There's a fair few game enthusaits who must hae every console or platform available. Tech enthusaits are a very niche market in comparison. Not sure it will sell well, depends on hardware and what games it gets as exclusives.
I think they are going a console of sorts, because they did say that Steam will open to Apps. Probably offering a store for Linux OS for apps.
Seems like a lot of fuss and talking about PC hardware is sucky and lacking innovation, and then all they do is come up with some glorified mouse or gamepad But I suppose it depends just how great the input device is. Personally I have a real issue with input devices because I think it's one area where techies tend to get carried away, trying so desperately to innovate, and getting too high tech, and end up losing sight of what they were supposed to do in the first place, and end up making something that is inferior to a £5 mouse. There's all kinds out there like this too. I remember watching some fella in a video with a head mounted laser, using it to control things on the screen, "By just looking at it". But of course, moving your eyes didn't work, you had to actually move your head, so he sat there waving his head around looking like a cross Stevie Wonder and Mr Bean. Hopefully someone will eventually come up with something great that I could never have imagined. But until then, the only way I can imagine giving up my mouse, is if someone could make something out of those interactive projections. For example imagine this: And then imagine a little laser pointer type thing attached to your screen or whatever, and you can twist it around and aim it so the projection is looking at your mouse mat. You can't actually see anything, but it can see you. You then just move your hand around like you're moving a mouse, but you don't even need a mouse there, and it knows where you tap. But the best bit, is that you could project it on to your stomach or your chest or your thigh, or even on to the couch next to you, so you could just move your finger around on literally anything, and it controls the cursor nice and smoothly. Something like that could be interesting. I already do the same thing with a mini wireless trackpad I use to control my PC from the other side of the room, but the trackpad is only small so it's a bit fiddly. If the trackpad was projected and could be a big flat square, it could be as easy as using a mouse. And projecting it on your body or the couch next to you, would be icing on the cake.
Everyone here's talking about the 'steam box' as if it's a forgone conclusion valve want to work on a device / console / linux-box / kiosk... Any idea of how much work that is for them? How many people they would need? What type of company structure? They're not a company that has a track record of rapid agile development when it comes to new products... they tend to tinker for a long time and then sometimes lose interest. The job advert (not jobs) specifically mentioned keyboard + mouse as inputs. To me that would indicate they are more likely looking to create an alternative to these... or maybe they have created it and now they want to turn their prototype into a real product. I don't think we'll see Valve produce a PC / console on their own. Here's what I think... 1. They'll release a 100% free Steam OS that can be installed on pretty much any PC hardware. 2. They'll release an input controller, or range of. 3. (Maybe) They'll work with PC OEMS to produce "Steam Ready" or "Steam Certified" boxes. These will either run Steam on windows or the Steam OS. Until the top tier steam games are cross platform compatible I don't think we'll see Valve trying to enter the console market directly, but I do hope they produce the Steam OS that starts us down that route. How cool will it be to have another player in the 'console' space!
Maybe the next generation of consoles will be Playstation 4, Xbox 720, Wiiiiiii3iii3i and ValveBox? Meh, I like fiddling with the guts of a machine so consoles just don't light my fire. If it's just input devices and a branded linux distro they are looking at then fine, but they'll have to be pretty epic to usurp the current market leaders.
I can't see them leaping into the hardware market just to produce an input device - I just can't see how that's going to be a profitable long term strategy for them. Their business model is all about selling Apps. Look at how Steam is evolving - the latest version is turning into a social media hub. There are now Discussions rather than forums, they are pushing the mobile app store, there is 'Greenlight' to get more apps onto Steam. The whole direction of the Steam Client leads me to believe that they are going to produce some kind of media/gaming box to try and lock people into the Steam world. I have no doubt also that they have looked at the popularity of OUYA and seen that there is a demand for something different from the mainstream consoles. If there was any doubting the market desire I think that this may have pushed them over the edge. As to what it will be and what it will do I have no idea but if I were to hazard a guess, it would have to be able to run most current PC games, it would involve game streaming of some kind, it would run mobile apps, and would probably be something you would stick under your TV. I can imagine it would probably come with a game controller, but also an input device that is akin to a mobile phone, maybe even something like the WiiU Gamepad with a touch-screen.
Having read a lot of the recent interviews with Valve and Gabe Newell I think input is precisely where they are going. They want to raise the standards of their games so they can connect to the player at a more emotional level and at the moment it looks like the way we currently interface with the computer is holding them back. I have quoted part of an interview with Gabe below regarding input and output devices. Full interview can be found here.
I have read these too, but I can't see it being something they do exclusively - probably in conjunction with a 'media box' of some kind. Also, if they make a device, what do they make it work with, Xbox 360/720, PS3/4, Wii, PC or their own specialised 'hub'? The whole direction of the Steam Client suggests a strive for independence (from a PC) and a self contained social hub. Gabe is not interested in enhancing our gaming experience he is interested in making lots of money by locking you into his way of doing things! Alas, I have been wrong before - I said mobile phones would never be popular ;-)
My guess is it's going to be a head mounted eyepiece HUD/Augmented reality with iris tracking and a microphone for speech input. Not full cover goggles but something more down the lines of what a military helicopter pilot would have. It will connect via bluetooth and will be supplied with a usb blue tooth dongle.
I usually dislike console gaming, but I think that Valve can pull this off, with it being "Steam-in-a-a-box" essentially. Now we just need some Half Life 3.
Imagine if they made a really good PC at a really low price, and then announced Episode 3 and Halflife 3 would be on it exclusively for 6 months. That thing would sell like... like... the wii.
It just wouldn't happen sorry. Hardware costs what it costs to make and develop, and Valve won't do a Sony on subsidies. What people have to remember with the idea of interface, is how does this make Valve money? The games development is SECONDARY to the cash-cow that is the Steam platform. So how does an interface link to Steam?
But we don't pay what it costs to develop... The average PC owner pays PC World type horrible prices after about 900 different people have taken their cuts. Even hardcore enthusiasts only get stuff at Scan/eBuyer/etc type prices. The whole point of companies doing hardware like this, is that they mass produce it, and buy components at reduced prices because they are buying in massive quantities. And seeing as a PC has a dozen or so components, if you lower the cost of each of those components, it could add up to being a PC at a better deal than any of us could get, even when we build our own. They could also beat the likes of Dell or whatever because unlike those companies, Valve can make even more money later on from peripherals and games. So great price, add in ease of use, swanky peripherals, exclusive killer games, and they could have a serious machine.
What if the interface is so great it's a game changer? Steamworks includes the API's so it's easy for dev's to use and it's a steam exclusive? Unlikely but possible. Other option is interface is a good place to dip a toe in and test the water and learn some lessons on the hardware business.
