Sad news, everyone: the Steam video section is officially dead. Valve pulled the plug on the movie and video store section of Steam earlier this week, although most gaming-related videos will remain on the store.
In a short news post released on February 19, Valve announced the changes. Valve said that “in reviewing what Steam users actually watch, it became clear we should focus our effort on offering content that is either directly related to gaming or, is accessory content for games or software sold on Steam.” The video section of the Steam store is being taken offline, as Valve expects most video content to be found through the associated game. Search, user tags, and recommendations will also still work for video content.
Video and movies aren’t being taken off Steam, but they are no longer being highlighted on a separate store page. Existing content and content already owned will continue to be available. Valve said that a number of “non-gaming” videos will no longer be available for purchase in any way.
The Steam video section hosted a range of documentaries, making of videos, and other gaming-related media before branching out into other content. The company started selling movies, TV shows, and other videos not easily associated with the platform. Companies like Devolver Digital sold their films through Steam, although it was never the main focus for Valve or companies distributing on the platform.
Non-gaming videos are the biggest losers on Steam, as Valve decided it’s not worth keeping them around. Competition like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon never made Valve’s foray into digital video distribution make a lot of sense. New competition in the PC video game distribution space from Epic Games has pushed Valve to reconsider its position and attempt to trim the fat from Steam. Cutting the inessential video and movie section could be seen as a way for Valve to reposition Steam as the necessary digital distribution platform on PC.
