If your children are interested in gaming, then it’s just an issue of time before you hear about Steam. The platform was created on the 23rd of March 2003, by Valve and today boasting more than 150 million players, Steam has become one of the top platforms available in PC gaming.
Steam is a one-stop-shop for gamers that lets you buy or sell games. You can also do lots of other things like trading items, watching demonstrations of upcoming titles, and connecting with a spirited community. Steam also offers some amazing sales (often scheduled to coincide with school holidays).
Steam is gaming the way Netflix is to gaming, just as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video is to television. Similar to other streaming platforms, Steam has oodles of content, however, the quality is different and not everything is suitable for children of all ages.
Although it offers amazing, family-friendly games such as Rocket League and Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, it also includes games where the primary attraction is graphic violence or explicit sexual sex games, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or Grand Theft Auto V. Steam has also been in the news for declaring it would offer any game, no matter how intense (including a controversial school-shooter game, which was later removed because it violated Steam’s rules of service).
Parents are fortunate, Steam has parental controls that allow families to pick and select exactly which games and features their children enjoy. So, is Steam an ideal platform for gamers who are fervent, or is it a nightmare for parents? Take a look at the frequently asked questions below to find out more about this multi-faceted gaming platform.
What is Steam?
Steam is an internet-based gaming platform created by game designer Valve which allows you to purchase games, play, design, and talk about PC games. The Steam platform is home to hundreds of games (as well in the form of downloadable content also known as DLC and user-generated functions, referred to as “mods”) from major developers and independent game designers too.
What is the process behind Steam function?
Steam is a gaming cloud library. One of the most popular features is its ability for users to play games on any device to play games purchased or downloaded onto the Steam accounts. It also lets users keep a huge selection of games without using excessive computer memory. To access Steam you must connect and download your Steam “engine” or app on your personal computer. After that, you’ll be able to access all the Steam collections of games, software, games, and forums.
At what age should my child be when they can use Steam?
Steam requires that users be a minimum of 13 years old in order to be able to play the game. Because of its communications features, including open chat and forums for community members, Common Sense Media also recommends that users be 13 years old before using Steam, even though many of the games offered aren’t appropriate for children under the age of 13. With the proper settings and supervision, parents can utilize the platform to locate and download games suitable for children younger than 13.
Is it safe for children to use Steam?
As with similar to other app stores or video streaming platforms, Steam can be extremely secure or extremely risky based on the type of content children get exposed to. Although there are a lot of games for children on the platform, a large portion of the games available on Steam includes graphic violence, swearing, or sexually explicit material.
Children can also find lots of adult and sweary content on the group and forums. The trading system could make gamers vulnerable to scammers. But, Steam also has robust parental control mechanisms (see below) that greatly decrease the dangers children are exposed to when playing with Steam provided that parents are able to understand the controls.
Does Steam have chat? Steam?
Steam allows both text and voice chat. You can join friends to chat with them individually, or in groups of people you’ve known and people who you don’t know. It is also possible to join chat rooms and communicate with any person using the site. Be aware that not all forums and chat rooms are gaming-related.
There are forums that cover just about everything from sports to TV to memes, and can also draw gamers to Steam. Many teens are sharing their accounts with one another so that they are able to play games or talk to their real-life buddies. Steam users are generally friendly Parents may wish to keep track of the people their children are engaged with or following on social media.
There are parental controls available on Steam?
Steam provides an advanced parental control system called Family View that gives parents the full power to control what their children can access when they play on Steam. Steam provides detailed instructions on how to set the Family View, which is worth reading as the interface can be confusing and complex for those who are new or those who are not gamers.
After enabling it parents are able to choose which games their children can play, whether they’re a single game or only those they’ve deemed acceptable and have added to the Family Game Library. Family View also lets parents decide whether their children are allowed access to the Steam store as well as social media-generated content rooms, forums as well as online profiles.
All of these options are PIN secured, which means that children cannot easily alter these features. You also have the option to alter your preferences on your account to block films that contain frequently violent, gory, or sexual content, and to alert you against content created by mature users However, they aren’t PIN secured.
Is there a privacy or security setting on Steam?
Steam accounts are publicly accessible by default however, the platform lets you change your game’s details such as friends list descriptions, comments as well as group ownership private, or only accessible to friends on your list.
Steam also comes with the security feature Steam Guard which provides an additional layer of security to your account. It relies on an approved email address or two-factor authentication using Steam’s mobile app. Steam smartphone app in order to safeguard account from the hacker.
Does Steam cost money?
Steam is completely available for download and uses for free however many of the games that are available come at costs. Certain games are free to play or cost less than $1, however, new games from the most popular and top game developers can be as expensive as $60-70 per.
The savviest gamers will look forward to Steam’s promotions to save big. Remember that when you purchase games through Steam’s Steam Store, they are able to only play games via Steam. Steam network.
What is Steam Wallet?
Steam Wallet Steam Wallet is one method to purchase games or other games from Steam. It is a way to purchase games or other content from the Steam store. Customers can either transfer money to the Steam Wallet by using a credit card or purchase an actual Steam gift card from the supermarket or in a shop and then enter the code to open the account.
Making use of Steam Wallet could be an excellent option for parents to monitor their children’s spending on Steam particularly since certain games cost a lot to download or provide the option of in-game purchases, which can increase in price quickly.
