Valve Denies "Steam Box" Console Rumors

[Andy Chalk]

Valve Denies "Steam Box" Console Rumors

Valve says it's building test boxes for the "Big Picture Mode UI" but denies that it's working on a new "Steam Box" console.

The internet got itself pretty tightly wound when rumors of a brand-new Valve-designed game console, widely referred to as the "Steam Box," bubbled to the surface earlier this week [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116139-Valve-May-Be-Entering-the-Console-Market-with-Steam-Box]. The device would boast a Core i7 chip, Nvidia GPU and eight gig of RAM, and have the ability to run not just Steam but other services too, like EA's Origin. And if that sounds to you an awful lot like a PC, well, you'd get no argument from me, but that's a different story altogether.

What this story is about is Valve's denial that this is actually happening. "We're prepping the Steam Big Picture Mode UI and getting ready to ship that, so we're building boxes to test that on. We're also doing a bunch of different experiments with biometric feedback and stuff like that, which we've talked about a fair amount," Valve's Doug Lombardi told Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5891697/shooting-down-rumors-valve-says-theyre-not-making-a-game-console-any-time-soon]. "All of that is stuff that we're working on, but it's a long way from Valve shipping any sort of hardware."

It shouldn't come as any surprise that a game studio would build various hardware configurations for development and testing purposes, and in fact Lombardi said that Valve is "always putting boxes together. Going all the way back to the Half-Life 1 [http://www.amazon.com/Half-Life-1-Anthology-Pc/dp/B000AOE4BM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331309827&sr=8-1] days, we built special boxes to test our software render... it's just part of development."

But for the determined dreamers out there who just can't let go of the idea , Lombardi would not categorically rule out the possibility that Valve might someday jump into the hardware game, much as I might possibly one day win the lottery or become heavyweight champion of the world. Anything's possible, right?


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[Something Amyss]

Valve denies console rumours, millions assume holiday release.

 

[SilverUchiha]

That's a shame. I was really hoping there was a good possibility of this happening. We'll see how long this stance lasts. Maybe we'll get them to deny their denial by E3?

 

[Sandytimeman]

become heavyweight champion of the world. Anything's possible, right?

You can't become heavyweight champ of the world Andy. That's my dream. =]

 

[Andy Chalk]

The very idea of Valve building a "console" is silly. Would Valve license its name for some kind of specialty PC with a fixed component set, designed primarily as a living room game box? Sure, absolutely. But that's a long, long way from making a new console.

 

[subtlefuge]

It really doesn't make sense for Valve to enter the console market. At all.

What I am hoping is that Big Picture Mode has some cool additional features rather than just being an alternative for use of a gamepad. TV integration features could be really interesting for PC games, and possibly even renew some interest in LAN parties.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I was waiting for the denial. Does anyone else think Valve fanboys are the most prolific when it comes to making rumors about their favorite company?

 

[Lancer873]

I am thoroughly unsurprised. Valve, a relatively small team of disorganized (though not necessarily to a fault) game design experts, would NOT be an ideal force to enter into console-manufacturing. It'd be like Mojang trying to create a new tablet. They may be filthy stinkin' rich due to huge hits from a small team, but "small team" is enough to tell you that they are and will remain a software company.

Biometric sensors make sense for testing, not for actual gameplay. It lets them know what sort of reactions their games are giving players so they can fine-tune it, that's what Valve does. Valve doesn't release biometric sensors to the public so that each person gets their own gameplay experience that may in fact be off-kilter due to personal differences and junk. It's a data-gathering tool, not a gameplay-altering device.

 

[jFr[e]ak93]

This is a sign that they are working on Half Life 3. It's a diversion!

OT... Kinda disappointed by this, but not really surprised.

 

[Hungry Donner]

Funnily enough the rumored "Steam Box" sounded quite a bit like the "Phantom [http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/08/20]" console from years back. Both are basically computers with an online game library, and neither ever truly existed.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Well looks like if gamers want a steamy box, they have to go back to looking at porn. Sadly, the porn really is just pictures of supposed hardware specks. (Oh, double zinger!)

As I said before, the idea that Valve would suddenly make a console sounded dumb and apparently Valve thinks so too.

 

[Elberik]

Unless they plan to package Half Life 3 with this new console, I don't care.

 

[lacktheknack]

Valve denies console rumours, millions assume holiday release.

Millions are disappointed by holiday non-release, millions claim that Valve led them around by the nose, calm down, get bored and make rumors.

Kind of spectacular, really.

 

[Something Amyss]

Valve denies console rumours, millions assume holiday release.

Millions are disappointed by holiday non-release, millions claim that Valve led them around by the nose, calm down, get bored and make rumors.

Kind of spectacular, really.

And yet, vaguely comforting. You know, in that "the world doesn't make sense, but at least I can predict it...." way.

 

[Toilet]

The Steam Box is a really boring name at best they should call it "Steam Machine" or the "Gabecube".

 

[CardinalPiggles]

It would be nice to see Valve bring out a console, but if they did you can bet they would keep it pretty damn quiet. (Plus it would probably release late). And I can't think of any more Valve jokes, they would get stuck on console number 2? Maybe?

much as I might possibly one day win the lottery or become heavyweight champion of the world. Anything's possible, right?

I dunno, you looked pretty mean during Movember. You big bear, you.

 

[viranimus]

Hooray for wishful thinking fanboys being put in their place.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Would Valve license its name for some kind of specialty PC with a fixed component set, designed primarily as a living room game box? Sure, absolutely. But that's a long, long way from making a new console.

OR IS IT?

Wait... it is. Nevermind.

From what I've seen Valve aren't looking at jumping into consoles, they're looking at taking advantage of/encouraging a move to more PC gaming in the living room and providing for it. If some hardware/system manufacturer also has similar ideas, why the hell not approach Valve and cut a deal?

Having access to the exact same games in your living room as you do at your desktop via the magic of the Steam library is quite compelling, just ask anyone who already has such a set up...

 

[Tanakh]

The very idea of Valve building a "console" is silly. Would Valve license its name for some kind of specialty PC with a fixed component set, designed primarily as a living room game box? Sure, absolutely. But that's a long, long way from making a new console.

Isn't that basically what the Xbox vanilla/360 and Wii are? Not that there's something wrong with that, though i admired it the whole cell endeavour costed Sony dearly.