Valve confirms Steam Box – a “very controlled” PC for the living room

[BoyBettaKnow]

Gabe Newell appears to have confirmed rumours that Valve are working on a “Steam Box” – a hardware package designed to bring the PC right to the living room. Talking to Kotaku on the red carpet at the VGAs, Newell said that the response to Big Picture mode was “stronger than expected” and that this, combined with the ongoing push into Linux, gave Valve a lot of flexibility when it came to designing their own living room-friendly hardware.As for a time-frame, Newell said that he’d expect these sorts of packages to go on sale next year – though it isn’t entirely clear if he was talking about Valve’s own efforts or those of other companies looking to do similar things. “We’ll do it but we also think other people will as well,” he said.
From the sounds of things, however, Valve’s plans for the living room don’t entail recreating as open and malleable a system as the PC experience currently is.
“Well certainly our hardware will be a very controlled environment,” he said, calling Valve’s offering a turnkey solution. “If you want more flexibility, you can always buy a more general purpose PC.”
Which begs the question: will the Steam Box be a PC in any meaningful way if it is to be so very controlled?

Source

[F34R]

Meh, nothing to exciting about this. He said it best though, "If you want more flexibility, you can always buy a more general purpose PC.”

[*goo]

If it has good tech and a good user experience, I'm definitely interested.

Still holding out hope that Valve will someday design their own gaming specific operating system.

[F34R]

If it has good tech and a good user experience, I'm definitely interested.

Still holding out hope that Valve will someday design their own gaming specific operating system.

That problem with it will be, how long will the hardware hold on. A couple of years and you'll need better hardware, etc. If it is upgradeable, then maybe it's not a bad idea at all.

[Cybertox]

Meh, is this the product which raised the valve console rumour? If so damn this must be a disappointment for those who were expecting a console.

[Chille]

Meh, is this the product which raised the valve console rumour? If so damn this must be a disappointment for those who were expecting a console.

This is pretty much a console though by defined term, if it isnt upgradeable.

[BoyBettaKnow]

If it has good tech and a good user experience, I'm definitely interested.

Still holding out hope that Valve will someday design their own gaming specific operating system.

Yeah, that would be nice. Mind, if Linux starts getting even more support and a decent API to rival Direct X we could have something close enough! a Steam distro would be quite interesting

[Blacksite]

Speaking of Big Picture mode, is anyone else annoyed that the button is placed on the top-right side of the browser? I find it distracting. =P

[Tyrannicide]

Yeah, that would be nice. Mind, if Linux starts getting even more support and a decent API to rival Direct X we could have something close enough! a Steam distro would be quite interesting

Well seeing the progress they are showing with the Steam Linux client and the fact that they have games (such as L4D2) that run better with OpenGL than DirectX...I don't see that being a huge issue. Just a matter of getting other companies to also show support. Valve appears fully committed to porting other games as well.

I think a full blown Valve Steam OS would be too much, because it would have to do everything Linux/Windows/MacOS does because people wouldn't want to have to switch OS's just to play games and do other stuff.
Just look at how lazy people are now needing a full web browser+social media on their consoles.....

I think they are better dedicated to making Steam and games cross platform.

[F34R]

Speaking of Big Picture mode, is anyone else annoyed that the button is placed on the top-right side of the browser? I find it distracting. =P

For the most part, I'm liking it... I don't see anything annoying so far.

[admartian]

Good news. THis way I could possibly get one of these then swap my laptop for a Win Pro Tablet or something.

[Cybertox]

Speaking of Big Picture mode, is anyone else annoyed that the button is placed on the top-right side of the browser? I find it distracting. =P

Yeah i had some problems in the beginning because of its placement but now i got used to it.

[MATRIX 2]

I doubt this will be better than an alienware x51.

[keefy]

Speaking of Big Picture mode, is anyone else annoyed that the button is placed on the top-right side of the browser? I find it distracting. =P

I never use large mode so no it has never bothered me

[claud3]

It seems he might have actually shot him and the company in the foot with this

I mean

Why bring something out and when you can just get a p.c to do the same thing... Forget it, it will flop like it will

[Rapture]

I think most people were expecting this by now. I find it interesting, and I think if anyone can do it then it's Valve. We'll just have to see if it can find its market. I do think there's a niche for those people in-between consoles and the PC who may be enticed by this product.

[F34R]

It seems he might have actually shot him and the company in the foot with this

I mean

Why bring something out and when you can just get a p.c to do the same thing... Forget it, it will flop like it will

It isn't for replacing pc's, and even Gabe mentioned that. It's for a niche that wants something like this.

[claud3]

I hope so to and good one

It's a really hard part of the market to get into... So good luck to them

[vladTGS]

Don't jump to conclusions just yet people. Valve hasn't revealed all the info, I'm sure they'll be some surprises.

[keefy]

It isn't for replacing pc's, and even Gabe mentioned that. It's for a niche that wants something like this.

Those that want to buy a PC and game ont heir couch with hardware that is 100% compatible and guaranteed to work at a nice frame rate with all Valves games and probably most of the Steam library.

[claud3]

So if that's true, why not just bring it out for it to work anyways

So what's the point of the statement

[F34R]

Those that want to buy a PC and game ont heir couch with hardware that is 100% compatible and guaranteed to work at a nice frame rate with all Valves games and probably most of the Steam library.

Like I said, a niche crowd.

[DarkVincent07]

I don't see this selling like crazy, but it's. good idea and good for people who want to get into PC gaming but find it daunting


Via Tapatalk

[Typical guy]

I don't see this as anything but a good thing. It will introduce competition into digital content and that's desperately needed. I could care less about upgrading a console every couple years so why would I care about doing this one? If my choices are, buy Elder Scrolls 6 on the 720 or PS4 for $60 or the Steam Box for $50 (and this is day one) which do you think I would take? WHO CARES if you can't upgrade it? If my choice is to get Saint's Row 3 for $30 or get the humble bundle for $6, which is a better deal? WHO CARES if you can't upgrade it?

PLEASE tell me when you'll EVER be able to get a deal like this on console?
http://www.humblebundle.com/
Give me a Steam Box with a controller and not a keyboard and mouse please!

I don't see this selling like crazy, but it's. good idea and good for people who want to get into PC gaming but find it daunting


Via Tapatalk

If it's a Linux system built to do NOTHING but play games and comes with a controller but only runs digital content, how is that a whole lot different from regular consoles other than no optical drive?

[keefy]

Can windows 8 be used without a keyboard an mouse 100% of the time?

I guess though if oyu want to just use the box for games youset Steam to autostart with windows logon and in big picture mode.