While Valve is perhaps best known for developing unforgettable games the likes of the Half Life and Left 4 Dead, both of which have earned an indelible place on many players’ minds, it is no less famous for its Steam digital distribution service.

 

It is the latter which has received a change of late, as the company, for the first time, is making non-game PC software titles available on its digital store.

 

This follows an earlier announcement by the company that it was releasing its own video editor, Source Filmmaker, which became available for download via Steam a couple of months ago.

 

 

New titles that users will be able to download using the service include ArtRage Studio Pro, CameraBag 2, GameMaker: Studio, 3D-Coat, 3DMark Vantage, and 3DMark 11. To mark the occasion, all of the above software will be available for the first week of the launch (the first week of October) at a 10% discount.

 

According to the company, the software titles will enjoy similar benefits as digital versions of games, namely, automatic updating, as well as storage within one’s personal Steam Cloud. The latter would enable users to then access their purchased programmes on any PC from any location. Additionally, programmes that integrate with Steam Workshop, such as GameMakerStudio, will offer users the ability to share their work using Steam.

 

The titles, at least for now, are PC only, although we suspect that it is only a matter of time before Mac users will be similarly accommodated.

 

 

The move, which was originally slated for a September debut, and comes a month late, is nonetheless a bold and expansive step for Valve, as it signals that the company may well be in the process of redefining itself.