Ethereum’s unexpected future direction
The Unexpected Alliance: Ethereum and Valve Join Forces
In a move that's being hailed as one of the most exciting digital alliances since IBM and Microsoft partnered on the IBM PC, Ethereum is teaming up with Valve, the company behind the popular Steam gaming platform. This unexpected partnership is set to revolutionize the way we think about gaming, blockchain technology, and decentralized networks.
The Problem with Centralized Mining
As you may know, mining in Ethereum is best done on graphics cards. However, when industrial-scale buying of expensive graphics cards becomes the norm, it recreates the centralized mining cartels that are so prevalent in the Bitcoin landscape. This is exactly what Ethereum wants to avoid – a decentralized network that's controlled by a select few.
Introducing Steamium: The Solution to Decentralized Mining
After much consideration and quiet discussion, Ethereum has come up with a durable solution to the mining decentralization problem: Steamium. This innovative platform leverages the massive user base of Steam, which is rapidly heading towards 100 million users, most of whom have serious graphics hardware at their disposal.
How Steamium Works
Steamium is essentially Ethereum-on-Steam. By making mining software available to users and asking them to download it in exchange for participation in the network and the chance to make a little credit, redeemable for future Steam purchases and downloadable content, Valve has the clout to get mining software on to the majority of those machines.
Transferable Digital Property and Smart Contracts
This solution not only solves the problem of centralized mining but also creates a new economy for gamers. Transferable digital property living on the new Steamium blockchain will let players buy, sell, and trade where appropriate, with smart contracts to prevent cheating, cartelization, and illicit sales that could harm the underlying function of the games and the network.
Steam OS and Steam Machines: The Future of Gaming
Steam OS and Steam Machines will likely be Steamium-native products, with blockchain technology and smart contracts embedded at every level of their function. From verifying and validating software updates through to securing user accounts and allowing users to communicate and transact, these new products will push the boundaries of gaming and operating systems technology.
Half Life 3: The Catalyst for Steamium
One more thing. Steamium will be integrated with and released alongside the eagerly-anticipated Half Life 3. This highly anticipated game will be the perfect catalyst for the Steamium platform, bringing a new level of excitement and engagement to the gaming community.
Practical Implications and Real-World Applications
So, what does this mean for gamers, developers, and the wider tech community? For gamers, it means a new level of immersion and engagement, with the ability to buy, sell, and trade digital property in a secure and decentralized way. For developers, it means a new platform to create and distribute games, with the potential for increased revenue and engagement. For the wider tech community, it means a new frontier in blockchain technology and decentralized networks.
Forward-Looking Thoughts and Implications
As we look to the future, it's clear that the partnership between Ethereum and Valve is just the beginning. The implications of Steamium are far-reaching, and we can expect to see a significant impact on the gaming industry and beyond. With the integration of blockchain technology and smart contracts, we can expect to see a new level of security, transparency, and accountability in the way we interact with digital property. The future is exciting, and we can't wait to see what's next.
Source: https://blog.ethereum.org/en/2015/04/01/ethereums-unexpected-future-direction
