Microsoft VP Marc Whitten Isn't Worried About Steam Machines

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Marc Whitten is absolutely right.

Console manufacturers needn't worry until Valve standardizes the SteamBox, reduces the number of options, and significantly lowers the price point.

Why would Valve be responsible for any of that?

People don't seem to realize what Valve is doing with the Steam Machine. They're not trying to make their own console. They're trying to make more people use Steam. It's all about Steam for Valve. And Steam is all about your Steam library. Once people get hooked on their Steam library it's game over. Valve wins. They're not the ones making Steam Machines. The only piece of hardware that is theirs is the controller. They just make the software and let other companies create their own Steam Machines. Standardization and price point is the problem that Steam Machine manufacturers face. They're competing with each other and Valve wins every time one of those Machines is sold. Valve can't lose in this scenario. It's brilliant when you think about it.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Why would Valve be responsible for any of that?

If they're not responsible for it, then they need to take responsibility for it. If all they're doing is releasing a modded version of Linux and a tactile controller, then they've already lost.

With no guidance, all these manufacturers are going to do is release reboxed PCs at their usual (or even inflated) prices. We're already seeing this. And what's been announced is certainly not competitive with existing consoles.

Valve should step in, limit SteamBox hardware to, say, one design with 2-3 levels of options. This will restrict hardware production into specific components. Then "economies of scale" will reduce the price on those components.

This will bring the price point down, reduce customer confusion and uncertainty (ever been stuck behind a newbie at HuHot?), and will make the SteamBox competitive with existing consoles.

Simply dumping a few more options for "a gaming PC for the living room" into the market is not sufficient, as most people can already make one of these themselves if they want.

That is something that the nature of free market and healthy competition will fix on its own.

 

[Something Amyss]

If your goal is 'I want to play PC games' but are limited by the time, effort or knowledge you can devote to getting started, dropping $500-$1k for a certified gaming machine that will let you play whatever PC games you want will sound like an amazing deal to quite a lot of people.

Except that's not what a Steam Machien is offering, given the OS involved.

Yeesh, you make one comment in regards to saying something that will blow up in your face, and people jump all over ya. Let it go. It's an expression and it amuses me to say so.

Your statement is still incorrect. You're still apparently saying it'll "blow up in his face," and it'd unlikely to do that. You're making excuses still. "It's an expression" which is wrong here.

 

[FalloutJack]

Zoop

That's not an excuse. That's one man trying too hard to make something serious of what's not. You don't get to decide the meaning of what I say.

 

[Something Amyss]

That's not an excuse. That's one man trying too hard to make something serious of what's not. You don't get to decide the meaning of what I say.

You defended it. You can't say "it's just a saying" after the fact. Well, you can, but it's clearly false. That would be the "trying too hard" bit.

 

[FalloutJack]

Zoop

No, and you're now just harassing me. You alone decided to drag this out over nothing. Reported.

 

[Something Amyss]

No, and you're now just harassing me. You alone decided to drag this out over nothing. Reported.

Are you trying to tell me you didn't write this?

Microsoft thinks there's enough room in the biz? Yeah right. That smile is so fake, that assurance so made up.

It's not harassing you. You've prolonged this conversation as long as I have, and I am merely responding to your assertions.

 

[FalloutJack]

Snip

Actually, you've been talking AT me and assuming my snark as deadly serious conversation. This is a mistake, and I will only tell you so. The prolonging part of it is that you are not heeding my word. That being the case, let me approach this with ACTUAL seriousness:

Marc Whitten is a liar. He is a man of business for Microsoft and he is lying through his god-given teeth. Microsoft has money out the wazoo, but it has seen some rather nasty backlash as of late, more than usual if I'm of any judge, which I am. He is part of a business and in business you deal in competition, anyone who stands to take money from you through business competition. If a man is not worried about something happening in competition, then he does not worry about it. But how often do you see someone going FAR out of their way to broadcast how everything is cool and nothing is wrong to hide the fact that something IS? Salvaging the pride, sparing the ego, putting on a good face - EVERYONE does it. And as we've seen happen numerous times before in corporations that make announcements, they say whatever it is they say...POORLY. He IS concerned, because Valve is no shlub at what they do, and something like this is unexpected and unpredictable. And that's my final word on the matter.

Now, when I want to make a simple joke or sarcastic remark at something, Zach, just let it go.

 

[Something Amyss]

Actually, you've been talking AT me and assuming my snark as deadly serious conversation. This is a mistake, and I will only tell you so.

Now you're changing your story again. Wouldn't it have been simpler to just say "my bad," rather than jump from excuse to excuse? First you defended it, then you were just using a saying, then I was harassing you, now you were manipulating me the whole time?

Sorry, don't buy it.

And the important part was simple: you've been maintaining this as long as I have. If you believed it harassment, why are you still responding?

He is a man of business for Microsoft and he is lying through his god-given teeth.

Your straight argument looks just like your snarky one. You can see why I was confused. The only people who think Microsoft should be worried are doing so because they want Microsoft to be worried--they either want Microsoft to fail or Valve to succeed. There really is no reason for Microsoft to be concerned right now. And anyway, let's apply Occam's Razor here. Which do you think is more likely? Microsoft, a company so arrogant as to assume "people will buy what we tell them to buy" (see Windows 8, Xbone) is pissing themselves over a bunch of boutique PCs, or Microsoft (same company) assumes they will dominate their competition? The rational answer is the former: Microsoft doesn't show fear even when they should; why would they here?

Of course, I've been fairly consistent on that.

 

[FalloutJack]

Boing

Mocking me does not make you right. You have misunderstood me and so I must leave.

 

[Something Amyss]

Mocking me does not make you right.

Claiming I mocked you doesn't make it so. If you don't want a cogent argument, that's fine. Don't pretend I'm doing things I'm not, though. It's a disservice to both of us.