Valve today announced “Steam China,” a new video game marketplace that will help the Bellevue, Wash.-based company reach more Chinese users in the world’s largest gaming market.
The deal “will provide Chinese gamers and developers with a new way to access Steam’s expansive selection of games and entertainment,” according to a press release.
It’s a key expansion of an existing partnership with Chinese publisher Perfect World. Valve already offers Counter Strike and Dota 2 in China through Perfect World, but “Steam China” paves the way for even more games.
The companies didn’t announce a release date for “Steam China.” It’s unclear how many and which games will appear on the new marketplace.
“Perfect World and Valve will collaborate closely on Steam China, actively promoting its launch, marketing, and game lineup,” the announcement reads. “No changes are planned for Steam’s existing worldwide operations and services as a result of this announcement.”
The deal should help Valve navigate regulatory hurdles in China, which has banned various gaming hardware and software in past years. Late last year, some of Steam’s community features were reportedly blocked in China.
Valve’s Steam platform has become one of the biggest outlets for game publishers, with a reported 7,672 games released in 2017 alone on the platform. There are more than 20,000 games on Steam.
