Valve has announced the release of the software development kit for Steamworks, the suite of development and publishing tools.

"Steamworks is a complete suite of publishing and development tools that offers PC game developers and publishers access to the game features and services available through Steam. These include product key authentication, copy protection, auto-updating, social networking, matchmaking, anti-cheat technology, and more. The features and services available in Steamworks are offered free of charge and may be used for both electronic and tangible versions of games.

The Official Steamworks SDK includes a fully functional API for all the components offered in Steamworks. Available now to developers and publishers worldwide, the SDK also includes a multiplayer game example to demonstrate many of the features in action. In addition, the Steamworks partner web site has been updated with documentation outlining the ease of use of the API, authoring and editing of achievements, gameplay statistics, and more.

"In working with developers on the pre-release SDK, our focus has been on making it as easy as possible for them to integrate Steamworks into their games," said Jason Holtman, director of business development at Valve. "They get access to these tools and services in a proven, scalable, and simple to work with package that has already been deployed to millions of gamers worldwide."
Steam is a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content. With over 15 million active accounts and more than 300 games, plus hundreds of movie files and game demos available, Steam has become a frequent destination for millions of gamers around the world.

For more information regarding Steamworks, please visit http://partner.steamgames.com."