Steam does a tremendous amount of business for Valve, and while it's had a number of competitors over the years -- Direct2Drive, Amazon, Desura, Impulse, GamersGate and so on -- game publishers have come to realize there is nothing stopping them from offering up similar types of services of their own. Electronic Arts started this out by relaunching its online store as the client-based Origin last year, and now Ubisoft has followed suit with the launch of Uplay PC. Unfortunately, it's not just the basic idea the service currently shares with the initial launch of Origin.

Uplay PC operates through a client, just like Steam or Origin. You can purchase and download games, maintain a friends list, chat with other users, and view your Uplay game achievements. Beyond that, it offers nothing new or unique, something that has been a consistent criticism of Origin, particularly following its launch. Among PC gamers who have amassed a collection of games on Steam and appreciate what it has to offer, it's hard to see any reason to begin buying games from a competing service when it doesn't do anything better or offer cheaper prices. While Uplay PC may be less of a direct competitor to Steam than Origin is due to it offering only Ubisoft-published titles (at least for the time being), it is still a digital distribution platform where you can purchase computer games and chat with friends.