![]() Old game selection: Steam’s library goes back several years, and includes some excellent classic games. If there’s a major new release for the PC, Steam will probably have it. New games currently available include Dungeon Siege 3 and the Fallout: New Vegas: Old World Blues expansion, and upcoming games available for preorder range from Deus Ex: Human Revolution to Driver: San Francisco. New game selection: Steam is very good for new releases, with both currently available and upcoming titles available for purchase or preorder. Last year, Valve released a Steam client for Mac OS X, and currently all major Valve releases and a handful of other games are playable on both Mac OS X and Windows through Valve’s SteamPlay. Half-Life 2 and the growing number of games using Valve’s Source engine caused Steam to really pick up speed, and by 2007 it became the premiere platform for purchasing and downloading PC games online. It was originally designed to make patching games like Counter-Strike easier and smoother, but a few years after its 2002 release the service really hit it big. Valve’s PC game distribution service is one of the oldest and largest game platforms on the Internet. While Steam reigns as king, each system has its strengths and weaknesses. Read our full slideshow for a look at every major digital distribution system for PC and console games. Last, the PlayStation Network offers hundreds of full PS3 and PSP games, plus PSOne Classics and PS Mini games, that can be played on either system. Xbox Live offers retail, independent, and even classic Xbox games for download directly to Xbox 360 systems. The Nintendo Wii, 3DS, and DSi have Nintendo's Shopping channels, which offer not only independent games but a wide selection of classic console games from the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System onward. The game consoles have their own digital distribution systems, handled by the hardware manufacturers. Still, all of these services offer hidden gems gamers might find useful. GOG.com is one of the best resources for legitimately purchasing classic PC games from the 90s and early 2000s, but retro gaming isn't for everyone. Microsoft and EA offer Games for Windows and Origin respectively, but they're limited to releases just from those publishers. Unfortunately, its multiplayer and community features are underdeveloped. ![]() Impulse from Gamestop stands as Steam's biggest competitor, with a big library of games. It's our Editor's Choice, but it's not alone in the field. Nearly every major publisher and most notable independent publishers use it, it offers lots of community and multiplayer features, it regularly offers sales and discount publisher bundles, and it even supports the Mac for some of the bigger names in PC gaming (like Valve's own games). On the PC side of gaming, Valve's Steam service has become the biggest name in digital distribution. The services are free, and they often have better deals and bigger libraries than retail stores. Whether you own a PC, a Mac, or any of the major game consoles, you can get hundreds and thousands of new, full games over your broadband connection. Over the last few years, online video game stores have become a huge force in gaming. You don't need to leave the house to get video games, and you don't have to settle for Web-based casual games or demos. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.
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