Valve Boss Admits To Pushing Hardware Into Living Room

[exfileme]

Valve CEO Gabe Newell admits that the company is looking to provide an open hardware platform both in the living room and mobile sector.

Valve Boss Admits To Pushing Hardware Into Living Room : Read more

 

[computernerdforlife]

"Does that mean we'll see a Windows 8-based Steam Tablet?" Does speculating on information that's provided through hearsay in a form of a question spark critical thinking? Does asking more and more questions help you prove your hearsay speculative point?

 

[Guest]

No, but it does invite commentary from the peanut gallery.

I think its a good idea, but doubt Valve/Steam could keep themselves above the level of proprietary "traps" that Newell accuses others of being. Not that I disagree with him.

 

[Flameout]

wouldn't it be easier to create console-like input devices for the pc?

oh and speaking of proprietary, HOW ABOUT YOU STOP DEVELOPING STEAM FOR WINDOWS AND MAC AND START DEVELOPING FOR LINUX

 

[aftcomet]

There is already hardware free from proprietary crap and it's called a PC. This desire by Newell for "open hardware" is nothing but a smokescreen.

 

[sp0nger]

Seems like valve has been in the news a lot lately, seems like there may be something on the horizon, something big.

 

[lordravage]

[citation][nom]Flameout[/nom]wouldn't it be easier to create console-like input devices for the pc?[/citation]

Do you mean something other than the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows or the Kinect for Windows?

Because if you aren't, then I don't understand what you mean by console-like input devices. Please elaborate.

 

[spasmolytic46]

I'd be happy to get a steam handheld device of any sort, but please for the love of god, keep windows 8 off it or at least give am option for installing and alternate windows version.

 

[queenfan]

Use the Tegra 4 or get AMD out there with a Dual Core A15 and Dual Core X86 + High End GPU .28 integrated SoC monster chip that can run any OS?

 

[jwcalla]

Michael Larabel (Phoronix) seems to be indicating that Steam is coming to Linux, as per his Twitter feed.

 

[alxianthelast]

Only matters if it is more appealing to developers (who can self-publish through steam) to support an open platform (that has all steam supported operating systems installed and updated) with games in mind, versus getting some money back from big publishing deals for exclusive console games. which only seems to be encouraging halfassed efforts and ridiculous and often fraudulant marketing and post sale value adding content campaigns. Who would pay them and help them with marketing?

I like that iTV and Steambox still haven't been officially discounted, only just an official partnership.. though I do still support Tim Cook being locked in a room with Gabe Newell.

 

[clindman]

they should just do some creative marketing and engineering on a gaming-focused HTPC. it defies explanation that no company has really delved into the HTPC market. the only thing preventing HTPCs from blowing up - which will inevitably happen - is consumer ignorance.

 

[dotaloc]

[citation][nom]aftcomet[/nom]There is already hardware free from proprietary crap and it's called a PC. This desire by Newell for "open hardware" is nothing but a smokescreen.[/citation]
I think you misquote Mr. Newell. He advocates an "open platform."

I'm thinking standardized hardware(rated?), open OS (multi-boot?). Windows does give us DirectX, but is still very closed, even if it is more open then consoles and more game friendly than OSX and Gnu/Linux.

 

[dormantreign]

I love steam. The best service i've ever used, providing my account don't get hacked which can then be a pain. They need a phone service set up for that s.h.i.t. Origin is from the devil.

 

[sparky2010]

Although a PC is proprietary free, it's still a very expensive solution to a console in terms of "pure gaming".. from a console, although the graphics will eventually really suck, they are not bad the day they are released (usually).. from a pc standpoint, you'd have to keep upgrading, and that's when they leave the consoles in the dust, but having to keep on upgrading, and keeping it in shape and maintaining, not many people want that.

So the majority of people prefer buying a console, which they can have fun on, without any headache.. true they don't know what they're missing, but that's the story..

I just hope that Valve can do something different, like an upgradeable, and still be cost effective console (or whatever it is they are doing)

 

[idono]

Valve are possibly the greatest company in the world when it comes to not being greedy basterds and actually thinking of the consumer instead of taking their money and frankly not give a shit.

 

[chimera201]

[citation][nom]aftcomet[/nom]There is already hardware free from proprietary crap and it's called a PC. This desire by Newell for "open hardware" is nothing but a smokescreen.[/citation]

The problem is that not everybody are techies like us who can build a budget gaming PC. Do you know that there are people in the world who say that the 'e' icon on their desktop is the internet.

Now all game developers are more focused on developing games on consoles because there is very little piracy on consoles. Valve is trying to change that focus in their own way. The system might probably also support user created mods.

 

[aftcomet]

[citation][nom]chimera201[/nom]The problem is that not everybody are techies like us who can build a budget gaming PC. Do you know that there are people in the world who say that the 'e' icon on their desktop is the internet.Now all game developers are more focused on developing games on consoles because there is very little piracy on consoles. Valve is trying to change that focus in their own way. The system might probably also support user created mods.[/citation]

There are only three ways to solve computer illiteracy:

1. Educate users.
2. Make a simple to use closed system.
3. Redesign the whole damn thing.

Bet on Valve trying door number 2.

 

[chimera201]

[citation][nom]aftcomet[/nom]There are only three ways to solve computer illiteracy:1. Educate users.2. Make a simple to use closed system.3. Redesign the whole damn thing.Bet on Valve trying door number 2.[/citation]

I bet Valve is trying door #3 and they won't release it until they are satisfied with #3(as they are doing it with the next Half-Life). I'm just saying this based on the innovative design-centric games Valve has released in the past(Portal). (Maybe the whole sytem-console,biometrics,wearable computing has to do something with the next half life. who knows?)

 

[palladin9479]

All that needs to be done is someone design a device using an open Linux distro focused on gaming. Use x86 hardware and a commodity GPU, preferably some APU. This way developers only have to release one version that will work on both PC and the new "gaming console".

 

[dreadlokz]

great! Another crappy console =D

 

[Zingam_Duo]

What a crap idea! Doesn't that guy know that hardware barely makes any profits. Even Apple makes most of its money from selling Apps and Shits (I bet).
Stick to software or you might get it where you don't wanna!

 

[bustapr]

valve isnt the kind of company that tries to limit stuff, so I have quite a bit of confidence in that they wont bring something that will screw over the pc fanbase. It is after all, their origins and main profit area. if they bring something, itll be new and itll be a big change for the industry.

 

[CrArC]

"The idea is to get out of the "proprietary traps" that are currently leading both sectors"

I have every confidence in Valve, but they can only achieve it if their solution would solve the "old and slow as f*ck" problem that plagues every damned console on the market right now (disregarding the mobile sector). The hardware should be upgradable so the games don't have to lag half a decade behind modern computers, as they do now.

Regardless of whether I buy the thing, it would just be nice to feel like PC games are not being limited by these shitty old consoles any more.

Alarm bells should be ringing when you consider that your typical handheld device in mid-to-late 2012 will be nearly as powerful as an Xbox 360, and in 2013, as powerful if not more so. The current crop of consoles need to die.

 

[eddieroolz]

I don't know if I agree that consoles being closed is a bad thing, but there definitely is room for improvement. Too often we have exclusive games like Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo and Forza that forces us to buy a console just for those games.