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As time inevitably marches onward, so does the size and expanse of the Internet. PC gaming also shows no signs of slowing down, at least on the digital front. And though there are people who would have everyone believe otherwise, if you're a Valve fan you know better. As these two massive entities of digital entertainment march on, they also move closer together. Like two immense galaxies on a collision course for one another, they're fated to merge in some way.

The whole digital distribution discussion isn't anything new to our ears. Actually, it's been in discussion since Valve made the move into the market with the November 16th, 2004 release of Half-Life 2 on Steam. While Steam might not have been the first digital distribution service, it was most certainly the first high profile one. The platform had its fair share of issues at launch, with more than one gamer pounding their forehead into a keyboard. Though it has since become a one stop shop for digital purchases of PC games from not only Valve, but several other publishers too. You could probably call Valve the first big digital publisher and wouldn't be too far off the mark. Nowadays, Steam has become more or less synonymous with digital distribution. 27/08/08