Steam, which is arguably the most popular gaming platform among laptop and desktop computer users, continues to attract new players regularly.
Valve, a company that developed Steam, hit a bank when they realized how much piracy there is in video games and how creating a platform and a service to accommodate gamer needs can make things easier for everyone. Steam has come a long way since its early days, and the platform no longer offers just the basic features. Right now, you can find plenty of neat additions for utilization.
In case you are new to Steam and wish to learn more about it because you are interested in playing video games on the platform, this article should prove quite useful.
Use Steam Guard
Since the platform is so huge, it is natural to encounter users with bad intentions. Security is often emphasized, particularly for someone who is learning to use the platform.
You should, obviously, use a strong password while registering on Steam, but that is not enough. Once you create an account, go to Settings>Account, and click on the Manage Steam Guard Security tab.
Verify yourself and enable an extra security layer. It will not require a lot of effort, and you will have the benefit of having a more secure account.
Participate in Steam Beta
Steam is constantly looking for ways to improve its platform, and Beta tests that occur now and then are open for everyone to participate. You can opt-in to become a Steam Beta tester by enabling the option in your Account.
The next time Steam pushes a new feature, you will be one of those people who tested it and, hopefully, made it that much better.
Manage Game Library With Collections
Some Steam users do not bother purchasing too many games, so managing their library is not an issue. However, if your game library becomes too large to handle, and it takes too long to find a game you want to play, you can sort games into categories.
Creating a new collection and adding a tag to it should make things easier. For example, you can move your RTS games and action games into separate categories.
Keep an Eye on Sales
Steam sales are a regular occurrence, and they hit around holidays. Some special sales happen now and then, but not missing the holiday season by preparing in advance should have you covered.
Some sales offer great discounts that go up to 90 percent. Being a patient gamer is a good way to save yourself some money. If you are in no rush to play a game, wait for it to go on sale and get it then.
Refund a Game
Steam allows players to refund games if they want. However, since some people might be abusing the system, it is natural that Steam also has certain conditions that customers need to meet.
For one, the refund must occur within a fortnight of the purchase. If you are too late, you will not be able to get your money back. The second condition is to not have more than two hours of gameplay on the title you wish to refund.
Refunds can happen for multiple reasons. For some, the game might not run due to poor computer hardware. In other cases, there might be issues with the game itself because of its poor development. Consumers want to mitigate these risks, and thankfully, Valve has a fair refund system for that.
Use Inventory and Sell Items
Some video games you play have in-game drops, such as trading cards. These trading cards can be exchanged for gems, and the gems are used to purchase various badges. These gimmicks are nothing more than cosmetics and a way to show off, but people still like them.
Whenever you get a drop in a game, check your Steam inventory and find out if the item is marketable. If it is, you can sell it and get additional funds to your Steam wallet that you can later use for purchasing video games.
Utilize the Reward System
The reward system is another gimmick that is based on visuals and appearances. After you purchase a game, you get tokens as a reward. These tokens are meant for purchasing avatars, background pictures, and emotes.
Purchase a Gift
If you have someone who wishes to play a game on Steam but cannot afford it or have no means to get the game themselves, you can purchase a game for them as a gift on Steam.
Delete Old Games
Since video games require a lot of drive space, you should keep an eye on the Steam library and remove titles you no longer play to free up disk space on your computer. In case there are too many temporary system files from both games and other sources, you can also check the list of some uninstallers instead of bothering with manual cleanup yourself.