While the main Steam application itself has got better over the years, it’s still pretty easy to look at Valve’s approach to store and platform design, then look at competitors like Google and Apple, and see how everything feels a little quaint. Steam’s mobile app was one of the main offenders in this regard, so it’s great seeing it get a massive update today.
Valve has “completely revamped” the app on both iOS and Android, introducing:
- Two-factor authentication to ensure you’re the only one with access to your account
- QR code sign in - Scan a QR code to sign into Steam instead of entering a password or…
- Sign in confirmation - Confirm your regular Steam sign ins with simple “approve” or “deny”
- Authorized Devices - Manage access to the devices your account has signed in
- Easy access to the Store, Community, News, etc from wherever you are
- Your Library with access to your game content, discussions, guides, support, and more
- Remote download of games and updates on your PC, managed from your phone
- Customizable Steam notifications: wishlist, sales, comments, trades, discussions, friend requests, and more
- Trade and Market confirmations – to ensure items don’t leave your account without your approval
- An improved Store browsing experience for mobile screens
- Support for using multiple Steam accounts in the app
- Customizable tabs
From the QR codes to the remote downloading, these are all great additions that we’ve grown to expect from stores in the modern age. You can see the new app in action in the video below, which is far cheerier than we have ever grown to expect from this company:
Design freaks will note that the app now shares many of the same design cues as the desktop shopfront, suggesting that Valve may actually have settled on a consistent design identity for its platform, which would...be a first for the company.
If you want to get into specifics on the new app, you can check out more at Valve’s announcement blog.