Valve’s Steam Cloud Brings Cloud Computing to Gaming Masses [Steam]
Posted by: admin in General Gadgets News
In the next update to Valve’s Steam client, which distributes and manages Computer games, and is probably the ideal digital distribution setup around (other software companies wish they’d a setup half as good), Valve will be throwing cloud computing into the mix. Called Steam Cloud, the update will let you store profiles, keybindings and all of your save games online, in addition to social networking features like calendars and stuff. The cloud storage is free. Why is this a large deal?
A game company is taking the lead with two very hyped developments in how we consume software—digital distribution and cloud computing. Steam was already groundbreaking in the way it eliminated physical media from the large software equation on a mass level, and and Steam Cloud does something similar, bringing cloud computing to the masses. (It’s been so successful Steam sales are about to overtake box sales for Valve.)
Google does this to an extent with Google Docs but by integrating it with the Steam client, Valve takes it a little further—it doesn’t matter whose Personal computer you’re on, all of your stuff is there, waiting. Ironically, as much as Microsoft’s trying to fend off the cloud, Xbox Live presents a pretty awesome chance to dive into it and do something similar—they already do with respect to software distribution. [Maximum Computer]
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