The phrase almost seems routine: Steam has released a new update. Patch that adds options to the platform Valve which might well go unnoticed. However, here we are not facing one of those new versions that is almost not even worth paying attention to. In its place come some additions that promise radically transform the way in which some users relate to the platform. A coup of authority from a company that continues to demonstrate efforts to leave its competitors behind, reaffirming its intention to maintain a leadership position as outstanding as the one it has had over the last 15 years.
A perfect upgrade for multitaskers, the TikTok generation, and low budgets
Although now we will go into an in-depth review of all the additions, the main idea of the update is to offer us the possibility of overlay some tools offered by Steam on top of the game screen. For example, you can create notes about the game to remember your progress and make it permanently visible. Everything is done through Valve’s own client, with no need to ‘tab’ the game at any point or re- windows. This can be very useful, for example, if we are following a side quest from one of those games that doesn’t offer too much detail like Elden Ring either Hollow Knight.
However, this function, which seems like a blessing for classic players who know what it’s like to play a game with the notebook next to them, comes with other even more interesting functions. Do you want to watch a movie or some videos on YouTube while you play? Now you have at your disposal an improved browser offered by the Steam which can also be superimposed on the screen. It is perfectly compatible with all kinds of tools. If you wish, you can even put a movie in the browser and have it in the corner of your screen game to do two things at once while you spend hours playing a more relaxed game that may not require 100% of your attention.
A taste of what you can do with the new Steam features
The truth is that it is an idea with which we can only agree and that benefits, most notably, gamers who only have one screen. Maybe I, with my two monitors, will not get too much out of it. However, players with lower budgets have a chance to make some truly useful stuff. Especially if they belong to that generation accustomed to multitasking that, until now, perhaps had to go to their mobile phone to be able to watch videos while playing. In that sense, it seems that Steam has hit the nail on the head. It also offers options to modify the opacity of windows so that we can configure everything to our liking so that it does not bother.
Additionally, the Steam update has added the following changes:
- Updated Steam Client notifications. There are now added options to choose which notifications you will see and where they will appear.
- Visual and usability improvements to dialogs, menus, fonts, and colors. Included in this section is the screenshot manager, achievements and more.
- Substantial improvements to the overlay in game. New visual section, customization, design and tools (those mentioned in this news) added. You can access it with the Shift + Tab command while playing the game.
- Improved functionality with controller.
- Mac and Linux can now use hardware acceleration.
Addon Pack is now available to all players and Some of the functions also affect Steam Deck. For example, if we save a note about a game while we are on the PC, we can later review it when we continue our session on the Valve console.
