Computer gaming's Steam-powered war
Computer gaming's Steam-powered war | CNET News.com
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For weeks now, bits and pieces of Valve Software's "Half-Life 2," one of the year's most hotly anticipated computer games, have been trickling onto nearly 2 million computers around the world.
"Half-Life 2" won't be out until next week, but Valve's new broadband content distribution network, called Steam, has been slowly loading players' computers with the game so they'll have it at their fingertips the moment it's released.
The network, which has been used to a lesser extent over the past few years to distribute updates and less-anticipated games, is getting its toughest market test with "Half-Life 2." By selling the games directly over the Net, the company is experimenting with a model that could substantially transform the video game business, which now rivals Hollywood in annual revenue.
What's new:
Valve Software is using its new broadband content distribution network to bring "Half-Life 2" to gamers.
Bottom line:
By selling games directly over the Net, Valve is experimenting with a model that could substantially transform the video game business--and bode ill for retail stores and middlemen such as game publishers.
Valve's Steam network is one of the most ambitious online projects aimed at pushing more software distribution online, a trend that could ultimately bode ill for retail stores and middlemen such as game publishers. The growing penetration of home broadband connections, along with increasingly efficient file-distribution technologies such as BitTorrent, now make it relatively simple to download even massive packages like a video game or the Linux operating system.
KEYWORDS: strategy, marketing, distribution.
posted by TanNg @ 8:23 PM
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