With the increase of digital distribution platforms like Electronic Arts’ Origin in 2011 and the Gamefly’s online service in 2012, common sense would dictate a decrease in sales and install base for Valve’s Steam. Suprisingly, the rising saturation of these platforms have had an adverse effect, with Steam increasing its year-over-year unit sales by over 100 percent for the seventh year in a row. Coupling with that accomplishment is a 67 percent year-over-year increase in the number of registered games featuring its Steamworks API (14.5 million registered). Valve also set records this year when it saw over 5 million users log in simultaneously to Steam. Valve’s online gaming service currently has over 40 million accounts and an extensive game selection that houses over 1,800 titles.
Do you think that Valve and Steam can be slowed down in terms of digital distribution?
[Source: Gamasutra]