Steam started out as an annoying program that came with Half-Life 2, but it’s grown into one of the best PC game clients. Steam is a powerful platform, far more than just a storefront. Even if you’re a Steam fan, there’s likely a lot you don’t know about Valve's creation.

From a market where you can sell in-game items for credit towards new Steam games to integrated walkthroughs and easy mod installation, Steam is constantly gaining new features. These are some of the best.

1. Steam Uses Regional Pricing

It's up to a game's publisher how it prices a game. While Valve offers recommended pricing strategies based on its experience, the publisher has final say. A publisher can also set different prices for different regions, since Steam supports many currencies (see a full list on the Steamworks currencies page).

steam regional pricing

This means that the cost for a game isn't necessarily going to be the same in the US compared to the UK, for example. Prices account not only for a currency conversion, but also average salary. This means that, technically, you could buy a game cheaper in another region. You can use a website like Steam Regional Price Checker to compare.

Valve doesn't want you to do this because it invalidates the purpose of regional pricing. However, if you have a friend living elsewhere, you could ask them to purchase it and gift it to you. Alternatively, you could buy a Steam code through a discount video game website; these sites often buy keys from cheaper regions and resell them.

Using a VPN is against Steam's terms of service, so don't try it. Plus, you can only change your Steam account's country every three months and must use a local payment method.

2. You Can Sell Items for Steam Wallet Credit

The Steam Community Market allows you to buy and sell in-game items for Steam Wallet credit. For example, you can sell hats from Team Fortress 2, weapons from Counter-Strike, and crates from Project Winter. You can also sell your Steam trading cards.

steam community market

Yes, believe it or not, you can actually make money by playing video games. Sure, it's typically just a few cents, and that money has to stay in Steam's ecosystem, but every little helps when it comes to funding your next game purchase.

3. Steam's Overlay Is Powerful

When playing any game on Steam, press Shift + Tab to open the in-game overlay. While the design of the overlay has remained unchanged for many years, it's packed full of useful features.

steam overlay]

For example, you can use Steam Chat, open a web browser to quickly look something up online, see your recently earned achievements, browse through the handy Steam Guides like walkthroughs, and go directly to the game's Steam forum.

The overlay is enabled by default, but you might have turned it off. To check, from the Steam toolbar select Steam > Settings > In-Game. Check Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game. You can change the Overlay shortcut keys while here, if you want.

4. Steam Offers Multiple Download Servers

Steam has download servers located in different regions of the world. When downloading a game or update, Steam should automatically select the best server based on your location. However, sometimes a server might offer speeds that are slower than expected, especially during peak hours or on the release of an anticipated game.

If this is the case, there are various ways to optimize Steam's download speeds. One method is to change your download server to one less congested. First, check current load on Steam's Download Stats page. Then, change your server region via Steam > Settings > Downloads > Download Region.

5. Steam Sells More Than Games

While Steam sells hundreds of thousands of games, that isn't all it distributes. Steam also sells software like Wallpaper Engine, Substance 3D Painter, and SpriteStack. You can browse them all on the Steam software page.

steam hardware

Steam also sells the hardware that Valve produce. This includes the Valve Index (a VR headset) and the Steam Deck (Valve's portable gaming PC). You can explore these on the Steam hardware page.

There's also the Steam Points Shop, where you can exchange your Steam Points for virtual items like wallpapers, emojis, and avatars.

6. Steam Hardware Survey Tells You What Gamers Use

If you want to know what gear gamers are using, look no further than Steam's hardware and software survey. It offers interesting insight into the most common GPUs, the average amount of RAM, the most used operating system, how many people have a VR device, and more.

steam hardware survey

The great thing about this survey is that it updates every month, using data automatically gathered from the millions of people who use Steam. It's also very handy for developers, who can use the data to ensure their games run on the regular hardware that gamers use.

7. The Steam Workshop Makes Installing Mods Easy

User-created mods have always been one of the best things about PC gaming. Unlike on consoles, people can easily create mods for PC games and distribute them online. However, installing mods can often be a headache—dodgy-looking websites, confusing ZIP files, locating game folders buried deep on your drive, and so on.

steam workshop

Trust Valve to create a perfect solution with the Steam Workshop. Providing a developer has integrated their game with the Workshop, you can browse and install mods in minutes, with just a few clicks. Mods can take on all shapes and sizes depending on the game, like cosmetics, maps, gameplay mechanics, and more.

8. Play Local Co-Op Games Online

There are some amazing games that offer local co-op, but getting your friends to hang out in the same room can be tricky. That's where Steam Remote Play comes in.

steam remote play

Steam Remote Play is a feature that lets you play your local multiplayer games with your friends over the internet. It costs nothing, except for one person to own the game. It works seamlessly, with audio and video streamed, and everyone uses their own controller.

As part of this, you can also stream your Steam library to yourself. It means you can run the game on your desktop, but then play it on a laptop in another room. Or, even better, on a big TV screen.

Steam Is an Evolving Platform

These are just some of the best or little-known Steam features, but there's more for you to discover. Plus, Steam is constantly in development, which means that new features and tricks are bound to crop up over time. Keep your eye out and don't be afraid to experiment.