I am not underselling them at all, or mean my comment that way. However, as the first entry, they have had the longest time to refine all the aspects of their offering. The core of which i think is Users, Games, and API.
Indeed, the prevelance of Steam API is such that competing game markets have to make their own replacement Steam.dll, so that the gamedevs dont have to change anything.
Also Valve was a game company first, and i believe developed the first of these technologies for Half-life 2.
- Valve used Half-life 2 to bootsrap Steam (HL2 install disc came with steam)
- Use Steam to provide online services to HL2
- Then the users of HL2 become Steam users (or the sosial network of Steam, as we say today)
- Expose API to other game companies, which brings more Games, and Users
- Add features and keep ahead of competition
- Alot of the features also come from the fact that Valve develops games, and makes the features for themself first, and then exposes them to everybody through Steam API
Indeed, the prevelance of Steam API is such that competing game markets have to make their own replacement Steam.dll, so that the gamedevs dont have to change anything.
Also Valve was a game company first, and i believe developed the first of these technologies for Half-life 2.
- Valve used Half-life 2 to bootsrap Steam (HL2 install disc came with steam)
- Use Steam to provide online services to HL2
- Then the users of HL2 become Steam users (or the sosial network of Steam, as we say today)
- Expose API to other game companies, which brings more Games, and Users
- Add features and keep ahead of competition
- Alot of the features also come from the fact that Valve develops games, and makes the features for themself first, and then exposes them to everybody through Steam API