Valve Software and Dell's high-end gaming PC arm Alienware inked a deal that will bring leading digital distribution platform Steam to Alienware's line of gaming systems, the companies announced Wednesday.
Currently, Steam is the dominant digital distribution platform on the market, and with the deal, Valve's service seemingly gets first dibs on new Alienware gamers. Steam will come on Alienware desktops including Area-51 and Aurora, as well as M17x and M15x laptops. Valve's acclaimed
Portal will also come pre-loaded.
By including the digital download service with its hardware, Alienware buyers have easier access to the Steam community, which has 20 million accounts, according to Valve. Along with connecting PC gamers with community features, Steam offers online customers 950 games for download.
"With its automatic game updates, easy friend finding and the ability to play your Steam purchased games on any PC, Valve has helped simplify PC Gaming to make it more enjoyable," said Frank Azor, senior manager of product planning for Dell's Gaming Group. "It's for these reasons we selected Steam to compliment the Alienware experience."
"Entertainment, specifically gaming, is a primary use of PCs in the home and on the road," said Jason Holtman, director of business development at Valve. "Alienware is a household name among PC gamers who want the most out of their hardware. The combination of Alienware hardware and Steam equals a superior gaming experience."
