Valve is preparing to accept Bitcoin payments on Steam according to developers & publishers who have been emailed the announcement. Although the third party managing the Bitcoin payments is not named, it is widely assumed to be BitPay. This announcement has had a positive effect on the bitcoin price as it is showing Bitcoin and digital currency's key synergy with the online gaming market.
"We are excited to announce that Steam is going to start accepting payments via bitcoin.We’re using an external payment provider to process bitcoin payments to help partners reach more customers on Steam. Bitcoin is becoming an increasingly popular online payment method in some countries, and we’re enabling a system that insulates partners from risk and volatility while still providing value to the end customer.You do not need to take any action. If customers choose to pay via bitcoin, they’ll still be charged the price already set in the local currency."
