Valve is changing how Steam downloads game updates

Something to look forward to: A recently released beta version of the Steam client introduced a new feature for managing game updates. Users can now postpone compulsory downloads, a long-awaited improvement that will benefit those with monthly download quotas or bandwidth restrictions.

Steam is giving gamers more control over updates for installed titles. As the largest PC gaming platform, Valve is moving beyond the traditional approach to updates, aiming to balance instant downloads with more efficient use of available internet bandwidth.

Valve detailed changes to Steam's update policy, introducing new general and per-game options. For now, the main (stable) Steam client still uses the traditional policy, where updates for recently played games are downloaded shortly after release. For games that haven't been played in a while, Steam "might" defer downloads for a few days, bundling multiple updates together.

Users currently have the option to schedule downloads for times when their PCs are likely to be off, a strategy I often use to avoid being forced into updating games I'm not ready to play. Valve acknowledges, however, that the default behavior isn't always ideal. For example, some users may want to delay updates for massive games, such as those requiring "200GB," until they're prepared to allocate the time and bandwidth.

The latest Steam beta introduces a new option in the "Downloads" section of the client, giving users more control over updates. You can now choose to let Steam decide when to apply updates or defer them until the game is launched again. For games with specific update settings, a new control under the "Exceptions" management menu allows you to customize the download behavior individually.

However, installing updates at launch time risks making Steam feel more like a console, a shift PC gamers are unlikely to welcome. Console players on PS5 or Xbox are all too familiar with the frustration of waiting for system updates and game patches before they can start playing.

Valve hasn't provided a timeline for rolling out these download management features to the stable Steam client. Meanwhile, modern AAA games continue to demand massive downloads, often hundreds of gigabytes, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down.