Steam has finally added remote game downloads to its service, and from what we’re able to gather, it’s a pretty seamless experience. The very latest version of Valve’s Steam client allows users download and install games remotely, from any device.
It works in a similar fashion to Google’s Play store, and from now on, Steam users will be able to browse the service’s inventory of titles directly from their Web client before selecting and downloading titles straight to a PC or Mac. Existing purchases can also easily be re-downloaded, and will, of course, not be charged the second time around, so those interested in getting their remote download game going will need to “opt-in” to the beta client, an option of which can be found within Steam’s settings menu.
A couple of weeks back, Valve Corp. added remote-installation support to the Steam client, enabling users to purchase and immediately download content on a PC or Mac, but the company has now stepped things up a couple of notches by adding this mobile support. By either logging in to the Steam website or using the iOS or Android apps, users can now download pre-loads or catch up on the latest releases as they are available, meaning new downloads can be initiated from your iPhone or Galaxy S III while you’re at Starbucks, and be ready and waiting for you when you arrive at home.
If you haven’t downloaded the PC or Mac update of the latest Steam client, then the process is fairly simple. All you’re required to do is click the Steam menu, and "check for Steam Client Updates…", as well as the remote downloading capabilities, there’s also a new UI feature which enables you to redeem your Steam wallet vouchers, while lingering download bugs with the brand-new content infrastructure have also been seen to.
I’m certainly impressed by the effort Valve appears to be putting into improving and enhancing Steam, and by offering this mobile companion/remote feature, users have an even more fluid and integrated experience than ever before. After a long day at work, coming home and waiting for content to download is a drag, and in this digital age, Valve is certainly pushing Steam in-line with the kind of functionality we’ve come to expect.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
