We may only be halfway into the week but it's been a busy few days for Valve's Steam platform. Launching the Steam Discovery Update, the PC gaming service introduced a massive overhaul to its layout, also bringing with it an improved Steam Search function and the new Steam Curators feature too.
It wasn't without its hiccups as Steam was hit with controversy after their Curators feature began to be abused by malicious trolls, self-promoting developers and retailers alike. Following the similarly wonky rollout of the Steam Tags system (some users used the tags to criticize and tear down games rather than label them appropriately) and the divisive policies of Steam Early Access, many asked why Steam's parent company Valve consistently make so many missteps.
Could Valve ever bring out a new Steam feature without hitting roadblocks? And what would it take for things to be smooth sailing for once? Valve may have found the answer in the Steam Music Player as it has finally been released after several months in beta.
Available now with the latest Steam Client Update (Steam should automatically start downloading the update as soon as you open it) the Steam Music Player's primary function is to let users import the music they already have on their computers and hit play, skip or shuffle songs, queue mixes and put together playlists using the feature. Users will even be able to control the volume of the music to avoid accidentally deafening themselves when Steam autoplays a trailer with iTunes playing in the next window.
Furthermore, Valve explains that the Steam Music Player isn't just available in the client but it will be available in-game too.
"Best of all, it’s all available right within the Steam Overlay, so you can control playback without leaving your game. The Steam Music library and player consist of all the basics you need to enjoy your music without switching tasks."
The Steam Music Player is also something that users have been asking for a while. It is a hassle to exit out of a game window to go out and switch playlists so it's brilliant that this problem have been solved but it also paves the way for users to create playlists on the fly. If players are heading into a mission following exploration in an RPG, they can now put a few songs together, hit play and blare death metal as they charge into battle. Easy.
The Steam Music Player even makes listening to official game soundtracks a doddle too as Valve adds that you can find "Steam Soundtracks DLC in your Steam Music library when the associated base game is installed".
What might become an issue though, is that the Steam Music Player only supports MP3s. Valve is asking for users to send in feedback on the community forum though and for those who feel put out by the MP3-only decision (or for those who just like good deals) they've also put a variety of their products on sale including 75% off of both of the Half-Life games and Portal 1 and 2.
Not only that but once you buy those games, Valve will chuck in the soundtracks for free. The offer runs through until October 1st so you can find out more at the source link below.
Source: Steam