Steam

My account turns 20 on the 14th, and I can't help but think about the fact that games like Half-Life and Counter-Strike that I bought once 20 years ago are still so easy to play and enjoy today. Steam really set the model for how digital media sales should be done.

MAKE PORTAL 3 COWARDS. YOU WONT.

My account turns 20 in a few hours...!!

It's strange, I would have thought Steam came out prior to 2003,

Love the retro green look, suddenly brings back a bunch of memories!

Everyone here with their 20 year badges about to be unlocked and I’m over here with 9 year badge - curse my 7 year old self for only having access to a gameboy lmao

This is the best summary I could come up with:

It's pretty hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that Steam arrived, and with it that glorious green interface.

They weren't even close to being the first digital store to provide games, but requiring Steam to run Half-Life 2 regardless of digital purchase or a boxed copy was likely the defining moment that helped push it to success for Valve.

This was likely my own introduction to Steam as well, back in the day were my PC could only just about run Half-Life 2 when you had long loading screens between sections.

Pictured - Steam homepage back in 2004 after Half-Life 2 released

Not everything Valve has tried went well like the original Steam Machines, and killing off their ambitions for non-gaming video content but they keep on trying and expanding and it seems there's really no stopping it.

Naturally, without Steam and Valve, Linux gaming wouldn't be where it is today so we're doubly thankful for its existence.

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I got Steam on Christmas Day, 2004, so I'm not quite at the 20 year club yet. Regardless, the badge still impresses a great deal of fellow gamers.