Now, as you can imagine, this created duplicacy and added additional work for both the developers and the users. For instance, every game developer had to include installers for all these redistributables in their games, and while installing multiple games, users had to run these installers each time.
You need to install these components each time you get a new game. This ends up with more than one same redistributables on your computer. Besides, it adds extra work for both developers and users. With the existence of Steamworks Common Redistributables, the situation changes.
When you download any game through steam that requires common redistributable, all the files will be downloaded. If you happen to download another game that needs the same redistributables, it will not download the same again. The game will automatically recognize the already installed redistributables. This helps save disk space, CPU usage, and internet data. You will also be able to save time.
Previously, the common redistributable folder was hidden. It used to get updated in the background. However, with the recent update, the folder is now visible and it can be very annoying for many. Thankfully there is a way to hide the folder. Even though this option is not available in the Steam Library, you will be able to do it by following these steps.
Your games will crash while launching when there are no Steamworks Common Redistributables. If you happen to remove the common redistributables, you will experience problems while playing or launching the game. For this reason, you must not delete the Steamworks Common Redistributables.
Even while downloading a new game, it will look for the available common redistributable file and integrate it for working. If you happen to remove the common redistributable file, you can download it on Steam. While updating the redistributables manually, you need not worry about space. However, if the game is of no use to you, you can go ahead and delete the common redistributable files.
They are in Your Steam Library/steamapps/common/Steamworks\ Shared/_CommonRedist in folders by name (e.g. DirectX, DotNet, PhysX), but this includes Common Redistributables for all your installed apps, not just what you've downloaded recently.
The number 228980 is the "appid" of Steamworks Common Redistributables, and the numbers on the left are the Depot IDs for specific common redistributable installers. Depots are "... a logical grouping of files which are all delivered to a customer as a single group." (from Steamworks documentation).
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