Steam Chat is SO bad...

[SugarD-x]

I'm seriously tired of how bad Steam Chat is.

The mobile app and Steam Chat networks are so ridiculously unreliable. Chat, (and especially in today's age, mobile communication), is an extremely essential part of gaming. That is how people meet each other and find games to play with one another. As a core part of what gaming is, you would think that after all these years, Steam would either make improvements to its services, or form a partnership with someone who can replace said services for them. With the amount of money they are making every year now, there is absolutely no excuse for this for a company their size.

ONE developer could overhaul the entire chat system. (Yes, it may take a long time, but you get the point I'm trying to make). Hell, there are so many open source chat protocols out there now, (and have been since the early 90's), that Steam could easily fix their problems with Steam Chat simply by using those instead of their broken, proprietary stuff that they refuse to update!

What blows my mind more is that they continue to update every part of the Steam applications and networks except the chat systems and mobile app. (Which is funny because they actually push users to get the mobile app for security purposes). The chat system is also so outdated, it doesn't even have the same basic features like chat logging or unsent message notifications that early 90's programs like ICQ and AIM had!

Now if Valve was still the small company that it was 10+ years ago, I'd be much more understanding...but I just read a ranting post someone made on these forums back in 2013 about these issues and they are still 100% present today! It is freaking 2018 now! I understand that Valve is not the size of Google, but I've seen small, non-profit app developers which are way less popular do way better in a much shorter period of time. This is seriously becoming absolutely ridiculous. Steam is one of the most successful game distribution networks out there, and it lacks things that its own competitors have had for many years!

[zZzooey.exe]

I agree with parts that complain about steam app chat.
Messages often do not appear to me, my messages are not sent sometimes, I am not writing a message to anyonebut they report to me they see indicator as if I am currently typing to them, the notification about new message sometimes doesnt show in the app, etc.
I avoid using it all together unless I really have to. To me really unreliable way of communicating.

Please note this all is only about app, Ive no problem with pc client in terms of chat.

[SugarD-x]

My problems with the computer portion are mainly the failed sync between it and the mobile app, and the severe lack of basic features that just about every chat program has had since the early 90's. I didn't expand much into my complaints about the mobile app, but that thing is a massive joke in itself in terms of reliability, just as you said. There is no reason for this with how long Valve has been in the business.