SteamBoy Aims To Be The Handheld Steam Machine - Update

[Fanghawk]

SteamBoy Aims To Be The Handheld Steam Machine - Update

SteamOS could be making its way into mobile gaming, according to a new teaser trailer for the SteamBoy console.

Update: The Escapist has received additional info from the SteamBoy Machine team. While the exact hardware itself is still under wraps, the SteamBoy design should feature a Quad-Core CPU, 4GB RAM, a 32GB built-in memory card, and a 5" 16:9 touchscreen.

"SteamBoy won't be as powerful as other announced Steam Machines in the same way [the] Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita performance is not comparable to Wii U or PlayStation 4," a representative wrote via email. "However, it will be possible to play the majority of current games in Steam."

The standard edition SteamBoy is slated for a 2015 release, with support for WiFi and 3G networks. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

Original Story:Steam Machines are Valve's next major project for PC gaming, and a lot of people are very excited to see how it will turn out. If successful, Steam games will have a solid foothold within living room gaming and traditional mouse-and-keyboard play. The only market Valve wouldn't be attached to at that point is handheld gaming, but at least one manufacturer is now hoping to jump-start that process. On the last day of E3, the SteamBoy Machine team announced its new handheld console that would let players enjoy Steam titles on the go, presumably supporting a variation of SteamOS for living rooms.

"SteamBoy is the first device that allows to play Steam games on the go," SteamBoy Machine's press release reads, "you will keep playing your favorite games at the bus, the office, the school or the doctor's waiting room."

The pictured SteamBoy looks like a combination of the Steam Controller and the PlayStation Vita, with two touchpads, 8 action buttons, 4 triggers, and two additional buttons to the rear. While that should certainly be as functional as a Steam Machine, we still aren't aware what the system specs will be. That's pretty important for any attempt at adapting PC gaming to mobile play, since the system requirements of individual PC games can vary wildly compared to traditional consoles. According to the SteamBoy Machine team the device will balance performance and cost, and support the majority of current Steam games.

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I was already excited for the concept of Steam Machines, but the ability to take my Steam library with me wherever I go is an incredibly appealing notion. Of course, that depends on whether the hardware can support it, which we'll hopefully find out in the coming months. So far no release date has been announced.

Source: <a href=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Windows+8/SteamBoy/news.asp?c=60058>Pocket Gamer

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[Aerosteam]

If I didn't know any better I would've suspected this is a fake console ripping off Steam and the Game Boy. >_<

 

[Kuala BangoDango]

I can't get excited about a handheld Steam Machine when regular Steam Machines and the SteamOS aren't even fully complete yet.

It's like trying to get excited about Star Wars episode 8 news when Star Wars episode 7 isn't even out.

 

[ron1n]

Not a bad idea really. Will be like a Vita that actually has a game library.

If it can come in at a good cost/power ratio with acceptable battery life, could definitely be a winner.
At the very least, it's way more appealing than Nvidias Shield.

 

[J Tyran]

Okay, but considering they have not even got the Steamboxes out in the wild yet and that a device like this that has the support of a major hardware developer with as big of a profile as Valve behind it isn't a runaway success I think Valve might be overreaching here.

Still unless the price is stupid I will probably get one because of impulse buying habit.

 

[Dr_Fred]

What I know is that this news went live a few hours ago on a french "popular" videogaming website, but they have since updated it several times, admitting that their source was far from official and that this may be a fake.

Link to the site in question - in french, obviously. [http://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/2014/00072810-e3-2014-valve-annonce-sa-console-portable-la-steamboy.htm#infos] Roughly, they're apologizing for getting all fired up in "the excitement of E3 news" and admitting that they couldn't find an official source and that further research led them to believe that it may very well be fake.

To be honest, the source mentioned by The Escapist (as well as their supporting video, which does not include a Valve copyright mention) do not seem linked to Valve either, and cite no one as their source. They also have filed this particular piece of news under the category "Windows 8" - hence wtf ?

So, is it just "too fresh" for an official announcement yet, or simply a case of trying to be the first to relay juicy news ? Is there a better primary source to mention in the article ?

Not that I'm affirming it's fake - it's just that there seems to be room for doubt here, as of now.

 

[Fanghawk]

What I know is that this news went live a few hours ago on a french "popular" videogaming website, but they have since updated it several times, admitting that their source was far from official and that this may be a fake.

Link to the site in question - in french, obviously. [http://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/2014/00072810-e3-2014-valve-annonce-sa-console-portable-la-steamboy.htm#infos] Roughly, they're apologizing for getting all fired up in "the excitement of E3 news" and admitting that they couldn't find an official source and that further research led them to believe that it may very well be fake.

To be honest, the source mentioned by The Escapist (as well as their supporting video, which does not include a Valve copyright mention) do not seem linked to Valve either, and cite no one as their source. They also have filed this particular piece of news under the category "Windows 8" - hence wtf ?

So, is it just "too fresh" for an official announcement yet, or simply a case of trying to be the first to relay juicy news ? Is there a better primary source to mention in the article ?

Not that I'm affirming it's fake - it's just that there seems to be room for doubt here, as of now.

The SteamBoy team has put out a press release through the regular channels. Outside of that, we'd just have to see.

For what's it's worth, I think a handheld Steam Machine would face some huge manufacturing hurdles, especially if it's being produced independently. But in principle, it's certainly possible. I hope it's not fake, anyway!

 

[Dr_Fred]

Hum. Looking at the YT Video description, it may be true, but it's not a Valve project. An independent company (the "Steamboy Machine Team") is behind it.

Wonder who they are and whether they're serious...

Captcha : "in the cart" ...let's not get ahead of ourselves, right ?

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well right now this is just a rendering of a 3D model and absolutely nothing else, also considering they are using an already licensed name plus the company seems to not actually exist I'd put my money on it never being more then that trailer.

Not to mention SteamOS isn't even close to done(phrase "Valve time" exists for a reason) so don't go buying some hype box that won't do anything.

 

[gigastar]

And Valve wasnt even at E3. If they were going to announce a handheld they would be there trumpeting it themselves.

Not to mention that name would almost certainly result in a lawsuit from Nintendo.

 

[Vigormortis]

While I'm extraordinarily skeptical of the legitimacy of this thing, I can't help but feel some pretty intense excitement at the idea of it actually being true. The notion of a dedicated, handheld device designed from the ground up to play (and possibly stream) my Steam library is really, really enticing.

Still, though I'm really hopeful this is real I'm not going to get "hyped" until there's more quantifiable proof that it's actually real.

 

[Rednog]

Is anyone actually buying into this nonsense? A handheld powerful enough to run your steam library? Maybe some of the indie titles out there if they were optimized, but no way in hell is a handheld that is just running an OS going to be able to have the power to play any PC game in your library.
Seriously the power of the Steam Boxes has been dubious, who out there really thinks that this is going to work? Slapping Steam's name onto a product seems to make people throw their common sense out the window.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Its the unholy child of a PSVita and a WiiU gamepad! XD

Valve has more money then god, if they want to get in on the handheld market all the power to them

 

[Rad Party God]

Details Valve, DETAILS!, I'd like to know the specs of this thing.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I don't see this being any good.
People need to understand that handheld games and console/pc games are fundamentally different in the way they are played.
That's why the Vita is selling badly despite having lots of portable AAA games and the PSP sold well as a (S)NES and GBA emulator and no one gave a fuck about the portable AAA games.

Most AAA games can't be just turned on, played for 10-15 minutes and then turned off. You need to dedicate time to them.
I don't see any games in my Steam library that I would play on the go.

But that could just be me.

 

[klaynexas3]

I can't get excited about a handheld Steam Machine when regular Steam Machines and the SteamOS aren't even fully complete yet.

It's like trying to get excited about Star Wars episode 8 news when Star Wars episode 7 isn't even out.

Or announcing DLC when the game isn't out yet. Wait, shit...

OT: if it can run basically what the steambox can, or at least somewhere close to it, fuck it, I'm sold. I'll probably even buy it over a steambox, as I love my portable consoles.

EDIT: Here's a link to a website specifically for this little thing. While it isn't Valve's website, it has the copyright stuff at the bottom that makes it look somewhat legitimate, thought that's up to other people to decide. I'd still like one even if the thing is a joke.

http://www.steamboymachine.com/

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I don't see this being any good.
People need to understand that handheld games and console/pc games are fundamentally different in the way they are played.
That's why the Vita is selling badly despite having lots of portable AAA games and the PSP sold well as a (S)NES and GBA emulator and no one gave a fuck about the portable AAA games.

Most AAA games can't be just turned on, played for 10-15 minutes and then turned off. You need to dedicate time to them.
I don't see any games in my Steam library that I would play on the go.

But that could just be me.

It's just you. There are plenty of Steam games that would work well on a handheld device. This is why it's such a great idea. You can finally buy a handheld console with a huge library of games that is already available. It would kill the competition. Too bad it's so obviously fake.

 

[Rozalia1]

Seems false but if legit...I suppose that is another device to be utterly dominated by Nintendo.

I don't see this being any good.
People need to understand that handheld games and console/pc games are fundamentally different in the way they are played.
That's why the Vita is selling badly despite having lots of portable AAA games and the PSP sold well as a (S)NES and GBA emulator and no one gave a fuck about the portable AAA games.

Most AAA games can't be just turned on, played for 10-15 minutes and then turned off. You need to dedicate time to them.
I don't see any games in my Steam library that I would play on the go.

But that could just be me.

It's just you. There are plenty of Steam games that would work well on a handheld device. This is why it's such a great idea. You can finally buy a handheld console with a huge library of games that is already available. It would kill the competition. Too bad it's so obviously fake.

Hahahaha no. First such a thing is unlikely to work well if at all with many of the "big" games on PC, secondly you clearly forget that the 3DS has access to all the DS games, and that most of those games won't be on the "Steamboy".
Only reason I have a 3DS is for all its exclusives but for a steamboy...I'm looking right now at my PC.

 

[DrOswald]

Why is everyone talking about this like it is a fake? Is there something I am missing here?