Steam News

Virtua Tennis 2009 Now Available - Save 10%

July 3, 2009, 9:46 am - Valve - Product Release

Virtua Tennis comes back smashing! The latest in this sports sim series from Sega is now available for download via Steam. Save 10% on Virtua Tennis 2009 until July 10th.

America's Army 3 Update Released

July 3, 2009, 9:40 am - Valve - Product Update

Updates to America's Army 3 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The specific changes include:

America's Army 3

• Improved console help
  
• Added Clan support. Add clan tag in Account Settings. You must change information while in single player mode for now.
  
• Admin VOIP Improvements
  
• New "version" console command to see the current version
  
• Server browser performance improvements
  
• Fixes joining password protected servers so it no longer selects the server underneath the mouse cursor when clicking on the "Join" button in the password entry dialog.
  
• Fix for settings menu improperly closing when ESC pressed and leaving the player stuck with no UI and limited control
  
• Mission generation optimizations
  
• Fixed issue with logging into game servers that sometimes used another player's soldier profile.
  
• New TS3 SDK integrated
  
• Improves how server manages authentication objects
  
• Fixes issue with players being added to the scoring system not having all of their scoring data written.
  
• Fixes issue where players not logged into MBS were being logged out if they left the server prior to authenticating
  
• M320 grenade attaching issue resolved.
  
• Dedicated server title bar now shows mission and player details
  
• Fixes the "Waiting for other players" UI so it now appears again.
  
• Removes some server logging
  
• Increased communications handling to support when all players use heavy load outs. This may correct many instances where players didn't spawn correctly or get the correct load out.
  
• Fixes the M320 getting an extra round of ammo
  
• Fixes the Account Settings password changing not working properly
  
• Fixes the IRC link not working
  
• Fixes the displayed mission type (assault/defense/etc.) shown in the battle planner so it displays properly after side-swapping
  

The Dawn of War II 'There is Only War' Beta Now Available

July 2, 2009, 3:35 pm - Valve - Product Update

'There is Only War,' The massive update for Dawn of War II will first be available as an open Beta to all owners of Dawn of War II. Players can now participate in the Beta through their Steam client. Details below.

• Launch Steam and go to File > Settings
  
• On the 'Account' tab of the Settings window, under the 'Beta participation' section, click the button that says "Change..."
  
• Select the Dawn of War 2 Beta from the drop down list on the pop-up window.
  
• Click OK and you'll be prompted to restart Steam.
  
• When Steam starts back up, your copy of Dawn of War II will automatically update to include the beta content.
  
• Launch the game to enter the beta.
  

Included in this update:

• Significant balance update to the multiplayer game
  
• Battle over eight new multiplayer maps.
  
• Edit, create, and add new maps to multiplayer games with the map editor World Builder.
  
• Watch custom multiplayer games as a spectator with the new Observer and Referee options.
  
• Plus, improvements in performance, user interface, audio, and artificial intelligence
  

Read the full release notes here

Killing Floor Update Released

July 2, 2009, 1:21 pm - Valve - Product Update

Updates to Killing Floor have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The specific changes include:

Fixes

• Fixed a memory leak causing performance to degrade the longer you played when in multiplayer (resulting in very low framerate sometimes in the final waves)
  
• Improved texture and file precaching to reduce issues with hitching
  
• Voice Over IP is now usable in the Lobby Menu while waiting for everyone to ready up
  
• Cash amount in the Trader Menu updates when someone gives you money while trading
  
• Improved the readability of chat fonts
  
• All melee weapons now have an alt-fire, which is a "power strike"
  
• Fixed the timing for when damage occurs from melee weapons
  
• Added a Map White List which will now only allow perks to be earned on official and approved custom maps (Makes maps such as KF-Leveling worthless)
  
• Fixed "Connection Failed" endless loop when failing to connect to a server and clicking the Back button in the Server Browser
  
• Fixed Zeds sliding instead of animating online at particular times
  
• Fixed blowing off the limbs of live Zeds, such as the Bloat's legs
  
• Added random moving attacks for specimens that would always just stop and attack before (Bloat, Gorefast, Scrake). This makes the attacks less predictable, and players can no longer just backpedel to escape any attack from these Zeds
  
• New Scrake behavior - the Scrake will now rage sooner, and will now keep moving toward its target when attacking. Additionally, it will randomly charge at its target when attacking, making the Scrake more effective
  
• Added improved behavior for FleshPound to prevent "kiting". The Fleshpound will now get frustrated and charge players regardless of if it is shot if players keep moving away from it
  
• Fixed Joining as Spectator not allowing you to View players
  
• Fixed Spectators needing to "Ready" before game will start
  
• Improved some of the fonts for in-game messages and interface text
  
• Interface tweaks
  

• Decreased Shotgun Penetration power of the Support Perk
  
• Increased Ammo Capacity of Bullpup for Commando Perk
  
• Increased the Reload speed bonus of the Commando Perk
  
• Decreased the Stalker Kills requirement of the Commando Perk
  
• Decreased Lever Action Rifle cocking time for the Sharpshooter Perk
  
• Assigned 9mm to Sharpshooter Perk(9mm headshots count toward Perk and all bonuses now apply to 9mm as well)
  
• Reduced movement speed for Medic Perk to deter "kiting"
  
• Increased Reload Speed for Firebug Perk
  
• Increased Ammo Capacity of FlameThrower for Firebug Perk
  

2K HUGE Game Pack Now Available Plus 10% Off

July 2, 2009, 11:59 am - Valve - General Announcement

You can now get 20 of 2K Games top-selling games for one awesome price with the 2K HUGE GAME PACK. Plus, for a limited time, save an additional 10% off. Hurry, offer ends July 7.

The 2K HUGE GAME PACK includes: Sid Meier's Civilization® IV, Sid Meier's Civilization® III Complete, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Shattered Union, Prey, CivCity: Rome, Civilization IV®: Warlords, Sid Meier's Railroads!, Railroad Tycoon 3, Railroad Tycoon II Platinum, X-COM: Terror From the Deep, X-COM: Apocalypse, BioShock™, X-COM: Interceptor, X-COM: UFO Defense, X-COM: Enforcer, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, Freedom Force, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization.

Trine Now Available on Steam

July 2, 2009, 11:03 am - Valve - Product Release

Trine, the physics-based action platformer, is now available via Steam. Play as the wizard, knight and thief to solve hazardous puzzles and overcome threatening enemies. Save the kingdom!

Weekend Deal - Save 50% on Fallout 3

July 2, 2009, 7:55 am - Valve - General Announcement

PC Gamer's Game of the Year, Fallout 3, is 50% off this weekend on Steam.

Street Fighter® IV - Now Available for Pre-load

July 1, 2009, 5:07 pm - Valve - General Announcement

Street Fighter IV is now available for pre-load to all those who pre-purchase the game via Steam. Pre-load the game now and be ready to play the moment it's released. You'll also save 10% when you pre-purchase Street Fighter IV before the game's release on July 7th.

Steam client update released

July 1, 2009, 3:42 pm - Valve - Steam Client Update

A Steam client update is now available. To apply the update, click the File menu inside of Steam and then select "Check for Steam Client Updates...". The specific changes include:

Steam Client

• Add D3D9Ex support for the in-game overlay (for ArmA 2)
  
• Fix unneeded assert/mdmp creation when Steam connection falls back to TCP
  
• Fix lobbies/chats trying to update metadata while disconnected from Steam servers
  
• View available downloadable content link on game's DLC tab now goes to game's DLC page in store
  
• Fix a potential memory leak with lots of friends notifications being triggered while a full screen window has covered the desktop
  
• Add a limit of queued friends notifications to show of no more than sixteen
  
• Fix a potential case of dropping input events in the in-game overlay
  
• Improved overlay compatibility with OSD from recent versions of RivaTuner
  
• Fixed Cloud sync issues when in offline mode
  
• Fixed filtering by a mod in the server browser making it unable to retrieve servers from the master server
  

Source SDK Update Released

July 1, 2009, 3:40 pm - Valve - Product Update

Updates to the Source SDK have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The specific changes include:

Hammer

• Fixed bug in which the model browser can become unresponsive
  
• Game overlay no longer attaches to Hammer which fixes incorrect 3D camera position bugs
  
• Google Sketchup to Hammer exporter now ships in the Source SDK