A new feature for the Steam store proposed by a fan could be a huge addition to the client, allowing users to track the prices of games over time. The massive online marketplace managed by Valve has grown into one of gaming’s biggest and most iconic storefronts over its storied 23-year-long lifespan, hosting more than 100,000 games. Steam boasts tens of millions of players using the client every day, with Valve even expanding the storefront into its own handheld device and an upcoming home console. Steam has also undergone plenty of changes throughout its history.
Steam has gone through a multitude of revisions since its inception, with Valve constantly looking to improve the client. Steam boasts everything from official mod support with the Steam Workshop, a virtual reality-focused client in SteamVR, and lots more for fans to enjoy. The growth of Steam as an online marketplace has also led the company to push for more changes aimed at protecting its users, launching an age verification system for Steam in the UK. Now, a new feature proposed by a Steam fan could be a major boon to gamers looking to score a deal on the storefront.
Consumer-Friendly Steam Feature is an Absolute Game-Changer
Steam has always been considered a consumer-friendly platform by users, but this new feature takes it to a whole other level entirely.
Steam Users Want Valve to Add Price History
A new Steam feature proposed by Reddit user kevinttan would make the process of shopping on Steam even easier for many fans. The post suggests that Steam should add a price history tracker to store pages for games hosted on the platform, similar to the charts used by popular Steam aggregator SteamDB. The example chart on display within the post details an extended history of the game, using Stardew Valley as an example, showing different times its price has dropped as a result of a sale. Steam currently does not include any official method to see how the price of a game has changed over time.
While fans universally agreed that the price history update would be a positive for consumers, many doubted its implementation. Several users pointed out the potential downsides for Valve and developers on Steam, with readily available price histories likely causing fans to wait to purchase games. One fan pointed out the possibility of developers growing “hesitant to run big sales,” affecting the massive discounts during Steam’s frequent sales. Other users did point out that many third-party sites already feature price history charts, however, including the previously-mentioned SteamDB. One fan even cited a set of European laws, requiring online storefronts to depict the lowest price of a product from 30 days prior to advertising price reductions.
Steam’s Big Sales Are A Major Draw for Fans
Steam’s proposed price history chart comes as the platform’s sales are often a major event for fans on the platform. Steam’s Summer Sale is typically the client’s biggest discount event of the year, with the annual sale marking down thousands of games for a limited time. The marketplace has expanded its promotional discounts far beyond the Summer Sale, running similar events in the Fall, holiday season, and plenty more throughout the year. Steam is also currently hosting its annual Winter Sale, with a plethora of games marked down until January 5.
Steam looks to have big plans on the horizon for 2026 as the company is preparing for one of its biggest releases yet. Valve officially revealed the second iteration of the Steam Machine home console in November, with the Steam-supported device said to be on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Valve did not confirm an official release date or pricing at the time of its reveal, though it did confirm that the console is on track to launch sometime during 2026. Steam fans should be in for an exciting year as Valve gears up to make waves with its new home console.
