Report: Valve Working on 'Steam Box' Game Console

[dietcreamsoda]

Molesting a dead horse.

 

[leongrado]

Wow seriously if you don't want to build a PC yourself then buy a console. I don't see why any hardcore gamer would want to buy this for 700$. Plus, I'm pretty sure a big reason people don't like consoles is because you can't update the hardware. This system is more expensive than a console and less flexible hardware-wise than a PC. The WORST of both worlds if you ask me.

 

[husker]

[citation][nom]demonhorde665[/nom]just console gamers ??? hell i'm already a PC gamer and i'm liking this idea , and the system specks already sound like it makes my 2008 desktop look like a punk b----. if they can sell this ion the neigbor hood of 400 bucks , i'd jump at it at this point , then i can turn my desktop into pure workstation (via a work station vid card) loose all the non work stuff and play this machine for my games on my 42 inch 1080p LG LCD i don't see what's to loose , aside from needing the money for this machine , just hoping it they keep it's cost in the lower range.[/citation]
Absolutely, I agree. I was originally trying to persuade the PC users who were hating on this idea, so they might see how this would help them. I didn't mean to leave out current PC gamers who just like the idea of a more easily managed machine and upgrade path.

 

[VanwaRaumo]

I thought that Valve and AMD were partners, so I would have thought they would have partnered to create such a device.

 

[dark_lord69]

Wow!
i7 with 8GB of ram!?...
not bad at all!

 

[slabbo]

It really sounds like they are selling you a PC with steam preloaded. If you already have a PC, you most likely don't need a steam box.

 

[brizzelsprout]

Small form factor, connected directly to steam, keyboard, mouse, controller support, with a compeditive price. Yeah I'd be interested if done right.

 

[gm0n3y]

This idea has potential. Valve could come up with a 'stable' build of Windows that is 'guaranteed' to run the games without any issues and handle the OS/driver updates through their own update software to ensure compatibility. They could partner with a hardware manufacturer to produce the unit and handle the software themselves. There could even be different spec versions at different price points. These would basically be Valve/Steam branded gaming PCs that are set up just for gaming. Considering that people often don't game on PC because of the potential headaches I can see there being a market for this. I can see how they would be able to do this with a relatively small investment.

I think there is probably a market out there for people that have a laptop for their regular computer use and just want a desktop for gaming. This would suit them perfectly. I build my own machines because I enjoy it, but I've also built many gaming rigs for friends that don't really understand computers. This would be perfect for them. Just have different spec models at a few different price points (say $600, $800, $1100) to allow for various graphics settings. They could recommend a certain minimum/recommended model for each game. If they could sell it at cost (to make money on the games) then they would have a very compelling product.

 

[crewton]

[citation][nom]Marcus52[/nom]Right. We need a third console with proprietary software. The fact is, DirectX was and is made for gaming, and is a premium solution - developers use it because it works better than anything else, period. Sure, there are a few that want to develop outside what DirectX can do, but I'm willing to bet they also think that when it comes to developing for consoles, even more so.DirectX came from the mind of Alex St. John, who worked for Microsoft when they realized that Windows was a terrible gaming operating system. The purpose of DirectX was to 1) Work outside of or around Windows so Windows wasn't a limitation, and 2) Give game developers everything they wanted in a neat package. While Vista was a step back from that philosophy, they realized their mistake and Win 7 brought DirectX back in line with what it should be.Make no mistake; Microsoft's investment in gaming is far more than just the Xbox. They realized long ago that the computer would be used for gaming in a big way, and they wanted to make sure people used what they sold for gaming as well as their other applications. Their commitment is rock solid.[/citation]

Let me know when directx 11 works with linux. You can put directx 9 with Wine but it is still buggy and not all games work for it. The issue I was addressing was taking windows out of the picture which directx fails to do. Games are built for windows platform and if they feel there is a need design them for macs and if they really feel the need then you get a linux game.

If steam could alleviate the already established propriety of windows/directx then steam could be used on any OS whether it be windows/macs/linux.

 

[Wisecracker]

Skeptical is right.

This nonsense popped up after the ATI/PlayStation 4 rumors last month. and the talk about IBM SoC Cell processors from 'an AMD employee who left the fold'

 

[kitekrazy1963]

I wish tye would waste their time coming out with another Half Life game than this venture.

 

[Guest]

Rurmor has it this steam box will only be compatible for the ps3 since the ps3 can actually handle the steam box unlike the 360

 

[chechak]

let Valve show consoles must be made HIGH RIG(supporting DX11 .. tantalizing..e.g) ...not like ps3 xbox ruining game industry and PC world because of it's limitation ....

 

[Guest]

When will people understand that consoles are over, they were never and never will be superior to the pc.
The only reason ppl still make them is because they need money and the poor fools who don't own a Universe (pc) and are ignorant about it's ways, buy a planet (console).
You cannot do millions of things in a console that you can instead do in a pc, pc is better in ALL perspectives, even in graphics, gameplay, game mechanics, it's the best piece of hardware there is in the world, still ppl make consoles instead of improving the technology behind the pc because of money, money's always an obstacle to progress, it makes me sad rlly