Statement from Linden Labs, on their official blog. 08-16-2012
“......We’re going to make Second Life available on Steam in the next month or so. You’ll still be able to access Second Life just as you can today; there won’t be any change to that. But, the more than 40 million people who use Steam will also be able to get Second Life as easily as they can get games like Portal. We’ll make an announcement on the blog when Second Life is actually available on Steam....”
Well, the whispers have finally become assured confirmations across the grid. Steam is coming! Though the exact date is not set, it is finally official, and we can move on from asking ‘Is it going to happen...?’,and begin taking a closer look at the now imminent future portal into SL.
Steam began in the days before online PC gaming was easily available and mainstream. It offered itself as an application to host PC versions of popular games primarily played on game stations. One of its biggest advantages was the chat system, and ability to see what other users were playing. They brought inclusion, turning one gamer sat alone in their room, into one member of a massive gaming community. To bring us to the present, Steam remains a respected gaming host, with free download, and clear (& pretty cool) user interface.
What impact can we expect to see from this new partnership?
There is a sense of excitement and anticipation from many vendors in SL, balanced against some nervous questioning from residents in general. As uncertain as any prediction may be, I personally believe it will almost certainly increase the amount of new residents entering Second Life. That isn’t to say it would necessarily be a resounding success though. These will, for the most part, be hard core gamers. People who would, generally speaking, be hoping for a ‘traditional game’ format. The question of SL being a game is something still hotly debated by some residents when discussing Second Life. Whatever your own view on this issue, many agree that SL is for the most part an environment, rather than a game in and of itself. After all, there are no quests, or rewards – I feel this could potentially lead to many of the new users entering through the Steam platform, simply feeling frustrated and impatient. Upon finding no clear direction, they may just leave permanently without ever really exploring beyond their initial rez point! Of course, another possible impact of traditional gamers entering SL is the way this could change SL itself. Could we be seeing more games within SL in the future? More gaming accessories on the marketplace? We can already see Steam SL gaming modules released on the Teen Grid Island (13 –17 yrs)
Whatever happens I know one thing is certain – I’m excited!
http://store.steampowered.com/about/ to download steam
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