Valve has recently released new APIs that Steam partners can use to improve network performance inside their games.
The APIs, which form part of Valve’s Steamworks SDK v1.44 release, allow developers to use Steam’s network backbone, “giving… players protection from attack, 100% reliable NAT traversal, and improved connectivity,” Valve detailed. The APIs also provide “tools for instantly estimating the ping between two arbitrary hosts without sending any packets” and “a high quality end-to-end encrypted reliable-over-UDP protocol.”
Valve’s data, which can be reviewed here, suggests that 43% of games will see a reduction in in-game lag and that 20% will have their ping drop by 10ms or more. The data also indicates that gamers in Europe and India will benefit from the APIs the most.
This news comes at the same time that Valve has announced it’s developed a tool that will help to stop review bombing in games.
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