There are many reasons why a computer gamer would use Steam; it is convenient for launching and organizing your collection, it has a huge catalog of games and software, it has frequent, wonderful sales, lots and lots of indie games, there is Greenlight, games can be automatically updated and patched, Steamworks is one of the least offensive DRM schemes, many people like the achievements they can get from much of the games and software available... the list goes on.
There is also an integrated social network on Steam. People probably don't like using those two words “social network” to describe Steam Friends, but that's what it is.
Having a social network on Steam is wonderful and all, if you don't like using it, it is easily ignored, however, Valve went ahead and not only gameified Steam Friends, they made it integral to qualifying for many of their promotions. Without having 10 or more “friends” in your list you simply can not qualify for many promotions. Why? Are people who use Steam to play games rather than chit-chat on the social network aspect less worthy of discounts, prizes and achievements? Less capable of giving valuable feedback on a product? Is Valve telling us that social gaming is the future of gaming and that we should just get used to it and play their soon-to-be-released version of Farmville?
If one has the ethics and wherewithal to not capitulate and beg for users to add them so that they can get that shiny profile badge, qualify for beta-testing on a new product and earn that piece of virtual coal, they are effectively excluded and that's not really cool.
Valve, I thought you were cool.
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