What is Steam?

Before turning into a meme stock, GameStop was the retailer to visit if you were looking for video game hardware and software products. While it continues to be the largest retail gaming destination, the need to walk into a retail store to get your hands on the latest video game is no longer the case. You can now download the latest games from the comfort of your PC and home and it is mainly thanks to Steam.

Steam is a digital video game distribution platform that has revolutionised the way people buy and play PC games. The digital storefront is not only home to an extensive library of gaming titles, but also to a vibrant community of PC gamers. Whether you are new to the world of Steam or a gaming enthusiast looking to enhance your gaming experience, here’s everything you need to know about Steam for PC.

Steam: A brief history

Steam is a digital distribution service and storefront for video games developed by Valve Corporation, the maker of well-known gaming titles like Half-Life, Dota, and Counter-Strike. The service was publicly announced at the Game Developers Conference in 2002 before being launched as a software client in September 2003. The service was initially designed as a way to automatically provide game updates for Valve’s games.

However, in late 2005, the service expanded to distribute third-party titles. It is estimated that Steam has over 132 million monthly active users and offers a wide range of features such as social networking, game streaming, and community forums. By 2021, Steam reported having over 400 million visits to its 44,000-strong gaming and app library.

ALSO READ: How to download Ghost of Tsushima on PC

Steam was initially developed for Microsoft’s Windows operating system but was made available on Apple’s macOS in 2010 and expanded to Linux in 2012. Steam’s success led to the development of Steam Machine gaming PCs in 2015 including the SteamOS Linux distribution and Stream Controller. In 2022, a handheld gaming device called Steam Deck was launched as a tailored machine for playing Steam games on the move.

What is Steam on PC?

Steam on PC is the most reliable way to download and install the latest gaming titles. If you own a gaming console then you already know that you are tied to the console manufacturer’s digital shop to get the latest games and titles. On PC, however, there was a vacuum for such a digital storefront and Steam delivered a service that struck a chord with gamers looking for a new distribution model for games on PC.

Through Steam, you will not only be able to download games from a vast library but also use Steam Cloud to synchronise your game progress across all your devices. This means that you can start the game on one device and continue where you left off on another device. Steam also offers several ways to find games on its platform.

ALSO READ: How to hide your Steam games from your friends

The service is not only home to one of the largest gaming libraries online and you will most likely find the games you are looking for. In addition to gaming titles, Steam also offers apps for productivity and other types of work. Now that you know about Steam, its origin, and how it came to be the largest digital storefront for games on PC, let’s look at how to use the service.

How to install the Steam desktop app on your PC?

To get started with Steam, you will first need to install the Steam desktop app on your PC. Here’s how to install Steam on a PC.

1. Go to the Steam website.

2. Click on the green Install Steam button at the upper right-hand corner of your screen.

3. You will now be redirected to Steam’s about page. Click on the Install Steam button on the main page.

4. Now, install the app and once installed, open the Steam app on your PC.

Now that you have installed the Steam app on your PC, you have taken the first step to accessing thousands of games on Steam for PC.

How to create a Steam account?

Once you have installed Steam on your PC, you will need to create a Steam account to download and play games on the platform. Here’s how to create a Steam account.

1. On the Steam log-in page, click on the Create a Free Account option in the bottom right corner.

2. Fill in all the required details and then verify your email.

3. Once your email is verified, create your Steam account name and password. Once you have successfully created these, you can log into your Steam account on the Steam app.

How to find and install Steam games on a PC?

Once you have created an account on Steam, you have taken another step towards accessing the service to download and play games on a PC. To find Steam games on PC, click on the Store tab at the top to access Steam’s store page. On this page, you can find newly-released titles and Steam’s personal recommendations.

You can also look for games based on category or genre, allowing Steam users to find titles specific to their liking. Once you have found a game you like, click on it to visit the game’s page. Scroll down a bit to see all the offers available and then click on Add to Cart option to send it to your Steam store cart. You can search for other games and add to your cart.

Once you have added all the games to your cart, Steam allows users to buy one game at a time or multiple titles at once. Once you are done choosing your games, click on the Cart button in the upper-right corner. This will show a summary of all the game titles and you can click on the Purchase for myself option to head to the Payment Method screen.

ALSO READ: Best video games of 2023 every gamer must have on their list

Now, fill out the details of your payment method, click on Continue and you will see a final purchase summary. Check the box next to “I agree to the terms of the Steam Subscriber Agreement checkbox” and then click Purchase. Once the purchase is complete, your game will be added to the Library tab.

Go to the Library to see the games you bought and click on any of the titles, select Install and follow the installation instructions in the next window. Once installed, the install button on the game description will change to Play. Steam is undoubtedly the best place to find games for your PC and by following the steps above, you can begin accessing thousands of games online.