The Steam Box

[Fusion]

News Article

Snippets:

According to sources, the company has been working on a hardware spec and associated software which would make up the backbone of a "Steam Box." The actual devices may be made by a variety of partners, and the software would be readily available to any company that wants to get in the game.

Apparently meetings were held during CES to demo a hand-built version of the device to potential partners. We're told that the basic specs of the Steam Box include a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GPU. The devices will be able to run any standard PC titles, and will also allow for rival gaming services (like EA's Origin) to be loaded up.

Part of the goal of establishing a baseline for hardware, we're told, is that it will give developers a clear lifecycle for their products, with changes possibly coming every three to four years. Additionally, there won't be a required devkit, and there will be no licensing fees to create software for the platform.

We're hearing that a wide variety of USB peripherals will be compatible with the boxes, though it will likely ship with a proprietary controller. It's possible that the controller will even allow for swappable components, meaning that it can be reconfigured depending on the type of game you're playing.

The Steam Box could be unveiled at GDC, though we're also hearing that the company may wait until E3 this year to show off what it's been working on.

Console Wars over?

[Marth8880]

And THIS is why I love Valve!

[Twilight_Warrior]

[Teancum]

They've already made this. It's called a PC. It has to run some sort of Windows kernel to run PC apps, so it's nothing more than new PC specs stuffed into a console box. Not interested.

[Moving_Target]

Getting more details about it will be nice. Does peak my interest, but chances of me buying it are low. I do like the sounds of "we're not charging people to make things for it" and may stop the big 3 from doing it and heck might even speed up their certification process from taking 3 freakin months after the game is done.

[Teancum]

I'll say one thing: if Valve makes all their future games exclusive to their console I'll happily do without Half-Life, Portal, etc.

[Moving_Target]

As a business move it's understandable to make their games Gabecube exclusive, but they'd be alienating alot of fans of both their IPs and PC players.

[THEWULFMAN]

Gabecube

I just spilled 7-Up everywhere from laughing, so thanks.


On the whole, I'm undecided. I'll want to learn more about it before making an opinion for, or against it.

[Twilight_Warrior]

They've already made this. It's called a PC. It has to run some sort of Windows kernel to run PC apps, so it's nothing more than new PC specs stuffed into a console box. Not interested.

Maybe so, but I'm interested because of:

Additionally, there won't be a required devkit, and there will be no licensing fees to create software for the platform.

We're hearing that a wide variety of USB peripherals will be compatible with the boxes, though it will likely ship with a proprietary controller. It's possible that the controller will even allow for swappable components, meaning that it can be reconfigured depending on the type of game you're playing. Think that sounds odd? Well Valve filed a patent for such a device last year (click).

Additionally, we're told that the kind of biometrics Valve uses in game testing will somehow be incorporated into these devices. Sources of ours say that the realtime biometric feedback in games will be a sea-change for users. To put it more succinctly, the sentiment we've heard is: "You won't ever look back." These biometric devices could come in the form of a bracelet, or be part of the standard controller.

[Fluffy_the_ic]

I say bring on the Gabecube. Sure, it'll end up just being a media center PC in a fancy box, but isn't that really what consoles are starting to become now anyway? I'd get it for the exclusives, and I have a feeling there would be exclusives galore on a device by Valve.

[Grev]

I need more information. On one hand, I share Tean's sentiment. What this looks like right now is Valve trying to merge PCs and consoles. I'm not entirely sure what the benefit of this is, given that there are already gaming PCs, and that PCs can already do most of what consoles can; making a PC steam exclusive seems... silly. As for the controller peripheral, I didn't entirely understand Twi's diagram, but it looked like swappable thumbsticks. That doesn't seem like such a big deal, and I'm sure something like that already exists to some extent.

On the other hand, Valve does have a thing for innovation, and I'm sure if they tried, and if they think this effort is "release-able," then there's something worth-while in it.

Regardless, like Tean, if all future Valve games are Gabecube-only, I'll gladly survive without those games. Although that doesn't make much sense, given that Steam is a multi-platform/OS deal.

[Fusion]

I do see this possibly as a good thing. Perhaps if PC games become easier to use for the console gaming crowd and they get used to the much lower and reasonable prices, the current console providers will lower theirs as well. I sure do love how it currently costs about $30-$40 US for one DVD and $20 for the actual game.

[Twilight_Warrior]

How is this any different than if the Xbox were to start supporting PC games?
Fluffy brings up a good point

it'll end up just being a media center PC in a fancy box, but isn't that really what consoles are starting to become now anyway?

This "Gabecube" "will be able to run any standard PC titles, and will also allow for rival gaming services (like EA's Origin) to be loaded up." But that doesn't mean it's all it will do. That would be a rather silly move on Valve's part, and they might as well just make a custom PC and ship it with an HDMI cable to hook it up to the TV. But, there are plenty of console games that are released across multiple consoles that don't get any PC support, or the PC support comes months later in the form of a very rushed port.

No, I see that as more of a compatibility feature. "It plays Gabecube games, but you can also install any PC games onto it, so long as the hardware can handle it!" If the Gabecube becomes a major party console, then developers might start adding it to the list of platforms they want their game on at release, essentially making it an all-in-one device for any gaming needs. It plays all your PC games as well as supporting future console titles, and can be run off of any TV or computer (Mac or PC) in your possession, with keyboard/mouse AND USB controller support.

Along with being cross-compatible with future PC and or PlayStation (since they *sorta* have Steam now) multiplayer, I see this as a major step.

[Grev]

If the gamecube has some ability to allow PC game play on a Mac, then it's a definite buy for me. But I'll wait for some more info.

[Twilight_Warrior]

I was referring more to the monitor aspect of a Mac, but I'm not fully sure how Valve's "big picture" thing is gonna work with "every screen in your house". In either case, if by getting the Steam Box, you can play PC games on a TV, why would it matter to you if you can play it on the Mac or not? Unless you're referring to the ability to access your Mac's recording software while playing the games...

[Grev]

I was referring more to the monitor aspect of a Mac, but I'm not fully sure how Valve's "big picture" thing is gonna work with "every screen in your house". In either case, if by getting the Steam Box, you can play PC games on a TV, why would it matter to you if you can play it on the Mac or not? Unless you're referring to the ability to access your Mac's recording software while playing the games...

That's exactly what I'm referring to. TV>Mac, but I can't record from my TV.