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Mobile Steam App Walkthrough

By Lawrence Sonntag | 26 January 2012 | News | , , | 13 Comments   

mobilesteam

Thanks to the beta-granting overlords at Valve, I was able to smash my way around the Android version of the Steam Mobile App for a few minutes. While I like the layout, it reminds me a LOT of the Facebook mobile app for Android. The friends list is the main screen you see when loading the app, which looks similar to its big brother on the PC.

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And here are the profile and chat windows. The chat window is clean, and the profile window has all the relevant links up in big, easy-to-touch buttons.

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Here are other various shots of the interface, menus, and such. Prepare for some heavy scrolling.

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Overall the app promises more potential than delivering functionality. The chat feature is completely functional, which means it may be the go-to communication network for gaming clans. The rest of the steam app provides content that’s easy to migrate to a mobile platform, but isn’t exactly compelling content. Jumping on Steam sales is probably the app’s greatest virtue, but it was totally possible to buy games through a mobile browser previously — I did it multiple times over the Holiday while at my parent’s house.

Still, it is a beta, and baby steps and all that. Steam’s presence on mobile platforms makes way too much sense for this to be the limit of Valve’s plans for the application. We’ll just have to wait a few months (in Valve Time) until it’s more robust.

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13 Comments

  1. Posted by Screamo Luvr on 26 January 12 at 3:06pm

    That looks awesome. It will be free I assume?

    • Posted by admin on 26 January 12 at 4:30pm

      The beta certainly is, and I can’t see the full release costing anything, especially since the desktop application is also free.

  2. Posted by MajorStever on 26 January 12 at 5:52pm

    is there a way to download the beta?

    • Posted by Landon Robinson on 26 January 12 at 6:06pm

      You can download it via iTunes certainly, but you’ll need a beta key at the moment to access it. I believe you can click “express interest” within the app once you’ve signed in.

      I’ll follow up on this.

  3. Posted by lesovikk1 on 27 January 12 at 1:55am

    My body and wallet, is ready!

  4. Posted by Mugenite on 27 January 12 at 6:07am

    Gabe: “Dear god… Someone realized that this is just a big teaser for Half Life Episode 3…”

    • Posted by Lawrence Sonntag on 27 January 12 at 9:14am

      HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED.

  5. Posted by jfkisjack on 27 January 12 at 10:22am

    I saw this artical so I downloaded it on my android and it said my account isn’t part of the beta I hope I get access soon

  6. Posted by Bluecewe on 27 January 12 at 11:14am

    Can’t wait for it. Have been wanting a Steam chat app for ages. The extra features seem pretty neat too.

  7. Posted by John Smith on 27 January 12 at 2:26pm

    Cool but can I play my Steam Games on it?

  8. Posted by bloo-guhloo on 28 January 12 at 3:30pm

    brofist @whoever it is that has Missile as his/her steam picture.

  9. Posted by Thatguy on 29 January 12 at 10:37am

    I hope there will be an IPad/ tablet version to!

  10. Posted by Thatguy on 29 January 12 at 10:38am

    I hope there will be an IPad/ tablet version to!

    Steam<3

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