The Steam store is a fundamental part of PC gaming. If you play on a computer, there’s a very high chance you’re making use of the Valve client to buy and play games. While I’m generally happy with the current experience, there’s always room for improvements, and now Valve is about to drop one of the biggest overhauls to Steam that we’ve seen in some time. Boasting new ways to browse, search, and find your next favorite game, it includes several welcome features, and you can try the new-look store right now in beta.
“Just as the Steam store has changed with the addition of new features in the past few years, the ways users browse the store have changed too,” Valve writes. “Today’s Steam Client beta features a new store menu that is designed to provide easier access to the places Steam users most frequently visit.” As it helps you to seek out the newest and best PC games on the marketplace, Valve encourages people to join the beta test and provide feedback about the additions and changes.
The familiar top-level blue bar and the left-hand column of links are being stripped out and combined into a single menu that will now sit along the top. Valve notes that the old format created a lot of doubling up, making it “hard to anticipate where to find what you needed.” It says the new-look bar will “stay out of your way,” but that it’ll pop back up when you scroll upwards, meaning you’ll be able to access it quickly.
Search has been overhauled, introducing several new options. The most-popular searches will let you catch onto hot trends, a ‘recently viewed’ bar will let you quickly return to your last few games without having to type them back in, and there will be more ways to search for categories, tags, publishers and so on. The advanced search feature has also been made more accessible, allowing you to employ more filters to refine what you’re looking for.
Of course, you don’t always have something in mind, and it’s nice to just take a stroll through the digital aisles. The new-look Browse tab will help here, with options to look for games based on current popularity, release date, price, and any active discounts. Recommendations have been condensed into one section, where you’ll be able to seek out games similar to your favorites, community suggestions, or things promoted by people and curators you trust.
The Categories tab has also been personalized, and will list out your most-played genres, themes, and tags first to make it more likely that you’ll spot something that appeals to your tastes. “With these changes, we’re aiming to make your experience smoother and more tailored to your needs,” Valve explains.
“We’ve been hearing from players, and experiencing ourselves, that some of the most commonly visited areas of Steam were hard to get to. Whether you’re a frequent shopper or looking to build your game library, this new layout is designed to get you where you want to go with less effort.”
The new Steam store layout is currently available to test via the Steam Client Beta. Head here for instructions on how to opt in and test it for yourself.
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