Well, I never claimed to love or really care about Valve, but Ill admit, im interested upon hearing this.Gorilla Gunk said:
Valve working on 'Steam Box' console
- Thread starter Sansha
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Hmmm... Sort of want. But I'm not sure yet. Maybe if it reveals some juicy specs and a low price tag, i'll go for it.
That would be awesome! Purely for the internet outrage and valve fanboys defending it that would erupt.vrbtny said:
This could be rather hilarious.. who would come out on top in the war between the PC Master
Race and the Valve Fanboy Army given that there is so much crossover between the two?
Race and the Valve Fanboy Army given that there is so much crossover between the two?
If I were them I would be building a console that built for Steam gaming with a ton of cross-platform support, PC interconnectivity, with a splash of streaming video.
I can imagine having a LAN party 6v6 on TF2, and the console could spectate and display a scoreboard on your TV. Also, you could be playing Portal 2 with yourself on your computer and your friend on the console, with your screen displayed picture-in-picture on the TV in the same room. Both of these situations would make me want both PC and console at the same time.
Creating just another console would be predatory to their current business. Unless they are planning on dumping their incredibly lucrative PC business, they should consider making a device that makes people want to buy more games on PC, rather than switching over to a console.
I can imagine having a LAN party 6v6 on TF2, and the console could spectate and display a scoreboard on your TV. Also, you could be playing Portal 2 with yourself on your computer and your friend on the console, with your screen displayed picture-in-picture on the TV in the same room. Both of these situations would make me want both PC and console at the same time.
Creating just another console would be predatory to their current business. Unless they are planning on dumping their incredibly lucrative PC business, they should consider making a device that makes people want to buy more games on PC, rather than switching over to a console.
I don't get console gamer hate. Who here can play Skyrim with a $400 pc that they bought in November of 2005? If Valve can give me a device that gives me the affordable longevity of a console, with the library that Steam provides, then you can count me in as a launch day buyer.
agreed, this is very often over looked. its quite amazing just how much developers get out of the current gen consoles despite their age.The Hungry Samurai said:
well as prolific as a site that's only been around for 6 months can be...LiquidSolstice said:
EDIT: whoops, should have been one post. sorry.
I think the only way for this to stand out in a market where the only real hardware difference between consoles and PCs is the ability to upgrade is for Valve to do something totally unique that hasn't been done before. Given their history with innovation, I'd say they've got a better shot at that than most.
Who would this console be for? Console gamers wouldn't bother dishing out another 600 bucks for something that's just going to release the same things that they can buy for the consoles they own, and PC gamers already have Steam (and the very prospect of purchasing a filthy worthless console would be an insult to their divine PC gaming supremacy), and likewise wouldn't want to dish out 600 bucks either. It would have to offer something completely new and interesting in order to sell.
Don't get me wrong, I love Steam. I just don't see how one could base a console around it. Integrating Steam to the Xbox 360 and PS3, on the other hand...
Don't get me wrong, I love Steam. I just don't see how one could base a console around it. Integrating Steam to the Xbox 360 and PS3, on the other hand...
I hope it's just cloud computation instead of legitimate computer hardware. That could work, putting steam on a TV with a nice controller and everything for $100, not a full set of hardware with steam on it.
I'm surprised the idea is so controversial. It wouldn't be a "console" in the MS / Sony sense, it would be a standardized PC. By locking down the hardware and software, Valve could make the platform more reliable and hassle-free than normal PC gaming.
Valve is not perfect, I don't even care for the games they develop, but I do like a lot of things about Steam. I believe Valve would deliver better service than MS and Sony for two reasons:
1) Valve is a privately-held company, and not having impatient shareholders helps with doing things right instead of rushing out short-term cash grabs. In general, the expansion phase before selling public shares is usually when tech companies are at their best.
2) Not very many entertainment companies are winning the battle against piracy. Steam is one of the few places to buy games that makes it easier than pirating them would be. Comparing Steam to other successful download services like iTunes, I would say that Steam is a much better service.
Valve is not perfect, I don't even care for the games they develop, but I do like a lot of things about Steam. I believe Valve would deliver better service than MS and Sony for two reasons:
1) Valve is a privately-held company, and not having impatient shareholders helps with doing things right instead of rushing out short-term cash grabs. In general, the expansion phase before selling public shares is usually when tech companies are at their best.
2) Not very many entertainment companies are winning the battle against piracy. Steam is one of the few places to buy games that makes it easier than pirating them would be. Comparing Steam to other successful download services like iTunes, I would say that Steam is a much better service.