Valve’s Steam has continuously evolved since its release back in 2003. From a measly launcher for games like Counter Strike and Half Life, it has since transformed into the best place to purchase games. Two decades later, it is the leading digital gaming storefront for all the best videogames in the market, averaging to 23 million players online every day.
Steam is about to get better and better after announcing that they’re working on a brand new game discovery page where anyone can see which upcoming games are perfect for them. Dubbed as the “Personal Calendar,” this new Steam store feature is designed for users to find their next big game in the form of a personalized calendar.
No, this isn’t your average run off the mill recommendations tab where they give you slop titles you’re not interested with. Rather, it’s built based on your playtime and the genre you mostly enjoy. If you love indie titles like Hades 2 or Hollow Knight: Silksong, you might get recommended with other indie titles from the same genre. The calendar will also include games from your wishlist, so you are less likely to Google when your most anticipated indie game is coming out.
It will also track recent releases as well, so if you missed out on a major game release that’s been sitting on your Wishlist for months, you will find them there. It’s a simple process that nobody has done before, and Steam seems to be the first one to crack the code when it comes to videogame discovery.
With so many videogames coming out in the market everyday, it’s difficult to keep track of what games are good and bad. Recent upsurge of roguelikes and Soulslikes have also caused a burnout among other players, causing them to look for more titles that feel fresh while still oddly familiar for their preference. This new “Personal Calendar” feature seems like it could be the next big thing for the storefront, and it’s also another way for Valve to keep its community satisfied.
The “Personal Calendar” feature is still in development as part of Valve’s Steam Lab experience, where the company experiments with various tools that aid its consumers from simple discoverability and other customization options to make Steam an ideal hub for gamers.
Other Digital Storefronts are so behind on this kind of discoverability. Epic Games Store is the closest competitor to Valve’s Steam, but they’re still trailing far behind as the launcher is mired with optimization issues and an overall anti-consumer practice due to its lack of meaningful user features and exclusivity. While the free games are worth it every now and then, some gamers would rather go to Steam due to how accessible everything is.
Console exclusive storefronts like the Xbox and PlayStation store have their fair share of issues as well, but it’s not as egregious as Nintendo’s eShop with how populated it is with mediocre titles ranging from AI-slop to asset flips.
Overall, Steam seems to be gaining more of an advantage here with this upcoming calendar feature, and if it all works out well, it will keep its crown for the best gaming storefront on PC. For more details, check out Steam's official blogpost here.
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