Valve's Steam Client Updates, Redesigns

Developer Valve Software has announced the latest update to its Steam 'content delivery system' for the PC, which has been used for digital distribution of Valve games such as Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source, and is poised to be used for a much greater range of third-party episodic, indie, and even MMO titles. Valve announced long-term plans alongside the latest changes to its client, which have completely redesigned the client's GUI, and added a discrete 'Shop' area to allow separate purchases which don't fall under Valve's normal bundle deals for its own games, The first of these is the previously mentioned innovative action title Rag Doll Kung Fu, from Lionhead artist Mark Healey, although other Valve titles are now also available for individual purchase. The changes, as described by an official news story "...are part of a larger set of features (collectively known as Steam 3) which will be introduced over the course of the coming months. Today's release allows Steam to offer a larger and more varied collection of games to our customers, and introduces a-la-carte purchases." Also confirmed as being forthcoming through Valve's Steam in the next few weeks and months, beside titles such as the Half-Life 2: Lost Coast expansion, are Flying Lab's MMO Pirates Of The Burning Sea, which will exclusively be distributed via Steam, as well as Ritual's SiN Episodes Source-engine powered episodic gaming series.