Steam Music beta invites roll out, Valve could move into iTunes space over time

Steam Music beta invites have started rolling out, and Valve has also stressed that while it already sells game soundtracks on Steam, it may move into offering broader music and entertainment on the store in future.

We reported on the Steam Music beta last week, along with a run-down of what the service does. In short; it serves as an overlaid music player in Steam's Big Picture mode that supports local MP3 files. It's only available in Steam Overlay right now, but there's a desktop version in the works.

You can still register your interest in taking part in the beta over on the Steam Music group. Simply join up to become eligible.

Interestingly, a new Steam post makes some rather tantalising hints at where this is all leading.

It reads, "For years, customers have been asking us to provide a basic way for them to access and play music while in-game. Task-switching between resource-intensive 3D games and other desktop apps has never been a graceful experience for gamers, so an in-game player can help by eliminating that pain point.”

Ultimately, Valve hopes to, "broaden Steam as an entertainment platform” - a platform on which games jostle for space with music and “other forms of media”

Then, Valve hinted that it could move into iTunes territory by offering a broader range of music, if player feedback dictates it. “Steam currently offers a number of game soundtracks for sale," Valve concluded. "Your feedback will help guide where we take things next.”

What do you make of Steam Music so far? Let us know below.

Via PCGamesN.