Steam Labs' new navigation options are now a bona fide Steam feature

Steam is expanding how players navigate its expansive collection of digital games with a handful of new navigation tools including a New & Noteworthy section and expanded categories that go beyond the usual genre labels.

These updates to the store could help players discover games that they're more likely to buy. The functionality is fairly straightforward; New & Noteworthy collects new and upcoming chart-topping games into one easily accessible menu, while Categories breaks down six broad game genres into seven more specific categories for each to help players better zero in on what they're after.

The new additions are detailed in full on the Steam blog. One thing of particular note for game developers is that this additional organization, and data collected on three common entry points detailed in the full blog, means Steam has more specific genre pages where it can recommend games to potential buyers.

"Among these three entry points we've surfaced 48 genre categories, 8 theme categories, and 7 player mode categories, for a total of 63 new categories derived from common patterns shared across the catalog of games and players' browsing behavior," explains the Steam team.

"Clicking on any of these will take you to a dedicated content hub, a landing page dedicated to that kind of game. Find your own favorites to keep track of like New & Trending Strategy Card & Board Games, Top-Selling Singleplayer Adventure Role-Playing Games, the Top-Played Story-Rich Sci-Fi & Cyberpunk Games, or your own favorite niche of Steam."