Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve. It is used to distribute games online from small independent developers and larger software houses alike. Steam also has community features, automated game updates, and in-game voice and chat functionality. Although Valve doesn't release sales figures, Stardock, the previous owner of competing platform Impulse, estimated that Steam has a 70% share of the digital distribution market for video games.1









