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We're All Screwed: Steam Has a Mobile App Now [UPDATED]

The ability to buy games on Steam will now follow you wherever you go. You cannot escape.

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UPDATE: I just realized I completely forgot to mention that the only people who can access this right now are part of a closed beta. From the press release:

Those who wish to join the beta just need to download the Steam app (free of charge) and log in to their Steam account via the mobile app to express interest in the beta. Gamers will be added to the Closed Beta as the service ramps up.

So, hey, do that.

--

There was a time when PC gamers were regrettably unable to just buy a new game on Valve Corporation's Steam service unless they were actually in front of an actual computer. That time is now over.

Valve today announced the Steam mobile app for iOS and Android platforms, a free-to-download program designed to let the Steam power user check their friends list, chat with said friends, and yes, buy new games pretty much any time it tickles their fancy.

This means that never again shall you be forced to miss out on one of Steam's many, many, many sales because you happened to be walking around out in the larger world, and not handcuffed to your computer for the duration. In effect, downloading this app ensures that you will never, ever be able to escape the opportunity to buy games on Steam.

You didn't really like having money anyway, right?

Alex Navarro on Google+

158 Comments

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DocHaus

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Edited By DocHaus

"It's SALE TIME!"

"NO GABEN NO!"

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rjaylee

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Edited By rjaylee

Fuck. I need to cancel all my credit cards for self-preservation.

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Forcen

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Edited By Forcen

Android version code here:
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Ironlink

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Shabs

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Edited By Shabs

Dammit Valve.

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ddensel

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Edited By ddensel

Rad. Wish now Microsoft would bring Xbox Live to Android/iOS

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mesoian

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Edited By mesoian
@Forcen: Well done.
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MezZa

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Edited By MezZa

Now all that's left is the ability to buy steam games while sleeping. Get on that, Valve.

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project343

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Edited By project343

Let me in! D:

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theironyuppie

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Edited By theironyuppie

Not surprisingly, a lot of my friends are usually at their computer and on Steam. Looking forward to trying out the mobile messaging and being able to buy easily on the go, would have been extremly useful during the holiday sale this year!

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prestonhedges

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Edited By prestonhedges

"So, hey, do that."

N-no.

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Siphillis

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Edited By Siphillis

I wonder if Valve will get into selling mobile games, at least on Android.

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234r2we232

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Edited By 234r2we232

Finally! Steam on a relevant platform :D

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begilerath

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Edited By begilerath

I don't care much for this, but at least it gives me hope that some day Steam would be available on mobile devices (like what it did on Mac) so I can finally play that copy of Plant Vs. Zombies that I bought like a year ago in one of those sale.

BTW: this is my first post, hi all!

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Blackout62

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Edited By Blackout62

Origin 2011-2012.

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Lobster_Ear

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Edited By Lobster_Ear

"Account not part of beta." God damn it.

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MysteriousBob

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Edited By MysteriousBob

Valve, you devious assholes. There goes all my wages.

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heromuseum

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Edited By heromuseum

@Goldanas: Nice , worked for me too, thanks for the link. Searching in the market from my phone was coming back with nonsense results.

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Cirno

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Edited By Cirno

HEH nice try Valve, but I don't have a smartphone! I'm free, free i tell you!

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NewfieBullet

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Edited By NewfieBullet

I haven't bought anything from Steam in a while.... Think I'll go spend money.

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JOURN3Y

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Edited By JOURN3Y

I'm not going to lie, Valve has me by the balls and I love Steam. I love steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam. steam.

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Klaimore

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Edited By Klaimore

Hell if I can buy rage for 9.99 I'm in! Also do I get a TF2 hat for downloading the app?

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Sooty

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Edited By Sooty

Good Guy Steam: Releases mobile app, doesn't pretend like iOS is the only mobile OS out.

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Vorbis

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Edited By Vorbis

@Forcen: Thanks for that.

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Protonguy

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Edited By Protonguy

God i fucking love steam. This is so dangerous though. Argh, my money is about to just walk away from me so much easier than it ever has before.

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Humanity

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Edited By Humanity

Now you'll be making even more unwise impulse purchases on the train, at work, on the toilet or during sex. Hold on babe just gotta buy these TF2 hats real quick!

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fisk0

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Edited By fisk0  Moderator

I just wish they would change up the DosBox support a little, centralize the client to the Tools menu (right now every DosBox game on Steam installs it's own separate and often not up to date copy of Dosbox) and make all the DosBox games multiplatform (DosBox is available for pretty much every open platform in existence, so there's no reason to make the DosBox games on Steam Windows only), and then make all DosBox games available on the mobile devices, which probably are powerful enough to run the older titles like X-Com and Wolfenstein 3D (though I guess Doom, Hexen and Duke Nukem 3D could cause some issues), especially games like X-Com, King's Quest and other games that generally give the player time to perform the in-game actions (and think!).

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marcseveral

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Edited By marcseveral

I feel like this might be a lead-in to a mobile game store for steam.

You know, while we are not so wildly speculating.

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artofwar420

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Edited By artofwar420

Now I can buy Train Simulator 2012 DLC while on a real life train! My life is complete.

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emprpngn

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Edited By emprpngn

And I just barely survived the Christmas sales...

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zanshin

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Edited By zanshin

We are not a screwed as we would be if GiantBomb had a mobile app. That would officially signal an end to my social life...

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TorMasturba

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Edited By TorMasturba

This will be useful for those, me included, who have to be away from their PC's during seasonal sales like summer and Christmas... And possibly Easter too maybe? I forget if Steam does an Easter sale.

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napalm

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Edited By napalm

@Humanity said:

Now you'll be making even more unwise impulse purchases on the train, at work, on the toilet or during sex. Hold on babe just gotta buy these TF2 hats real quick!

Haha!

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Hitchenson

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Edited By Hitchenson

Have you tried Skyrim yet?

Yeah, it's pretty awesome.

...

Who says tried when talking about games.

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NakAttack

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@Begilerath: welcome to giant bomb duder!

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Thor_Molecules

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Edited By Thor_Molecules

No universal iOS app? Shame.

I want to buy things on my iPad too! Are you listening, Gabe Newell?

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cheesebob

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Edited By cheesebob

Fuck.

That is all.

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SilenceUK

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Edited By SilenceUK

@Buckfitches said:

No universal iOS app? Shame.

I want to buy things on my iPad too! Are you listening, Gabe Newell?

its free cant you suffer using a smaller image for a bit?

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s-a-n-JR

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Edited By s-a-n-JR

Wait, you're telling me there's an even quicker and more convenient way of spending money on games I won't play!? Where do I sign up?!

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butano

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Edited By butano

Kinda surprised they didn't do a Windows Phone 7 app (as far as I know). Figured they'd have one up in preparation for Windows 8. Guess my wallet is safe for now...

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blacklab

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Edited By blacklab

Revolving credit FTW

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sahest

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Edited By sahest

1: You can easily browse and buy games on Steam in Safari on iOS without this app. Your wallets have never been safe ;)

2: Doesn't seem to be available on the Norwegian AppStore.

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Beaudacious

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Edited By Beaudacious

This was expected, am simply surprised this took so long.

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tourgen

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Edited By tourgen

chatting directly with my steam friends list from my phone is going to be GREAT!! hell yes! This is fantastic!

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wholemeal

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Edited By wholemeal
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oneki

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@Mackinder: indeed :( They will see through eventually. All of them will...

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hawkinson76

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Edited By hawkinson76

I buy all of my steam games from my iPhone using the website, usually because of a Cheap Ass Gamer tweet. Does this offer any additional functionality, like registering games via retail codes (which I get via e-mail from Amazon after buying something from them using my iPhone)?

OOOOH! is this about the social part of steam? That would make sense, but I don't play online, my friends list (steam and xbox) is empty.

So yeah, I'm kinda looking for a reason to get this.

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breadfan

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Edited By breadfan

Fuck.

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Rolyatkcinmai

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Edited By Rolyatkcinmai

Aaaaand stupid people are already giving it one star because they didn't read the description.

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