Valve Teases Steam Box Console Debut with New Website

Valve is preparing to bring something hot to a living room near you soon….Steam that is. Something big is brewing with a teaser web site and a countdown clock, all pointing to a big announcement on Monday. Steam is getting ready to unveil the hardware.

Although the site gives no definitive word on how Valve will bring Steam to the living room, its long-teased Steam Box will almost certainly be part of its announcements next week.

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Nice I wonder what level of steambox they will make first.
For you guys who haven't been reading up on steamboxes.

Level 1 streams the game for one of your computers or a server.

Level 2 is a cheap base line console that can play your games on.

Level 3 is a more expensive modular console that can be upgraded.

Controller has 3 buttons on it...

Half Life 3 confirmed?

Drakenfeng said:

Controller has 3 buttons on it...

Half Life 3 confirmed?

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The cat has two ears and 3 whiskers, Half-life 2 episode 3 confirmed!

...did they seriously hyphenate "living room"?

And that is the worst picture of a cat I've ever seen.

Interesting day to do this, just a couple hours after the Surface 2 announcement.

Megalith said:

...did they seriously hyphenate "living room"?

.

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Strangely, this makes sense to me, as I've used my the room in my house referred to as the "living room" about 3 times in 8 years. What I call my "den" is where I do my actual living.

Drakenfeng said:

Controller has 3 buttons on it...

Half Life 3 confirmed?

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Your post is the third post in the thread. Half Life 3 confirmed. I'm going to go jump off my sidewalk curb now.

Lucky us ... we complain about the consolification of games and how that has hurt PC gaming ... now we can have our very own console with low resolution textures for TVs and crappy controller games instead of mice and keyboards ... go team

kbrickley said:

Lucky us ... we complain about the consolification of games and how that has hurt PC gaming ... now we can have our very own console with low resolution textures for TVs and crappy controller games instead of mice and keyboards ... go team

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Well I doubt the average consumer wants a keyboard in their lap while staring at the TV to play games. I mean you could but where would you put the mouse? Now imagine 4 or more of your buddies with keyboards and mice sitting on the same couch in multiplayer.

Controllers do have their place in the world.

cageymaru said:

Well I doubt the average consumer wants a keyboard in their lap while staring at the TV to play games. I mean you could but where would you put the mouse? Now imagine 4 or more of your buddies with keyboards and mice sitting on the same couch in multiplayer.

Controllers do have their place in the world.

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I agree ... but we already have two major systems that give us controller based games (Playstation and XBox) ... it was nice to have PCs as an alternative to that ... adding a third TV based PC console system doesn't benefit gamers, it benefits Valve ... I would rather see more first class PC only titles (high resolution, valid mouse and keyboard controls as well as controller access) ... not sure if a Steambox will actually help that happen

The one good thing that could come from a Steambox though is it spells the end of physical media (which is so last century) ... going 100% digital download would be good for gaming

kbrickley said:

I agree ... but we already have two major systems that give us controller based games (Playstation and XBox) ... it was nice to have PCs as an alternative to that ... adding a third TV based PC console system doesn't benefit gamers, it benefits Valve ... I would rather see more first class PC only titles (high resolution, valid mouse and keyboard controls as well as controller access) ... not sure if a Steambox will actually help that happen

The one good thing that could come from a Steambox though is it spells the end of physical media (which is so last century) ... going 100% digital download would be good for gaming

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I have often thought of this very issue every since the announcement of the Steambox, but didn't wanna be the first to say it out loud..Maybe it will come with an "As seen on TV" portable table for the KB and Mouse lovers!

heatlesssun said:

Interesting day to do this, just a couple hours after the Surface 2 announcement.

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First thing I thought about. Lol, anyways 3 big announcements by valve = Half Life 3 confirmed?

I am way more excited about the surface pro 2 announcement. I really hope MS puts in a bigger battery, better keyboard cover, and of course Haswell. I also want an i7 version with at least 256gb SSD and I will be getting one as a replacement for my hybrid slider.

kbrickley said:

I agree ... but we already have two major systems that give us controller based games (Playstation and XBox) ... it was nice to have PCs as an alternative to that ... adding a third TV based PC console system doesn't benefit gamers, it benefits Valve ... I would rather see more first class PC only titles (high resolution, valid mouse and keyboard controls as well as controller access) ... not sure if a Steambox will actually help that happen

The one good thing that could come from a Steambox though is it spells the end of physical media (which is so last century) ... going 100% digital download would be good for gaming

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Well I don't play games on XBOX or PS3. So with the announcement that we can now switch out Steam accounts to different computers if we list it as a friend or family, makes a living room PC more inviting. So now I can take my Steam library to the living room without having to verify that I signed in on a different computer and the annoyances that brings.

A SteamBox solidifies my decision to skip consoles in favor of the PC. I get PC games in their native environment and I get to reuse those in a different setting for only one purchase! And if I want to go back to my keyboard and mouse it's right there as I can drag it to the living room or I can just fire up my conventional PC where I normally game.

I mean hell look at the console announcements that for only $10 you can upgrade from PS3 or XBOX 360 versions of BF4 to PS4 and XBone versions respectfully. Think about that for a moment. If I had to spend $10 for every Steam / Origin /UBISOFt/ etc game I own every time I upgrade my PC, I'd have quit gaming long ago. That's absurd! But that's what the digital world brings to console users. More fees and less choice. At least the openness of the PC platform has protected us to this point.

I personally am grateful that the PC is full of choice such as Linux, Windows, SteamBox, Origin, Steam, etc. We have the best peripherals in head mounted VR from various companies, Kinect style motion controllers before a Kinect was dreamed of, and more. Much more. I can't imagine gaming without the ability to make choices. Too used to having it the way I want.

ccityinstaller said:

I have often thought of this very issue every since the announcement of the Steambox, but didn't wanna be the first to say it out loud..Maybe it will come with an "As seen on TV" portable table for the KB and Mouse lovers!

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But what's wrong with having the choice of playing your PC games in the living room with a mouse and keyboard, controller, motion sensor, VR headset, or other? I would like to know what's the issue? All I see is another PC in my home that I can play my Steam library on without having to purchase my games again. I don't even have to purchase an OS for the thing if I don't want to. I don't see this as the consolization of PC gaming. I see it as the HTPC being brought to the masses. Just my opinion.

cageymaru said:

But what's wrong with having the choice of playing your PC games in the living room with a mouse and keyboard, controller, motion sensor, VR headset, or other? I would like to know what's the issue? All I see is another PC in my home that I can play my Steam library on without having to purchase my games again. I don't even have to purchase an OS for the thing if I don't want to. I don't see this as the consolization of PC gaming. I see it as the HTPC being brought to the masses. Just my opinion.

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Depends how they implement it ... it is harder to write games supporting multiple control schemes than just one ... also, TVs can't run resolutions of 1440P, 1600P, or the multi-monitor resolutions so a console based game can go for lower resolution gaming (if they choose) rather than trying to support the higher resolution textures and layouts that only exist for PCs ... I'll wait to see what they announce but I always worry about anything that is targeted at the masses because the masses generally have a very low standard (that's why they are the masses) ...

PC dedicated titles have often been better visual and audio quality than their console equivalents ... I would hate to see that lost if a lower quality HTPC in the hands of the less discerning masses allowed the quality level of PC games to drop to their console counterparts ... Valve has been a publisher for a long time now and carries some of that baggage now ... they are not in business to make better products than their competitors but to make more money than their competitors ... I just see a Steambox as more of a money grab than an attempt to improve the overall PC gaming landscape (but perhaps that is just me )

the ring

kbrickley said:

I agree ... but we already have two major systems that give us controller based games (Playstation and XBox) ... it was nice to have PCs as an alternative to that ... adding a third TV based PC console system doesn't benefit gamers, it benefits Valve ... I would rather see more first class PC only titles (high resolution, valid mouse and keyboard controls as well as controller access) ... not sure if a Steambox will actually help that happen

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#1 More competition is never EVER bad. There is no market that benefits from less competition.
#2 Technically the Wii or Wii U is a controller based console. Which means there's 3 TV consoles.
#3 You can already plug a Xbox 360 or PS3 controller into a PC with nearly 0 additional setup. And thanks to poorly done console ports to PC, nearly ever game on PC is already setup to work with gamepads. You never played a PC game that asked you to hit the 'A' button, but it doesn't work? That's cause they meant the 'A' button on a Xbox controller.

The one good thing that could come from a Steambox though is it spells the end of physical media (which is so last century) ... going 100% digital download would be good for gaming

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#4 You're an idiot.

Digital downloads are nice, but going 100% digital is not good for customers. You don't even realize you're getting screwed, but I'll let this video explain. The big thing from Steam is how it'll make Linux a viable option for people to use. Unlike now, which is a total joke. Not only that, but it'll drive the prices of games down thanks to Steam sales, which is a huge benefit for customers. Consoles don't have sales like Steam does.

Does Valve win out? Sure they do, they get to keep 30% of game sales if more people switch to Steam. Developers who make the games, get to keep more money by selling games on Steam. The only one this sucks for is Sony and Microsoft, and they can DIAF for all I care.

Ashbringer said:

The only one this sucks for is Sony and Microsoft, and they can DIAF for all I care.

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Not really sure how this sucks for Microsoft or Sony, unless the Steambox is a mega super huge success. Otherwise it's just a niche platform that's never going to see AAA titles probably, not running under Linux at any rate.

Ashbringer said:

#1 More competition is never EVER bad. There is no market that benefits from less competition.

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Yeah but it may not be a competition aspect that the worry. If (and a big if) Valve goes balls deep with their SteamBox and it fails, and the company goes belly up, then perhaps Steam goes belly up, and all those games we all don't own go away as well.

Granted that's a long list of improbable conditions but it is possible.

heatlesssun said:

Not really sure how this sucks for Microsoft or Sony, unless the Steambox is a mega super huge success. Otherwise it's just a niche platform that's never going to see AAA titles probably, not running under Linux at any rate.

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The Steambox is not intended to be a huge success. The purpose of the Steambox is to get developers more interested in making games for Steam, and in doing so will create games for Linux. It's also a device for people who want the benefits of Steam, but too afraid to setup a PC. As for AAA titles, don't worry about that. Valve's got that covered, and when they make AAA games for Linux, then others will as well.

Sony and Microsoft were already worried that PC gaming is a threat. Why else they went with x86 CPUs this generation? Many developers already said that they wanted to take PC gaming more serious. The Steambox is just an extra push to for developers to go PC, even though it's categorized as a console, it's also a PC.

sfsuphysics said:

If (and a big if) Valve goes balls deep with their SteamBox and it fails, and the company goes belly up, then perhaps Steam goes belly up, and all those games we all don't own go away as well.

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From all accounts the Steambox is nothing more than a cheap PC running Ubuntu. Hardly anything risking or even interesting really.

#1 More competition is never EVER bad. There is no market that benefits from less competition.

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Depends ... if adding a 4th system capable of TV resolutions helps us in high resolution PC gaming then I am all in ... I don't think there are enough high resolution, multi-monitor games for the PC ... I also don't think they release enough single player or strategy, RPG type games ... will the Steambox help address these problems or will it just encourage more console style multiplayer FPS/Racing/Sports games?

#3 You can already plug a Xbox 360 or PS3 controller into a PC with nearly 0 additional setup. And thanks to poorly done console ports to PC, nearly ever game on PC is already setup to work with gamepads. You never played a PC game that asked you to hit the 'A' button, but it doesn't work? That's cause they meant the 'A' button on a Xbox controller.

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And PC gamers have really blasted Oblivion and Skyrim for consolized control schemes favoring the controller instead of KB/Mouse ... if a Steambox makes this more common I don't see a benefit

#4 You're an idiot.

Digital downloads are nice, but going 100% digital is not good for customers. You don't even realize you're getting screwed, but I'll let this video explain. The big thing from Steam is how it'll make Linux a viable option for people to use. Unlike now, which is a total joke. Not only that, but it'll drive the prices of games down thanks to Steam sales, which is a huge benefit for customers. Consoles don't have sales like Steam does.

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Again, depends on your perspective ... publishers and some developers dislike the secondhand market and PC Piracy is often listed as one of the major concerns with why developers prefer consoles to PCs (it is probably in reality mostly the lack of standardization in PCs which a Steambox would address by closing the PC hardware to console limits) ... if we want better titles on PC we need to throw them a bone somewhere to incentivise them ... digital downloads with some reasonable level of DRM are a reasonable bone (IMO)

Right now the PC is capable of much more than most games are offering ... dumbing a PC down to console levels (controller wise, cost wise, performance wise) doesn't help us achieve higher levels of PC performance, it just makes the lower performing games more profitable (and therefore more desirable to publishers and developers)

I would much prefer to see Intel, NVidia, or Valve use their funds to encourage high performance PC exclusive titles (just like the consoles have exclusive titles) to encourage more high end users ... adding more low end users won't help the overall quality of games at all

sfsuphysics said:

Yeah but it may not be a competition aspect that the worry. If (and a big if) Valve goes balls deep with their SteamBox and it fails, and the company goes belly up, then perhaps Steam goes belly up, and all those games we all don't own go away as well.

Granted that's a long list of improbable conditions but it is possible.

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It's not possible because the Steambox isn't like a Xbox One or PS4. The Steambox is petty much a custom HTPC with Steam software. Valve's work on Linux is pretty much majority of the work towards the console. The rest is hardware, which majority of that is handled by other companies. The real big work is the gamepad, which has to be the majority of the work Valve has invested into as far as hardware.

If the console goes belly up, it won't effect anything. Steam is on Mac, Linux, and Windows. Those platforms will always exist. Steambox is just an extension Steam, not it's own platform.

Saying if Steambox fails will take down Valve is like saying the Surface 2 will take down Microsoft if it fails. Even then, it's not like Valve is going to sink zillions in marketing to sell this.

kbrickley said:

And PC gamers have really blasted Oblivion and Skyrim for consolized control schemes favoring the controller instead of KB/Mouse ... if a Steambox makes this more common I don't see a benefit

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There was a rumor that Valve was working on a new controller to fix the gap between keyboard+mouse vs gamepad. Something nearly as good as KD/Mouse, but comfortable to hold on a couch like a gamepad. Guess we'll have to see.

Right now the PC is capable of much more than most games are offering ... dumbing a PC down to console levels (controller wise, cost wise, performance wise) doesn't help us achieve higher levels of PC performance, it just makes the lower performing games more profitable (and therefore more desirable to publishers and developers)

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That didn't work out like that last generation. PC games were stuck at 2006 DX9 graphics since. Though again, the Steambox is not a console, but not a PC. You don't need to be committed to hardware for 7 years. It'll run a custom Ubuntu that starts Steam in big picture mode. You'll see upgrades to the hardware over time and possibly a variety.

For example:
SBNv1: Intel i5 with Nvidia GT graphics.
SBAMD1: AMD Fusion chip.

Couple of years later they an release an update to the console.

SBNv2: Intel iV05 with Nvidia Z06 graphics.
SBAMD2: AMD Fusion DBZ

I also don't think the Steambox is locked down to any one manufacturer. I.e Any company can make a Steambox, as long as it follows some set specifications and runs the Steambox OS.

Ashbringer said:

You'll see upgrades to the hardware over time and possibly a variety.

For example:
SBNv1: Intel i5 with Nvidia GT graphics.
SBAMD1: AMD Fusion chip.

Couple of years later they an release an update to the console.

SBNv2: Intel iV05 with Nvidia Z06 graphics.
SBAMD2: AMD Fusion DBZ

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That is a big assumption ... one of the benefits of console gaming over PC gaming is the closed hardware platform ... having a single hardware configuration for a decade makes coding games and QA of the games easier ... in many ways the flexibility of PC hardware and software is the biggest obstacle to gaming on PCs ... so many configurations makes it hard to code games that work well for everyone's setup ... a Steambox would address this by locking down the configuration to give PC coding the same benefits as Console coding ... perhaps that isn't so bad, as you noted, since PC games haven't pushed the envelope in a very long time ... I would still like someone (maybe Intel or NVidia) to encourage companies to push those limits though

///AMG said:

I am way more excited about the surface pro 2 announcement. I really hope MS puts in a bigger battery, better keyboard cover, and of course Haswell. I also want an i7 version with at least 256gb SSD and I will be getting one as a replacement for my hybrid slider.

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Would be far more excited if they put the latest APU from AMD and make it a real GFX powerhouse in that retail space. Give it a leg up on iPad/Android tablets.

Ahh, found the article. It was a while ago, but it's good to see Gabe's insight into what he wants the Steam Box to be.

Snippets
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Gabe
“We’ll come out with our own and we’ll sell it to consumers by ourselves. That’ll be a Linux box,” Newell said. “If you want to install Windows you can. We’re not going to make it hard. This is not some locked box by any stretch of the imagination.”

“The Steam Box will also be a server,” said Newell. “Any PC can serve multiple monitors, so over time, the next-generation (post-Kepler) you can have one GPU that’s serving up eight simultaneous game calls. So you could have one PC and eight televisions and eight controllers and everybody getting great performance out of it. We’re used to having one monitor, or two monitors – now we’re saying let’s expand that a little bit.”

According to Newell, Valve sees the types of hardware as “‘Good’, ‘Better,’ or ‘Best’.”
“So, Good are like these very low-cost streaming solutions that you’re going to see that are using Miracast or [Nvidia's] Grid. I think we’re talking about in-home solutions where you’ve got low latency. ‘Better’ is to have a dedicated CPU and GPU and that’s the one that’s going to be controlled. Not because our goal is to control it; it’s been surprisingly difficult when we say to people ‘don’t put an optical media drive in there’ and they put an optical media drive in there and you’re like ‘that makes it hotter, that makes it more expensive, and it makes the box bigger.’ Go ahead. You can always sell the Best box, and those are just whatever those guys want to manufacture."

I'm thinking Nvidia has done everything possible to get in the SB. Almost a must win for them. If AMD gets in, that would be quite the route.

kbrickley said:

one of the benefits of console gaming over PC gaming is the closed hardware platform ... having a single hardware configuration for a decade makes coding games and QA of the games easier ...

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It's a catch 22. On one hand the closed platform does have benefits for always knowing the hardware won't change. On the other hand you have this hardware that won't change, and need more power to be able to have who open environments and physics. Look at the 7 years with consoles. It's very likely the Xbox One and PS4 will last nearly as long.

in many ways the flexibility of PC hardware and software is the biggest obstacle to gaming on PCs ... so many configurations makes it hard to code games that work well for everyone's setup ...

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In reality we don't have many configurations. We have two CPU's to choose from, Intel and AMD. Two graphics chip makers too choose from, Nvidia and AMD. Hard drives and DVD drives seem to change brands and sizes year to year even in consoles. So that's a moot point.

In hardware we have an illusion of choice, but in software it's different. Mac OS X vs Windows vs Linux has much bigger differences for developers then hardware. Even then, majority of games are on Windows. So really, no real choice there.

In the end, a well made game should have no issues no matter what hardware or even software you use. Going from Xbox 360 to PS3 requires a team of developers, while going from Nvidia to AMD graphics on PC, doesn't.

a Steambox would address this by locking down the configuration to give PC coding the same benefits as Console coding ... perhaps that isn't so bad, as you noted, since PC games haven't pushed the envelope in a very long time ... I would still like someone (maybe Intel or NVidia) to encourage companies to push those limits though

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Can't push limits by having developers stuck on one set of hardware. While consoles have caught up to DX11 capable graphics, PCs are ready to push for Ray Tracing. But again, why have a console run Ubuntu if you intend to keep hardware the same? Especially with a service like Steam running on multiple platforms? I believe that Valve would update the hardware much sooner then 7 years for the SteamBox. It would make no sense not too. The games on Seambox won't be specially made for it.

I'm too busy mulling about HL3 to get hyped for anything valve makes. If it does not have half life 3 I refuse to get interested in it.

kbrickley said:

I agree ... but we already have two major systems that give us controller based games (Playstation and XBox) ... it was nice to have PCs as an alternative to that ... adding a third TV based PC console system doesn't benefit gamers, it benefits Valve ... I would rather see more first class PC only titles (high resolution, valid mouse and keyboard controls as well as controller access) ... not sure if a Steambox will actually help that happen

The one good thing that could come from a Steambox though is it spells the end of physical media (which is so last century) ... going 100% digital download would be good for gaming

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The hope that all of us gamers have is that valve will keep it open. So we can play with a keyboard and mouse as well as controllers and no one will stop anyone from playing with anyone else with any hardware. IE no one on Hard is going to buy a steam box we would build our own but for our tech dumb friends this could be a nice gateway drug to PC gaming.

Here is the thing, consoles have had more than 1 advantage over PCs for years. Some of them will never be solved, such as unified hardware, but if someone makes a real mass market push at an HTPC like device for the living room a lot of the areas that consoles once reigned in might get fixed for PCs. Because in reality nothing stops a PC from being a great everything device except software main the fault of lazy developers.

My hope for steam box is simply that more developers make games that:
1. Do not install like shit, IE simple installation like valves steam games not like BF3 where there are a ton of extra crap you need.
2. Adding split screen multiplayer to more games. My HTPC only has about 8 split screen games in the steam library.
3. Adding more multi user input, especially support for extra mice and keyboards not just controllers.
4. Native support in most games for controllers.
5. Decent text and element scaling so the damn games can be played from a distance on TVs. Some games are OK, mostly console ports but a lot just have text that is too small for people with not great eye sight.

Do all this while avoiding the pitfalls of consoles which are
1. Garbage hardware that is purposely altered so people have a hard time comparing it.
2. Inability to upgrade.
3. Loss of backwards compatibility over generations.
4. Constant artificial limitations on who can play with who to try to keep things fair. If valve does something stupid like makes it so you can select to only play with people with a controller I am gone.
5. Do all this without EVER developing a crappy conflict of interest like MS did that causes you to forsake the PC gamers. The worst thing that could happen is if valve basically turns into another console company.


I think the push for mac and Linux gaming is great but valve better not screw up the success of this device by only trying to push a Linux version. No ones going to buy this thing. HL3 needs to be a steam exclusive but better not be a Linux exclusive.

One other thing that would be kinda ironic and cool is if steambox became what the xbone was suppose to be a digital platform with all its advantages.

rudy said:

Here is the thing, consoles have had more than 1 advantage over PCs for years. Some of them will never be solved, such as unified hardware, but if someone makes a real mass market push at an HTPC like device for the living room a lot of the areas that consoles once reigned in might get fixed for PCs. Because in reality nothing stops a PC from being a great everything device except software main the fault of lazy developers.

My hope for steam box is simply that more developers make games that:
1. Do not install like shit, IE simple installation like valves steam games not like BF3 where there are a ton of extra crap you need.
2. Adding split screen multiplayer to more games. My HTPC only has about 8 split screen games in the steam library.
3. Adding more multi user input, especially support for extra mice and keyboards not just controllers.
4. Native support in most games for controllers.
5. Decent text and element scaling so the damn games can be played from a distance on TVs. Some games are OK, mostly console ports but a lot just have text that is too small for people with not great eye sight.

Do all this while avoiding the pitfalls of consoles which are
1. Garbage hardware that is purposely altered so people have a hard time comparing it.
2. Inability to upgrade.
3. Loss of backwards compatibility over generations.
4. Constant artificial limitations on who can play with who to try to keep things fair. If valve does something stupid like makes it so you can select to only play with people with a controller I am gone.
5. Do all this without EVER developing a crappy conflict of interest like MS did that causes you to forsake the PC gamers. The worst thing that could happen is if valve basically turns into another console company.


I think the push for mac and Linux gaming is great but valve better not screw up the success of this device by only trying to push a Linux version. No ones going to buy this thing. HL3 needs to be a steam exclusive but better not be a Linux exclusive.

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rudy said:

One other thing that would be kinda ironic and cool is if steambox became what the xbone was suppose to be a digital platform with all its advantages.

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One, if anything, Half-Life 3 and Source 2 will be available to Windows, Linux and possibly OSX.

I agree with a lot of what you said above.

The problem with PC gaming is honestly fragmentation. It's nothing compared to Android devices, mind you; but, when you take a step back and look at it, PC gaming in general is rather fragmented.

You can run most games today on a multitude of hardware configurations. Then, we have driver issues for very different kinds of games. Even if we have a standard API like DirectX and common programming language like C++, getting a driver that "just works" for every single game is impossible. Look at how many people complain on the AMD Forums here regarding the Catalyst drivers.

Not only software, but hardware issues as well.

Can my video card run this?

Or, will my processor that I bought five years ago good enough for this game?

And, so on and so on.

Gaming developers are also catering more to the majority with mid-range hardware because of gaming consoles instead of trying to take advantage of newer versions of DirectX/OpenGL and pushing PC gaming hardware. It's more money to make a game that can run on hardware between a Radeon 3000 series/Nvidia Geforce 200 series up to the current generation of cards. In order to do that, many games (not all) have to stick to a lower graphics API and that's almost always DirectX 9, and never OpenGL which is OS-independent. So, expensive PC gaming hardware goes under-utilized and games look barely any better than their console counterpart.

It's honestly very disappointing that PC gaming has been reduced to the lowest common denominator which is the video game console and someone that buys their gaming computers from Best Buy. PC gaming and gaming in general is more about profits over innovation unfortunately.. This is why video game consoles succeed-- single, unified hardware with a single configuration. With a single, unified hardware, drivers and software are simpler and more focused. Driver issues are largely non-existent. Software issues that pop up are almost always the developers fault before the console's firmware and hardware are to be blamed.

Then, you have consoles that can do most of what a PC can do for entertainment such as streaming movies, socializing, and even web browsing. Simple hardware, simple software, and not having to worry about upgrading to a newer graphics card or CPU to make a game run better.

Download or pop the game disc in and you're set especially when most if not all games on the console don't require installation on a hard disc.

That cannot be done with a PC.

If this so-called Steambox brings PC gaming into the living room dominated by Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo units a single unified hardware that requires very little end-user interaction to get running, then Valve will have succeeded where PC gaming in general has failed to do-- make PC gaming simple for the masses.

Literally, very little to no more fragmentation for PC gaming. One single hardware configuration and runs [nearly] any game at mid-range PC settings and a unified platform that makes PC gaming more accessible to "normal people".

No more of "Can my Intel graphics card run Metro 2033 with 500GB of memory and 4GB of RAM?" kind of questions if the Steambox succeeds in this manner.

rudy said:

One other thing that would be kinda ironic and cool is if steambox became what the xbone was suppose to be a digital platform with all its advantages.

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I bet there will be no "renting games" and it will be like steam is now(can't really share games, other than that new thing where you can share your entire library which is still meh) and people will be fine with it because it's Steam. The Steam fanboys are one odd group sometimes

In reality we don't have many configurations. We have two CPU's to choose from, Intel and AMD. Two graphics chip makers too choose from, Nvidia and AMD. Hard drives and DVD drives seem to change brands and sizes year to year even in consoles. So that's a moot point.

In hardware we have an illusion of choice, but in software it's different. Mac OS X vs Windows vs Linux has much bigger differences for developers then hardware. Even then, majority of games are on Windows. So really, no real choice there.

In the end, a well made game should have no issues no matter what hardware or even software you use. Going from Xbox 360 to PS3 requires a team of developers, while going from Nvidia to AMD graphics on PC, doesn't.

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Except it is more complex than that because of the cost and longevity of PCs ... although the number of vendors is small, the number of configurations is large ... both Intel and AMD release multiple products in a year ranging from low end super mobility to high end server, and the capabilities of each chip (even within a generation) can vary greatly (gamers also are running multiple generations as we don't upgrade every component every 12 months) ... NVidia and AMD is similar ... you also then throw variations into the mix like different monitor resolutions, software configurations (virus scanners, firewalls, hardware drivers, etc) and there are lots of things that can mess up a game or make it run more optimally for one configuration vs another

Note, I am not arguing against that flexibility (that is why I am exclusively a PC gamer) ... but I can see the appeal to a developer of a much more narrow set of hardware configurations (especially for a game you plan to patch and support for a while) ... we need more PC exclusive titles that force console gamers out of their comfort zone ... we need some developers who are willing to bypass the easy revenues of XBox and PS gaming in favor of supporting the vastly superior PC platform ... hopefully the Steambox will help do this but it just seems more targeted at encouraging mass market gaming than at increasing the number of high end PC gamers (which is what we need) ... I will wait to see their announcement before I roast them over the fires though

xIronCrossx said:

I bet there will be no "renting games" and it will be like steam is now(can't really share games, other than that new thing where you can share your entire library which is still meh) and people will be fine with it because it's Steam. The Steam fanboys are one odd group sometimes

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This is why I think a Steambox should not try and target console gamers ... console gamers don't really want to own games like PC gamers do ... they have a totally different culture and mentality ... the mass market folks are even worse in that they will tolerate the leasing of games (IAP and other pay as you go mechanisms) ... Since I have some games that date back to the 90's, it is convenient to not have to worry about lost discs or damaged discs (I have been a computer gamer since '81 but didn't keep all my discs through the years ) ... digital has more benefits than penalties if you want to keep your games forever ... also, when more people are willing to buy, that is reflected in pricing (and Steam games in the long run are much cheaper than their console counterparts)