Steam Client Beta Adds Video Streaming

[Omnomnick]

While you would be correct in thinking Steam already supported "video streaming" via the recently introduced Steam Broadcasting, a new update to the Steam Client Beta released earlier today has added the ability to stream structured video content for the first time. The first (and currently only) video to receive this functionality is "Free to Play", Valve's own Dota 2 eSports documentary released back in March 2014.

The new option provides users the ability to directly stream films and video content from Steam servers without having to download the whole thing onto a local hard drive, much in the same way Netflix and other streaming services function.

By clicking the "Watch" option on the store page after downloading the latest Steam Client Beta update, a new HTML5 video player will open and begin to stream. The player looks somewhat similar to the video player which has occupied Steam Store pages for a long time now while also featuring several significant improvements, such as being able to change between various resolutions (1080p, 720p, 540p, 360p), displaying how much bandwidth is required for each setting, a playback speed option (50%, 90%, 100%, 110%, 120%, 150%, 200%), and optional multi-language captions used to display subtitles.

Once Valve has managed to get most of the kinks worked out, it's likely the new video streaming functionality will be made available across the Steam Store for other suitable titles, such as Indie Game: The Movie. For now, there's a full FAQ available over on the Steam Support website. Here's hoping the system will also be used for more widespread streaming in the future should the likes of Netflix or Hulu Plus ever arrive on the Steam platform.

 

[jimmydorry]

Were you thinking at all when you posted this?

I don't see how you could come to the conclusion that implementing infrastructure to enable streaming would indicate that Netflix or Hulu Plus would come to the Steam platform...

The very nature of implementing this indicates that Steam would be a competitor to those existing businesses.

You also completely missed the fact that this streaming feature is very similar to the recently added broadcasting feature. Far close in fact, than the existing trailer players on store pages.

 

[Omnomnick]

You also completely missed the fact that this streaming feature is very similar to the recently added broadcasting feature. Far close in fact, than the existing trailer players on store pages.

I mentioned both and their similarities to the new streaming feature.

I don't see how you could come to the conclusion that implementing infrastructure to enable streaming would indicate that Netflix or Hulu Plus would come to the Steam platform...

The very nature of implementing this indicates that Steam would be a competitor to those existing businesses.

The article doesn't claim both are DEFINITELY coming to Steam, but it's entirely possible a streaming service (or more mainstream film/video content) could become available in the future should Valve want to branch Steam out into more of a general entertainment platform. This is more likely than you may think given code related to other streaming applications (Spotify, etc) has previously been found within Steam.

So yes, I was thinking when I wrote this article.

 

[Dj =D]

This is interesting, I'm eager to see what else Valve start branching into with the Steam client.

 

[-smash-]

Very cool. In-game replays will probably go this way, too. Valve must be building up their server infrastructure big time.