10 Crucial Improvements The Gaming Industry Must Make In 2015

9. Steam's Organisation And Curation

Switching gears to the PC/Mac side of things, Steam continues to - for the most part - be a fantastic creation that helps game developers get their creations out there. The problem that's emerging from Valve opening their doors to all and sundry though, is like an overcrowded inn there's just no way for everybody to have a decent experience with what's on offer. 2014 saw the introduction of Steam 'Curators' - essentially a Facebook/social media-style interface that companies, websites, Youtube celebs etc. could opt in for, the idea being to collect together a noteworthy list of titles that fans can then click through, finding the ones that the people they trust want them to see. A great idea on paper - and a genius business decision too - as it allows for users to do Valve's dirty work for them, sifting through mountains of tat in search of that special gem of a game and showcasing it appropriately, without the need to give everyone who signs up ample front page space. The problem though, is this curation system is almost nowhere to be seen. Chances are this is the first you're hearing of it if you're someone who goes to Steam for the big sale events and not much more, and therein lies the problem. For Valve to really excel with their platform that can offer an equal shot for anyone who can get discovered, either they need to dive into the hundreds of thousands of games by hand and sort what deserves the spotlight and what doesn't, creating a front page that does a better job at highlighting genuinely good titles, or they need a far better PR spin on the idea of curation, as given the right push it's a fantastic concept that would supplement every video game-covering site with ease.