Valve to Release Own Console-Like PC for the Living Room

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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Gabe Newell confirmed plans for Valve to market its own line of PC hardware/software to compete with next-gen console lines. Newell made the announcement at the Video Game Awards on Friday night.

He said the reaction to Steam’s TV-friendly Big Picture interface has been “stronger than expected” and that their next step is to get Steam Linux out of beta and to get Big Picture on that operating system, which would give Valve more flexibility when developing their own hardware.
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How many cheeseburgers will this cost?

Just kidding :p I'm definitely interested.
 
Gaming on Windows slowly goes into history. Good job Microsoft, good job!
 
Eager to see the specs on a Steam console, and whether it will be modular/upgradeable; they've been gathering user hardware information for years after all.
 
SPARTAN VI said:
Eager to see the specs on a Steam console, and whether it will be modular/upgradeable; they've been gathering user hardware information for years after all.
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Article notes it will be less open source than a full fledged PC.
 
krogen said:
Gaming on Windows slowly goes into history. Good job Microsoft, good job!
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Their own damn fault for being too greedy. For both consumers and developers. Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you.
 
SPARTAN VI said:
Eager to see the specs on a Steam console, and whether it will be modular/upgradeable; they've been gathering user hardware information for years after all.
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Most likely it'll be a regular PC but built like a console. Upgradable will depend on how Valve plans to make the motherboard in it. ATX form factor, or custom? It's also likely to be a Linux box, running either a custom distro or a modified Ubuntu.
 
Vicinity said:
Article notes it will be less open source than a full fledged PC.
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Yeah it's ambiguous, which is totally fine at this stage. I'd imagine they would have a hardware configuration that works for a majority of games. Though, if I can slide in a new video card, that would be a huge boon to gamers such as myself.
 
Vicinity said:
Article notes it will be less open source than a full fledged PC.
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Entirely expected not like consoles are at all open.

Ashbringer said:
Their own damn fault for being too greedy. For both consumers and developers. Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you.
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Do you even understand game industry for windows lol because it sounds like you don't know jack.

SPARTAN VI said:
Eager to see the specs on a Steam console, and whether it will be modular/upgradeable; they've been gathering user hardware information for years after all.
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This is the interesting part if all it is,is a custom linux box i doubt they can price it at a level that most people find for it to be acceptable console, esp considering if specs are uniform there can't be specific optimizations based off 1 core set of hardware that you know all systems have. I mean when you look at valve's support for mac games you see loss of IQ and drop in performance they've gotten better over the years but if valve can't even port their games to be 100% identical to windows counter parts why do they expect other developers to do any better, it's not like they'll be giving out support in development like Microsoft does, like nvidia, ati or even larger studios do. So what will make this any more then just a slightly more supped up oyua console?
 
Ashbringer said:
Most likely it'll be a regular PC but built like a console. Upgradable will depend on how Valve plans to make the motherboard in it. ATX form factor, or custom? It's also likely to be a Linux box, running either a custom distro or a modified Ubuntu.
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It wont be ATX, thats for sure. Either Mini-itx or Intel NUC.
 
I Was expecting this ever since big picture mode was announced.

I for one am pretty excited to see it coming, though I would like to see it use windows (even massively stripped down) as it would be a much faster rollout & alot easier I think.
 
bastage said:
I Was expecting this ever since big picture mode was announced.

I for one am pretty excited to see it coming, though I would like to see it use windows (even massively stripped down) as it would be a much faster rollout & alot easier I think.
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NOOOOOOOOOOO, NOT WINDOWS. The time has come to make a break from MS. We have a chance to slay the dragon, lets not stop now.
 
bastage said:
I Was expecting this ever since big picture mode was announced.

I for one am pretty excited to see it coming, though I would like to see it use windows (even massively stripped down) as it would be a much faster rollout & alot easier I think.
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The reason they went in this direction was because of Windows...
 
Sounds to much like a cyberpower etc. pre built machine, so I don't want it unless it is cheap (which it probobly wont be).
 
Vicinity said:
Article notes it will be less open source than a full fledged PC.
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If its also cheaper and has like a warranty + good support for stuff that breaks it could be a good thing, but I would also want to use it like a normal PC for getting e-mail, maaaybe occasionally editing a document, and trolling...i mean posting, in forums and doing HTPC stuff that'd be really nice.
 
SkribbelKat said:
If its also cheaper and has like a warranty + good support for stuff that breaks it could be a good thing, but I would also want to use it like a normal PC for getting e-mail, maaaybe occasionally editing a document, and trolling...i mean posting, in forums and doing HTPC stuff that'd be really nice.
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the second game crash can't come fast enough, i say bring it on valve.
 
Unless the hardware is significantly cheaper than a comparable PC, I see no reason for this. PC gamers are different from console gamers. And Valve sells PC games. I have a ton of games on Steam...I didn't buy $3000 worth of hardware to buy a Steam Box.
 
Compete with next gen consoles? Haven't we learn nothing from the past the market can only support big three
 
caddys83 said:
Compete with next gen consoles? Haven't we learn nothing from the past the market can only support big three
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Complete pipe dream, i'll be surprised if they can pull any AAA titles outside of their own and Id's we all remember how well the last big id game was made.
SkribbelKat said:
Game crash? :confused:
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gaming market crash like the one that occured in what the 80's?
pelo said:
The reason they went in this direction was because of Windows...
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Yup because they opened a windows store that can eventually compete with valve which apparently hurt gabes feelings
 
Why the heck is everyone so darn excited? Putting a cheap locked down PC in a box has already been tried. Does the word Phantom bring back any memories?

Basically, its going to be a cheap bullshit HTPC with minimized functionality designed to make you pay Valve for everything. It will be crap hardware and will likely have a 'subscription' price as well.

Just put a darn PC on the TV and be done with it.
 
Semantics said:
Do you even understand game industry for windows lol because it sounds like you don't know jack.
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Oh hey 14 year old boy, I'll explain it to you.

This is about Windows 8. Games typically made on a PC are usually 100% profit, except through Steam of course. Valve, who has a competing store, will likely die out unless they change the landscape. This is why they're pushing so much lately for Linux support. Basically developers aren't happy with Windows 8.

I can assure you that many consumers can't wait to leave behind Windows. Cause Windows 8 sucks on the end users side as well.
 
I find it bizarre that people are interested in this.

My desktop is already hooked to my TV and I can run steam on it just fine. The only way to pull weight behind a console is to snag exclusives, which puts them in the line of fire competing with MS, Nintendo, and Sony.

Seems like the Phantom to me. I own all three of the big consoles this generation and I can't think of any reason I'd want a locked down Steam box rather than an actual computer.
 
So making it linux based means that basically everything has to be re-written, where as windows based it would be a matter of slapping together the hardware & setting steam to auto load to big screen mode.

It would be my guess that valve isnt trying to get rich by making consoles. They are trying to make consoles to cut into the console gamer market so then they get richer by selling more titles..

I am a firm believer in the KISS philosophy & in this scenario being windows based would be it.
 
I wonder if this will create a more standardized approach to PC gaming or will this allow you to upgrade the box like a PC?
 
Ashbringer said:
Oh hey 14 year old boy, I'll explain it to you.

This is about Windows 8. Games typically made on a PC are usually 100% profit, except through Steam of course. Valve, who has a competing store, will likely die out unless they change the landscape. This is why they're pushing so much lately for Linux support. Basically developers aren't happy with Windows 8.

I can assure you that many consumers can't wait to leave behind Windows. Cause Windows 8 sucks on the end users side as well.
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And this equals
Gaming on Windows slowly goes into history. Good job Microsoft, good job!
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Their own damn fault for being too greedy. For both consumers and developers. Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you.
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Also developers don't like developing for windows? K let me tell you about the greatness of openGL and how intel, nvidia and ati just love opengl, and how game studios just love the having to make in house work around for basic things that something like D3DX does so easily for direct3d. Ofc their equivalents often come in vendor specific forms from nvidia or ati which i know devs just love!

Ofc i'm only 14 what do i know? funny how the only people i've ever met who stress their age as a form of an argument usually are those are barely older and feel threatened.

Then again i don't equate all of the PC gaming industry = steam. Must be an age thing my generation just doesn't get it.
 
Spire3660 said:
NOOOOOOOOOOO, NOT WINDOWS. The time has come to make a break from MS. We have a chance to slay the dragon, lets not stop now.
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If the SteamBox is Linux, which it most certainly will be, you won't only be able to make your break from MS, but also from 99% of your Steam library.
 
Semantics, you're aware most games developed are for tablets/smartphones, right?

I'm pretty sure developers will give zero fucks whether they're using DX, openGL or Grandma Jenny's gaming API.
 
If it requires an always on internet connection to play single player games, my answer remains no. You can sell me on online games being always on, you can even sell me on "limited" anti-cheat programs like punkbuster. However I still refuse to have my single player experience need to phone home before I am allowed to play the thing I purchased. I applaud Valve for continuing to push gaming forward, I just wish they would detach steam from having to be running to play the games purchased. I wouldn't object if I only had to turn it on when I wanted to buy something new.
 
pelo said:
Semantics, you're aware most games developed are for tablets/smartphones, right?

I'm pretty sure developers will give zero fucks whether they're using DX, openGL or Grandma Jenny's gaming API.
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Pretty sure people would give zero fucks about a steam console if all it does is run games ment for tablets and smartphones. AAA titles will stick to windows because that is where the money is from consumers and in the form of real support, steam console would hardly compete with next gen consoles if they don't have any AAA titles outside of valve games.
 
A linux based steam box has a long way to go before it can get anywhere, but if it does it'll be awesome to have games that aren't dependent on Windows.
 
Gaming on Linux? Does it come with a dice like that frustration game, but with a D10 inside? :D
 
Sad thing is Canonical isn't that much better than Microsoft in key areas. That said, I am looking forward to Steambuntu. Good ol PC gaming days aren't coming back but year of the Linux on desktop might be for real this time, though it won't end up as greasy nerds imagined it to be :D
 
Semantics said:
Pretty sure people would give zero fucks about a steam console if all it does is run games ment for tablets and smartphones. AAA titles will stick to windows because that is where the money is from consumers and in the form of real support, steam console would hardly compete with next gen consoles if they don't have any AAA titles outside of valve games.
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Hypothetical question:

If you were developing a game, or games, and were going to pick a single API that can stretch across all form factors, what would that API be?

Hint: DirectX is the wrong answer.
 
pelo said:
Hypothetical question:

If you were developing a game, or games, and were going to pick a single API that can stretch across all form factors, what would that API be?

Hint: DirectX is the wrong answer.
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*raises paw* The answer would be OpenGL!

(Where's my cookie, pelo?)
 
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