Topic: Valve's PC Console “Steam Box"! For the Price of Building It Yourself.

[TJ Spyke]

This product appeals solely towards console gamers who want to get in on PC gaming, but don't have the means or simply don't want to deal with the hassle of PC gaming (and yes, there is a hassle).

This, honestly, appeals to me.

I could go to Best Buy, spend $400 and get a PC that will play almost all PC games. Pretty much the only ones you can't are the super high end games designed specifically for $2,000 computers (like Far Cry when it first came out). That would not change with this.

[NWR_insanolord]

The more I think about it, the more this appeals to me. I use a Mac, which limits the amount of PC games I can play without hassle. I don't need a full PC, because the only thing I'd want to do with it is play games; everything else I can already do with what I have. Depending on price and how open it is to non-Steam games this might be right up my alley.

[Morari]

I could go to Best Buy, spend $400 and get a PC that will play almost all PC games.

Bingo.
PC gaming isn't the esoteric money-pit that it was in the 1996. Even the bottom of the barrel prefab PC will outperform any console on the market if you slap a sub-$100 video card into it. Honestly, after having experienced the Xbox360's interface, I can't understand how anyone could claim that PC gaming is a hassle.

Again though, I think that a Steam Box would primarily be setup as a baseline goal for developers. In that sense, it would help to keep people from purchasing games that their hardware simply will not play. Because for some reason, people are currently too stupid to look at the recommended system requirements, or even the Windows System Rating.

[Ian Sane]

PC gaming has become more affordable now that I am less interested in PC gaming.  PC game exclusives have become much less common.  Most of the big titles are on consoles now.  Hell the developers design the game with the consoles in mind and the PC version is more the afterthought.  PC gaming isn't the money pit it was in 1996 but back then I was a PC gamer, until my Dad's PC ceased to be powerful enough to run the current games.  Back then console and PC games were more or less mutually exclusive so it really made sense.

If you get a Steambox, how many games are you going to play that you can't find on the other consoles?  Now that this concept is affordable, it is less useful.

[Chozo Ghost]

If this has no licencing structure like a PC, what is stop someone from making a virus and selling it as a "game" or to sell some crap like Big Rigs?  A console gamer doesn't want that **** and a PC gamer will tolerate that if he can customize things to deal with such issues.  Steambox would be locked up tight like a console but without the quality control.  That doesn't sound very appealing.  It's the worst of both worlds.

The hardware is open and license free, but the actual Steam service which is bundled and preinstalled is not. So its actually sort of the best of both worlds. According to the article the Steambox allows rival online platforms like EA's Origin to also be installed on it. So rival online platforms can coexist on the same machine. In order to get a game on either Steam or Origin a game would have to be licensed, and that is where the quality and playability of a game will be enforced. Any software can run on the hardware, but to run on Steam/Origin licensing has to be done.

[SixthAngel]

Again though, I think that a Steam Box would primarily be setup as a baseline goal for developers.

The baseline already exists in the form of consoles that are now used a baseline for most developers and surely will in the future.  The Steam Box is aimed at the consumer to make their experience easier and allow them to get the baseline security of a console through a pc now that graphics aren't being pushed as much, pc prices are cheaper and there isn't much need to upgrade. 

The big question with this is how it will change Steam itself.  Will Steam not carry whatever game is the Crysis of the future because it won't run on the steam box that was released years beforehand?  Will Steam have areas for every different Steambox that will only have every compatible game?  That could get complicated for Valve very quickly with their open policy about making these things.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I assume that the steam box being the baseline would mean that at the time of release, every game should have a minimum setting that will run on it. And every game moving forward would aim for that minimum setting until steam box 2.0 is released and becomes the new minimum standard for the next few years.

All newer games(post Steambox2) will prompt you to upgrade to Steambox2.0 if you don't meet the new minimum standards.

[SixthAngel]

I assume that the steam box being the baseline would mean that at the time of release, every game should have a minimum setting that will run on it. And every game moving forward would aim for that minimum setting until steam box 2.0 is released and becomes the new minimum standard for the next few years.

All newer games(post Steambox2) will prompt you to upgrade to Steambox2.0 if you don't meet the new minimum standards.

But there will be many steam boxes because any company can make and sell one so the specs will differ.  Presumably this means that they have to have a baseline power but it will change their compatibility with future games.  While they will both work with the vast majority of games a future Crysis could work on one but not the other.  This will mean either different store fronts, not selling the games that don't work, hiding the games from some systems that can play it, or making it buyable for systems that can't destroying the console simplicity.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Any manufacturer will be able to make it, but they will still have to adhere to the minimum standard set.

So if that turns out to be a (possibly fictional info for point making purposes ahead) AMD HD4500 and it's equivalent Nvidia Gforce X350 both with 512MB ram, dual core 2.5Ghz CPU & 2GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM, it still has to have a GPU of that level or better with a CPU at that level or better with that amount of that type of RAM or better and all games aimed at Steam will aim at those specs at minimum. So I don't really see the problem.

If a manufacturer doesn't meet that minimum spec, then they can't license the name Steam Box. Some manufacturers might aim for the high end user with the Steam Box Platinum that has 16GB RAM w/ an 8core CPU and dual GTX580's that runs every game at full res with updated texture packs at 120fps while others may aim for the low end minimum spec user.

But even with the rumored specs
"Steam Box include a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GPU" I don't see it not being able to run just about every game at some acceptable level for quite a long time (especially since the games will be designed with that minimum spec in mind). Even the highest of the high end games in 2016 will still run just fine on that machine assuming the GPU matches the rest of the specs. It just won't run in 4k @ 120fps like you might play on your specced out 2016 PC.

[SixthAngel]

Any manufacturer will be able to make it, but they will still have to adhere to the minimum standard set.

I said this.  My point was about future compatiblity with high end games.  There will come a time when some steam boxes will play some new games but others won't.  Due to the fact that a lot of devs aren't pushing graphics this could be some time but releasing a Steambox 2.0 does not alleviate the problem that some steamboxes will play the new games while some will not.

[Stogi]

Point goes to SixthAngel.

[ejamer]

Frankly, I don't really like this idea.  Based on the speculation that I've seen surrounding it, there are just too many things that don't really make sense.  Is it a PC or gaming machine?  Going half-and-half seems like a tough sell that will disappoint on both ends.  Then again, I'm not really a PC gamer and have very little interest in changing that.


Maybe there really is a sizeable market that wants to play Steam games and feels bad about not having the PC know-how?

[BlackNMild2k1]

Any manufacturer will be able to make it, but they will still have to adhere to the minimum standard set.

I said this.  My point was about future compatiblity with high end games.  There will come a time when some steam boxes will play some new games but others won't.  Due to the fact that a lot of devs aren't pushing graphics this could be some time but releasing a Steambox 2.0 does not alleviate the problem that some steamboxes will play the new games while some will not.

And it will have a cycle just like a console/pc where you will be prompted to upgrade. Steambox 1.0 will not last forever, and it's not intended to, as I think I already addressed in the previous post.
Future High end games will still have a minimum setting and that will be what the Steambox is rumored to be at now. Even in 2016 (I'm repeating myself) the highest of the high end would still be able to run fine on the rumored specs of the Steambox so I do not see the issue.


edit: And just for the record, I'm not for or against a Steambox, because I already have a computer hooked up to my TV and therefore don't care. But this product wouldn't be directed at me and I am aware of that.

[Lithium]

Well it ain't happening anyways
http://kotaku.com/5891697/shooting-down-rumors-valve-says-theyre-not-making-a-game-console-any-time-soon

Lombardi refused to flat-out say that Valve isn't working on a console. When I posted it to him this way—"What you're saying is, there's definitely nothing coming any time soon, nothing at GDC or E3, but what you're not ruling out is the possibility that, hey, maybe some day Valve would make hardware," he said, "I think that's accurate."

UPDATE: Some readers speculated that Lombardi was dancing around the possibility that Valve might be partnering with other hardware makes who would be shipping a possible Steambox. I double-checked with Lombardi. Whether we're talking about Valve making hardware or partnering with others, nothing like that is happening any time soon, he said.

[ShyGuy]

Looks like Steam is coming to a new platform though: Linux http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=valve_linux_dampfnudeln&num=1

I think this will make it easier for them to port it to Android. Maybe the steam box of 2014 will run Linux.

[NWR_insanolord]

Hopefully this will lead to more Mac games on Steam, because OS X and Linux are fairly similar so there would be a bigger market for ports.

[ShyGuy]

BUMP

I'm in the Steam for Linux Beta. I have 15 games available on Linux, not shabby. Thanks Humble Bundles!

It seems pretty close to the Windows version. I had one lockup, but it is still beta. It's also a little slow in some menus.

[Morari]

I haven't had any issues with the Steam client... yet. I've only tested a handful of games though, so take that as you will. On the bright side, Left 4 Dead 2 runs much better, even with nVidia's spotty Linux drivers. OpenGL FTW?

[ShyGuy]

Nvidia just did a couple driver updates with fixes in the past few months. I'm guessing they got pressure from Valve. Now if only they would open up their code for the Linux kernel programmers.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Steambox Confirmed!?
http://www.golem.de/news/pc-spielekonsole-steam-box-ohne-windows-1212-96609.html

Appears to be Linux based & possible appearance @ E3 2013

[alegoicoe]

Valve is just greedy

[tendoboy1984]

So this "Steambox" is basically a PC disguised as a console (and vice versa).

And for those of you having problems with Nvidia GPU's, why not use AMD instead?

[TJ Spyke]

I think the very first rumors of the Steam Box even said it was essentially just a stripped down PC, so no surprise there. People who would want this likely already have the tech to play Steam on their TVs, so I don't see any mass market appeal for it.

[ShyGuy]

The Steam Box is here!

http://www.steamgamefans.com/valve-and-xi3-announce-steam-based-mini-pc-which-may-or-may-not-be-the-steam-box-2265.html

The heathens at NeoGaf are giving it the Wii U treatment. At least they're consistent.

edit: if you're not familar with the hardware platform

[Do_What]

I'm disappointed it isn't anything brand new. Xi3 was at CES last year showing this stuff off. I remembered seeing that exact design. It's impressive because they can but a good bit of horsepower in that little packaging and it's quite sturdy, but it's what it was always going to be and I'm not surprised, juts disappointed. I have a pc that runs windows and uses steam that is connected to my HDTV that I play games on as my primary gaming thing. Sure this packaging with valve's marketing muscle behind it can get into more outlets and be seen as more of a console, but it's just a PC, and at a grand a pop I'm not sure how excited that makes anyone.