What is the meaning behind the Steam (gaming platform) logo?

What you see in the logo is the locomotive's connecting rod and crank shaft. In a locomotive, it is these parts that transform heat energy to mechanical energy (the movement to the wheels). Similarly, it is Steam (software) that enables you to have a great gaming experience by distributing games to the users. read more

Valve is a developer of games. Steam is their cloud based distribution platform. The steam logo is a stylised representation of a con-rod - as you might see on a Steam locomotive. read more

Steam as a platform sports game achievements that you unlock by playing. Discounts, sometimes you will get “cheaper” versions of the games or promos that you can take advantage of. More, I’m sure there are other advantages but think of an AppStore for games with a plus. read more

In order to know which platforms are actually supported by a game, you have to look at the system icons. Windows logo = Windows support, Mac logo = Mac support, and (counter-intuitively) the SteamOS logo = Linux support. As it stands, I don't like the use of the SteamOS logo. read more