  • kinggraves
    So now instead of buying the software directly from the site and getting the updates sent to me automatically through the software as long as the company exists, I can buy the software through Steam and have Steam update the software.

    So what?

    Is Steam going to give me the license longer than the company? They wouldn't do that, it's still up to the publisher whether the product is updated for free or requires a new purchase. All you do when you buy software online is buy the license number. I mean, sure it's nice having things served through one platform, but the only advantage I see is slight convenience. What happens if your account is compromised or you just have a falling out with Steam? Not only do you lose your games now, but also your software as well. This is expensive software too, professional grade. People have to realize the risks that come along with convenience. If your house only has one door, it's more secure against being entered. But if that door becomes compromised itself, you are trapped.

    I'll manage more than one account for my software, thanks.
    Reply
  • Teeroy32
    DRosencraft

    I can see how some might be interested/benefit from this, but personally I have little interest. Most programs nowadays have some sort of integrated update checker, so there's hardly ever a reason to go combing the website for updates or patches. Don't like cloud services, so I wouldn't be using that. Really the only real upside is probably the chance to get good deals on software, but how often is that gonna happen? Good luck to anyone who is looking forward to this. I hope it works out well for you.
    But wouldn't having all your software updating in the one place be better then have several updaters running at once chewing resources and bandwidth, you know just like Linux has done for eons, damn it sucks when you turn on your machine and flash is harassing you, same for java, chrome, Firefox adobe reader, package management on Linux has always been one of its shining lights, good to see apple has got on board with that idea a few years ago and now MS is finally doing it with win 8, only problem with Apple and Microsoft they release the patches when they feel like it, Linux a patch is generally available within a day after the problem has been found, I can see Linux becoming a lot stronger in the next few years, it won't beet Windows for ages if ever, but I don't laugh any more when Mark Shuttleworth reckons Ubuntu will have 5% of the desktop market soon, now with Steam coming to Ubuntu I can see quite a few techy gamers will at least give it ago, and when they get used to it and see the benefits several of them will stay, gaming is all I keep windows for, oh, and streaming to my bloody 360, but I have a new rig now, I'll just convert what I want to watch in a couple of minutes and just use a flash drive, The 360 is a bit redundant now, I use my old Pentium 4 Prescott with a HD6670 as a HTPC any way, online movies and shows (ABC Iview is all I can watch on a silver account in Aus) and never have to worry about what bloody format its in
    Reply
  • spasmolytic46
    After that updated user agreement that told me to accept losing legal rights or accept losing my games I'm pretty leery of buying anything else steam related for quite awhile. After getting the last of my pre-orders I think I'm just gonna keep it offline for a while.

    Steam's never done me wrong, but I'd be a fool not to be cautious now.
    Reply
  • Kami3k
    spasmolytic46After that updated user agreement that told me to accept losing legal rights or accept losing my games I'm pretty leery of buying anything else steam related for quite awhile. After getting the last of my pre-orders I think I'm just gonna keep it offline for a while.Steam's never done me wrong, but I'd be a fool not to be cautious now.

    WAH! WAH! WAH!
    Reply