Steam launches beta for 'Steam Wallet' payment option

by Griffin McElroy on Sep 12th 2010 9:00PM

Though a "Steam Wallet" sounds like some sort of futuristic contraption which heats and presses your bills to a crisp finish, it's actually a new payment option Valve has sent into beta for its Steam platform. Rather than taking money directly out of your debit or credit card and using that money to buy a game, you can now take money directly out of your debit or credit card, and put it in a Steam Wallet in $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100 increments, and then use that money to buy a game.

While this new program might seem like an unnecessary middleman to us grown-ups, we can see the merit for youngsters who don't have access to their own forms of intangible currency. What better way to teach them the value of five fake-bucks than to let them loose in the world's biggest video game store?

Via: Shacknews
Source: Steam

Tags: payment, pc, steam, steam-wallet, valve

Reader Comments (68)

They should switch to a point system.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

DIE!

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze Sorry Ezio, but I don't think I'm alone when I say that I highly dislike point systems. They need to copy PSN's payment system.

@Shadowbender

/sarcasm

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Hell no!

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I love MS points, I've NEVER paid full retail for anything. 4k MS points for 30$? yes please.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Too late! You know how these joystiqers are...

@Shiv Thrice

SHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze I upvoted you, knowing full and well you could only be joking. And even if you weren't, being brazen enough to say such a thing on joystiq is worth it anyways.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

He didn't stand a chance. I think he was half way done with his comment before he had the Down-vote machine gun turned on him.

@Faenix Ezio is the Bebe's kids of the comments. Hey Valve I will start banking with you when you port L4D 1 & 2 to mac and provide a sexy Episode 3. (or uhhh a normal one....well any episode 3 would be great.)

@The Wicker Man

I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, damnit.

/goes to look up Bebe's Kids.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/17012-bebes-kids

Says it all, really.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
A point system that doesn't make sense like 7 points per dollar.

@mau64 EZIO was JOKING.

that's pretty cool.

Sounds like a system to help them ease into the console market. This will probable be a launch feature of Steam on the PS3.

@morikaweb

Unrelated-

Sony should hand PSN over to Valve and let them develop it for the new Playstation.

That, would be how you make it better than Live.

@morikaweb
Steam isn't going to be on PS3. Portal 2 is using Steamworks.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I think someone should be working at Sony in the PSN department.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

YES

SCEJ needs to handover the firmware updates to SCEA

@TaintedKane Steam's digital distribution service won't be making it to the PS3 as Sony has a DD platform of their own on the console already, correct. However, the community features of Steam are going to be there. Being able to connect with your friends on Steam while playing and being able to match up with Steam Friends playing Portal 2 on PC are both planned Steam features to be integrated into Portal 2 on PS3.

The biggest reason for Steam/Steamworks integration in Portal 2 is for Valve to have direct access to the game by running everything on their own servers as opposed to Sony's. This means updates at the same frequency as those on PC, and cross-platform co-op multiplayer across Steam's multiplayer network, among other small possible features.

@einhanderkiller Steam's digital distribution service won't be making it to the PS3 as Sony has a DD platform of their own on the console already, correct. However, the community features of Steam are going to be there. Being able to connect with your friends on Steam while playing and being able to match up with Steam Friends playing Portal 2 on PC are both planned Steam features to be integrated into Portal 2 on PS3.

The biggest reason for Steam/Steamworks integration in Portal 2 is for Valve to have direct access to the game by running everything on their own servers as opposed to Sony's. This means updates at the same frequency as those on PC, and cross-platform co-op multiplayer across Steam's multiplayer network, among other small possible features.

@SkuddStevens Having PS3 gamers on my Steam is going to feel.....strange.....

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

If Valve developed a console platform, it would be finally released just before the Earth is swallowed up by the Sun.

@PoisonedAl

And we still wouldn't have even seen a leaked screenshot of episode 3

So its going to be like PSN.

@Sleepyperson

I hope not. I have .73 cents i cant spend on anything!

@NukeAssault
If you leave these 73 cents alone and then have your CC info in your PSN account, the next time you make a purchase do not pre-add money to your account, just buy the item with those 73 cents in your wallet. Sony will take off the exact amount required for your purchase minus 73 cents, and will use the 73 cents in your wallet.
In the end you will have no money left over that you can't use. :)

@Sleepyperson

PSN is nice, because if you have a few bucks left, and need a couple more, you can use a credit card for the difference. The Wii, on the other hand, is silly because it requires the user to purchase more points. Having to add $10 more when i have $9 in my account when i only need $1 more is aggravating to say the least.

@NukeAssault
Avatars

@Resident Evil 6 Puppie Madness

ya but even PSN has a minimum of 5 bucks to take from a CC but it still a nice small amount considering

@Sleepyperson

Damn, to get $.73, you had to buy 73 $4.99 games and not use the extra penny each time.

@LaughingTarget

Some states get charged for sales tax. Like mine. :(

@NukeAssault

How did you get up voted?

I was thinking that, if Steam had some kind of digital currency system, they could start selling retail points cards.

@Gibbeynator I definitely see this as a set-up to that.

@Gibbeynator

That's what I'm hoping for. Then I could just tell people to get me Steam cards for my birthday instead of something else I don't really want that much.

This would be great if you could add money to someone else's wallet. It would really make the gift situation a lot better and let people choose what they want.

It's a good way to budget ones self too

This is great. Saving up money is always a welcome gift for digital marketplaces as a whole.

The value of five fake bucks?

Pretty sure that it's real money.

@Credge

So if I walk into a store and ask "Do you take steam dollars?" they're sure to say yes right? Can I quote you on that? XD

@Nytemare
Just think of it as putting money into a PayPal account. It's still real money.

@Credge

It's just like a gift card. Just like best buy or gamestop or wherever, it's money only spendable at a certain store.

Why? I would rather pay for the game in the full amount, and not have leftovers. I was hoping steam wallet was some sort of key-reselling service like a few digital download places are doing now, I am disappoint.

Umm... point is what exactly...?

Its not going to teach you to value anything, even for a kid. It IS a useless middleman.

They'd of been better off doing what PSN, Xbox 360, Wii, and every F2P MMO provider out there does, and actually sell cards WORTH the $20-100, would of accomplished the same damn thing, and without being anywhere nearly as pointless.

@DevilSei

True, but, cards cost money to print and distribute. It'd be neat, but the overhead probably turns them off.

@LENSconcept

Oh I know there is a cost, but considering that Gaia Online seems to profit nicely off in-store cards, as well as every major F2P, and even P2P, MMO company producing them, there's no reason not to. That, and the cost to produce the things in bulk isn't exactly substantial.

Hell, if I could buy money cards for Steam, I'd actually bother with the service. Not everyone likes to use, or even has, a credit card.

@LENSconcept
On the contrary, I'd argue that it would be a powerful way to promote their service to mainstream consumers. If they're feeling nervous about it they can start by distributing cards exclusively at Gamestop or something, and work their way up from there. But honestly, they're Valve, it's not like they can't afford to take risks, especially not potentially lucrative ones.
While this announcement seems to be virtually pointless, as far as I can see it's a clear stepping-stone toward having a point at which physical cards are available. For all I know, that might even be exactly what they're planning to do.

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Steam launches beta for 'Steam Wallet' payment option

Reader Comments (68)

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:01PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:11PM Faenix said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:11PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:12PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:15PM TheMichaelJackson said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:26PM Shiv Thrice said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:27PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:56PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 10:04PM Asok said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 10:25PM xJimmeh said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 12:22AM The Wicker Man said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 2:47AM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 5:26AM SSUK said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 6:02AM mau64 said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 1:30PM The Wicker Man said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:02PM BrianH said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:05PM morikaweb said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:16PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:16PM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:23PM TaintedKane said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:31PM Solace said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:31PM SkuddStevens said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:32PM SkuddStevens said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:45PM RKN said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 12:16AM PoisonedAl said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 12:00PM Milky1985 said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:10PM Sleepyperson said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:19PM NukeAssault said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:24PM Darkdrium said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:55PM DangerMouse001 said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 10:21PM Resident Evil 6 Puppie Madness said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 10:54PM KinseySS said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 6:34AM LaughingTarget said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 11:24AM DangerMouse001 said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 12:24PM That Burning Sensation said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:11PM Gibbeynator said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:50PM Snaek said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 9:43AM Ospov said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:12PM DustbinK said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:13PM KinseySS said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:13PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:14PM Credge said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:38PM Nytemare said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 11:22PM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 1:32AM CaramelZappa said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:18PM Swizzler said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 9:30PM DevilSei said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 11:35PM LENSconcept said

Posted: Sep 13th 2010 1:25AM DevilSei said

Posted: Sep 15th 2010 12:31AM gatotsu911 said

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