Vor einigen Wochen hatte sich über Android-Client von Steam schon angedeutet, was Valve heute bestätigte: Die Download-Plattform wird demnächst auch Software, nicht nur Spiele oder mit Spielen verwandte Inhalte im Angebot haben.

Die Programme sollen das komplette Spektrum abdecken, viele davon würden sich auch Steamworks zu Nutze machen und dadurch Patches handhaben oder Daten auch optional online speichern.

Der Startschuss für allgemeine Anwendungssoftware soll am 5. September 2012 erfolgen, das Angebot soll nach und nach ausgebaut werden. Die vor kurzem vorgestellte Steam Greenlight-Funktion soll auch jenen Entwicklern zur Verfügung stehen.

Aug 8, 2012 -- Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced the first set of Software titles are heading to Steam, marking a major expansion to the platform most commonly known as a leading destination for PC and Mac games.

The Software titles coming to Steam range from creativity to productivity. Many of the launch titles will take advantage of popular Steamworks features, such as easy installation, automatic updating, and the ability to save your work to your personal Steam Cloud space so your files may travel with you.

More Software titles will be added in an ongoing fashion following the September 5th launch, and developers will be welcome to submit Software titles via Steam Greenlight.

"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."