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Steam turns 20 years old today [Sale & Retro Throwback Store Page now live]

Uzzy

Uzzy

Gabe’s little helper
Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,835
Hull, UK
And Valve even remembered!

store.steampowered.com

Steam 20th Anniversary

Steam 20th Anniversary
store.steampowered.com store.steampowered.com


View: https://youtu.be/vtBqlFH0bGw?si=pnh_rjelQl5GXaZr


View: https://twitter.com/Steam/status/1701644215963508860

20 years of the finest PC gaming platform. Clearly we'd be in a much different place had Steam not emerged as the storefront for PC gaming, we'd likely be banging rocks together and hoping for sparks or something. Or seeing Half-Life 6 on the PS5 Pro. Who knows. Either way, it's olddddddddddddddddd. Imagine being old, it's a horror.

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There's meant to be some free stuff here, but as is tradition the Steam servers are borked in the first hour and nothing's loading for now.


Meantime

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AuthenticM

AuthenticM

Son Altesse Sérénissime
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
32,458
somehow I thought it wasn't that old. Like maybe 2006 or 2007.
 
medyej

medyej

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,971
Happy 20th Steam! Really enjoyed the trip down memory lane on the article.

The forever platform!
 
mrmickfran

mrmickfran

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
29,998
Gongaga
I think Super Meat Boy was the first game that I bought on the service.

I remember how much of a nightmare it was trying to get it to run on my shitty ass computer
 
signal

signal

Member
Oct 28, 2017
41,216
Happy birthday 🥳

Have played since HLDM / CS betas and TFC but steam account start date for moi was 11 March, 2008 🤔
 

IamPeacock

Member
Feb 9, 2018
807
Belgium
I'm getting so old...

Still remember buying retail copy of Half Life 2 and being forced to install that obnoxious Steam client. 'Why?', my younger self asked.

Valve really knew what they were going for, and they succeeded.
 
Lulu

Lulu

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
28,847
Bless all those prankster uncles for keeping this platform alive.
 
Dinjoralo

Dinjoralo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,452
I managed to redeem those free community items pretty smoothly. Guess I came in after the initial rush.

Really like this trip through memory lane. Always love it when they bust out the military green.
 
Olorin

Olorin

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,184
This is honestly super neat and blows my mind at how time flies.

Also the celebration art is fantastic
 
laikalot

laikalot

Member
May 30, 2020
874
2018 is the only year where I don't own any of the listed Top Selling Games, though I've almost bought Raft a few times.
 
Drain You

Drain You

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,059
Connecticut
I miss my Athlon 64 x2 and 7600GT. Which was the. Downgraded to a 6800? So that I could eventually buy a 8800GTS 320mb. Day of Defeat was my jam. Do people still play that? I bet it still looks great.
 
Roarer

Roarer

Member
Oct 27, 2017
320
Sweden
Can't believe it's been that long. My acccount turns 20 tomorrow. I still remember entering the CD key from my tattered Half-Life jewel case and being slightly amazed that I now had a digital copy of the game. Pre-loading and unlocking Half-Life 2 on day 1 was pretty wild as well.
 
PotionBleue

PotionBleue

Member
Nov 1, 2017
519
I found it bizarre that the retrospective mentioned Nintendo 3 times (Nintendo Wii, Pokémon Go and Nintendo Switch) while not mentioning the other two major console manufacturers.
 
Yibby

Yibby

Member
Nov 10, 2017
1,925
Everyone hated it back then, when they forced you to use Steam to play Counterstrike.. haha
 
Jaded Alyx

Jaded Alyx

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
37,291
PotionBleue said:
I found it bizarre that the retrospective mentioned Nintendo 3 times (Nintendo Wii, Pokémon Go and Nintendo Switch) while not mentioning the other two major console manufacturers.
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The Wii was something notably new and different, as was the Switch. Pokemon Go was a global phenomenon. It seems in line with the other things they choose to mention like Netflix streaming, Android Phones, the iPad, Minecraft, Harry Potter films etc.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,222
Best ecosystem for videogames currently imo - only thing that could improve it would be going DRM-free and reducing the cut that Valve takes from devs/pubs but at least they are getting something for their money.

Looks like my first purchase with March 2008, but I had a different account before this that I had to migrate to my current one for reasons I can no longer remember, so I think my actual first day on Steam was earlier.
 
Mivey

Mivey

Member
Oct 25, 2017
18,970
JoeInky said:
My game is one of those 11,000!

Feels like that number should be higher though
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I think the number is too high as it is. Plenty of games that get a verified, even if it's not a great experience on Deck, or "Unsupported" when it runs great. Instead of chasing a larger number, have a more thorough review process and ensure the ratings mean something.
 
Akira86

Akira86

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,054
i still think steam will destroy physical gaming

but i guess it's here to stay for now.
 
Zaimokuza

Zaimokuza

Member
May 14, 2020
1,029
PotionBleue said:
I found it bizarre that the retrospective mentioned Nintendo 3 times (Nintendo Wii, Pokémon Go and Nintendo Switch) while not mentioning the other two major console manufacturers.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Because they just iterated on their first console. Did you expect it to also mention the other iPhones after the first one?
 
Jazzem

Jazzem

Member
Feb 2, 2018
2,829
Ahah aww, this is cute 🙂

I must admit to scrolling to 2016 out of curiosity, probably a good move to mainly focus on Boaty McBoatfacw that year 😅
 
mantidor

mantidor

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,343
Ok I have not seen the items page in literal years and it happens I have a CivCity Rome code for a gift, the game is already in my library, does anyone want it? first reply gets it. I do remember it being a fun city builder.
 
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