Steam gets another polish pass

Valve is back with another round of changes for Steam’s store, and this one is focused on making the storefront easier to browse rather than just different for the sake of it. The update is already available in beta for anyone who wants to opt in and poke around.

This is not Steam’s first visual overhaul of late. The store picked up a new look last year, and Valve has continued tweaking the platform since then, including game page updates released a few months ago. Steam has been around in one form or another since 2003, so yes, the fact that it still gets refreshed is both impressive and a little unsettling.

Valve says the updated design is part of its ongoing work on the store. In its announcement, the company said the new layout is meant to make it easier to find games by showing more content and information, while also using higher-resolution game art for better visual clarity.

"The updated design is our latest work in making improvements across the Steam store, like the game page updates we made a few months ago," Valve said. "The new layout aims to make it even easier for you to find new games by displaying more content and information. We're now displaying higher resolution game art for better visual clarity."

What is changing

The biggest goal here seems to be making the Steam home page feel more unified without turning it into a visual landfill. Based on the examples Valve shared, the store home now packs in more information under each game while still keeping the layout tidy enough for human eyes.

The Featured & Recommended section now gives quicker access to the details behind why a game is being recommended. It also includes a short "micro-trailer" and a preview of nearby games. In other words, Steam now wants to explain itself a little more before asking for your time and money.

That part is optional, too. If animated marketing bits and micro-trailers are not your thing, they can be turned off.

The Discounts & Events section is also getting larger artwork, which makes the page look brighter and, frankly, a lot less cramped.

Then there is the Discovery Queue, which Valve has made faster to reach without leaving the page at all. The infinite scroll setup is being adjusted as well so that it lines up more cleanly with the rest of the store home in both style and function.

Two new homepage sections

Valve is also adding two fresh sections to the homepage:

  • Your Wishlist
  • DLC for Your Games

Those additions should make it easier to jump straight to games and add-ons that are actually relevant to your account, instead of sending you on a small scavenger hunt through Steam’s menus or your profile.

Valve says it is listening

Valve says the company keeps improving Steam based on data and user feedback. That is, in fairness, how most platforms survive long enough to get their third visual refresh and a new coat of digital paint.

The reaction so far seems mostly positive. In the comments, some Steam users called the update "gorgeous" and described it as "a great change for Steam's slightly dated UI."

The beta is available now for users who want to try it out. Everyone else can presumably wait for the rest of Steam to catch up, which, historically, it usually does eventually.