Gadgets Blog » Left 4 Dead

The electronic distribution model has seen some remarkable growth over the last several years, thanks in no small part to the advent of high speed Internet. With a growing availability of a quick net speed, the Aughts (or whatever you’d like to call the 2000s) were a transforming time for retail. Fast forward to present day and a number of companies succeed in an electronic distribution model. iTunes brings us music, NetFlix brings us movies, and Amazon brings us books all with a simple download. In this same vein, Steam brings us video games.

Steam is a quickly-growing service that takes this distribution of gaming and makes it an entirely-online endeavor. Developed by video game company Valve, who are responsible for gaming classics like Half-Life and Left 4 Dead, the service provides a means for gamers to peruse an extensive library of games from both major and independent developers. The games can then be purchased over the internet, then downloaded to your home computer. You don’t need a net connection to play them, they instead become your own, able to travel with you from computer to computer.