pew

While it is by no means difficult to launch Steam games, any tool that can speed up the process could prove useful, especially if it enables you to open your games with just your keyboard.

pew is a relatively simple, Electron-based application that lets you open your games, and other utilities, by just typing their name after using the Alt+Space hotkey. It is easy to use, but somewhat difficult to configure.

Once the application is launched, you can find it in the system tray if you wish to access the settings file or shut it down. In order to launch something, simply use the Alt+Space key combination.

When the input field is brought up, just start typing the name of the game or program you wish to launch. Suggestions are provided based on what you have typed, and you only need to press Enter after finding the right one.

pew will detect all your installed Steam games when it is launched, and you can also add non-Steam programs or games. However, this requires you to manually edit the settings file, a process that is not exactly novice-friendly.

Also, it is worth noting that you cannot customize the position, dimensions or appearance of the input field. Not a huge issue, but we would like to see these features added at some point in the future.

Of course, there are many ways you can launch your Steam games, so this utility isn’t going to save you a whole lot of time. It does, however, make the process a lot more convenient if you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts.

pew does need a few improvements, as it lacks customization options and is difficult to configure, but it looks quite promising.