A platform, in the making.

Half-Life establishes Valve’s game-making roots

A game developer’s distribution problem comes before the storefront.

Steam launches

The patch client begins its transformation into lasting PC infrastructure.

Half-Life 2 makes Steam part of the purchase

A retail box and an online account become parts of the same journey.

Explore the Half-Life 2 guides — local draft →

The marketplace opens to other developers

Rag Doll Kung Fu and Darwinia mark the early third-party era.

Team Fortress 2 goes free-to-play

A game’s commercial life extends beyond an up-front purchase.

Greenlight introduces community voting

Admission to the store becomes a public process.

Steam arrives on Linux

Valve’s official announcement describes the Ubuntu client and launch catalog.

Early Access makes release a process

An unfinished, playable build can have a public commercial life.

Steam introduces its broad refund policy

Consumer experience becomes part of the distribution story.

Steam Direct replaces Greenlight

A different route to admission leaves the challenge of discovery.

Proton arrives with the Steam Play update

Compatibility work gives existing Windows games a new route to Linux.

Half-Life: Alyx arrives in VR

A familiar series explores a different way of interacting with a world.

Steam Deck makes the library portable

Linux, compatibility, input, and account history meet in a handheld.