Games developer Valve has announced it will begin distributing non-gaming software for the first time via its cloud platform, Steam.
Steam, launched in 2003, is one of the world's most popular cloud gaming platforms, with 54 million active user and more than 1,500 games.
The firm has previously only distributed games via Steam. But, from 5 September, that will change.
In a statement on the Steam website, Valve said the move marked “a major expansion to the platform.”
The company has not revealed what titles will be available in September, saying only that they will range from “creativity to productivity” products.
In terms of functionality, the new software is expected to have many of the familiar features already associated with using Steam, including automatic updating and the ability to save work to a personal space in the Steam Cloud.
Additional titles will be added after the initial 5 September launch on an ongoing basis, according to the company, and software developers will also be able to submit titles to the platform.
"The 40 million gamers frequenting Steam are interested in more than playing games," said Mark Richardson at Valve.
"They have told us they would like to have more of their software on Steam, so this expansion is in response to those customer requests."
