OS Neutral Steambox

[luffytubby]

Link: http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5...chine-valves-video-game-console-of-the-future


It looks pretty amazing.



About Half-Life 3;

But don't expect Valve to make Half-Life 3 exclusive to SteamOS to help lift the Linux-based operating system off the ground. "It's against our philosophy to put a game in jail and say it only works on Steam Machines," says Valve's Doug Lombardi. Even though the company locked Half-Life 2 to Steam years ago, the team appears to have thought better of that decision. "That may or may not have been a good idea given the condition Steam was in at the moment."

Booya! Valve continues to be one of the most inspiring companies working today. Microsoft, Google and Apple could learn a thing or two about not restricting users so much.

 

[malman89]

That thing with a Titan will cost a fortune or be sold at a huge loss.

I do like the size/look of the box though. Definitely interested in a mid-grade Steambox and its pricing - or what price points that other OEMs will release their hardware.

 

[iMacFarlane]

Oh Hell Yeah!

THIS is what I've been waiting for since that train-wreck XBox One reveal. I'll wait for it, come to grips with the controller (glad I can use my 360 controller if it doesn't deliver), and finally get to play all those games languishing in my Steam Library.

Sweet!

 

[ravenvii]

So with this thing you can play all the games currently on Steam (of which the majority are Windows-only) on Linux?

How does that work?

 

[edddeduck]

Even though the company locked Half-Life 2 to Steam years ago, the team appears to have thought better of that decision. "That may or may not have been a good idea given the condition Steam was in at the moment."

Booya! Valve continues to be one of the most inspiring companies working today. Microsoft, Google and Apple could learn a thing or two about not restricting users so much.

All Valve games are exclusive to the Steam platform for Mac/PC releases so in reality it's not that different to what Microsoft, Google and Apple do by restricting the sales to their own portal. The only time they don't do this is when they can't control the portal like on consoles.

Valve do some great stuff and deserve a lot of credit for many many things including pioneering online purchases for games but I don't think their decision in this case is much different to what the other companies you named would do if they were in the same position.

I am not disagreeing with their awesomeness just pointing out in this case it's not something unusual just good business sense.

So with this thing you can play all the games currently on Steam (of which the majority are Windows-only) on Linux?

How does that work?

For the Windows game you will need a Windows PC to stream the game to the box. They will not run natively unless they are Linux/SteamBox titles.

Edwin

[Thoughts in this post are mine and not who I work for]

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Booya! Valve continues to be one of the most inspiring companies working today. Microsoft, Google and Apple could learn a thing or two about not restricting users so much.

That's pretty delusional and fan boyish, given that Steam is as closed as anything.

THIS is what I've been waiting for since that train-wreck XBox One reveal. I'll wait for it, come to grips with the controller (glad I can use my 360 controller if it doesn't deliver), and finally get to play all those games languishing in my Steam Library.

Sweet!

The Valve Steam Box will not be sold, it has only been made to test SteamOS and the potential of Steam Boxes in general.

 

[luffytubby]

All Valve games are exclusive to the Steam platform for Mac/PC releases so in reality it's not that different to what Microsoft, Google and Apple do by restricting the sales to their own portal. The only time they don't do this is when they can't control the portal like on consoles.

Valve do some great stuff and deserve a lot of credit for many many things including pioneering online purchases for games but I don't think their decision in this case is much different to what the other companies you named would do if they were in the same position.

I am not disagreeing with their awesomeness just pointing out in this case it's not something unusual just good business sense.

That is simply not true. You can buy L4D2 and Counter-strike and other Valve games on Origin.

That's pretty delusional and fan boyish, given that Steam is as closed as anything.

Delusional and fanboyism? That's very strong words for appreciating they will still support Windows on Half-Life 3.:/

I was referring to their OS neutrality (OSX, Linux, Windows) as being open.

 

[tanglaoduck]

They will not run natively unless they are Linux/SteamBox titles.

 

[edddeduck]

That is simply not true. You can buy L4D2 and Counter-strike and other Valve games on Origin.

I can't see any on the US or UK stores... In fact Valve is not listed as a publisher when I had a quick search.

I didn't think they ever were on Origin and I can't find any google evidence of them being on Origin but if you have a link to show it was on Origin (not just selling a Steam key) I genuinely would be interested to read up on it.

I was pretty sure they didn't do things like support other companies online systems for example Valve don't put games onto the Mac App Store. They support many platforms but if at all possible they control the store and the users. They even managed to get Sony to agree to a bit of Steam on PS3!

Delusional and fanboyism? That's very strong words for appreciating they will still support Windows on Half-Life 3.:/

I was referring to their OS neutrality (OSX, Linux, Windows) as being open.

Apple and Microsoft all are primarily developers of OS platforms where Valve is (primarily) a developer of games not operating systems. Valve have a finacial incentive to get their titles on as many platforms as possible. Google is primarily a software company not an OS company so like Valve they usually place their software on as many platforms as possible even if they are competitors, Windows, iOS, OSX, Windows Phone etc

Perhaps the wording use was a little strong but the point I think he was making is Valve operate their own lock in just like other companies it's just the benefits outweigh the negatives so people don't mind. This is a bit like iOS most people don't mind about the AppStore lock in due to the massive benefits you get.

Anyway lets not have this thread slide of topic onto a slanging match.

Edwin

 

[roadbloc]

This might be the first console I get since my PS2. It would be awesome to have my Steam Library on the big screen.

 

[luffytubby]

I can't see any on the US or UK stores... In fact Valve is not listed as a publisher when I had a quick search.

I didn't think they ever were on Origin and I can't find any google evidence of them being on Origin but if you have a link to show it was on Origin (not just selling a Steam key) I genuinely would be interested to read up on it.

I was pretty sure they didn't do things like support other companies online systems for example Valve don't put games onto the Mac App Store. They support many platforms but if at all possible they control the store and the users. They even managed to get Sony to agree to a bit of Steam on PS3!

Sorry, I stand corrected. you can't buy them on Origin but in stores since they where the publisher; http://www.ea.com/search?q=Valve


I had the previous Battlefields and Mass Effects on Steam and I thought it was a crappy move on that part. It just never resonated with me to be honest.
At the end of the day, Origin is not terrible. It's mediocre, but not half-bad, and it aint really much more buggy than Steam on OSX.
And frankly EA gets to much flack. Two years in a row they have been awarded the worst company in America. Obviously that is a fallacy. There is no way a videogame company (even EA) is worse than the likes of Halibuton or Monsanto. It's just sad really.
What I have a problem with is, Uplay. I have Steam bought Ubisoft games that has Uplay underneath it. Uplay really works poorly.


The point I wanted to make was that Valve could take a stance where they said; okay. From now on, all future Valve games (including DOTA 2) will only work on our OS, lol. And steam os can run all games besides EA games.

I think it's pretty sassy that Valve through all these years have been very anti-monopoly. We have so many great games On Demand, we have Gog.com which is amazing. We have green man gaming which is also awesome. We have Amazon.
Steam really created this industry but never tried to kill competition from the other stores. Of course there is no doubt it hurts when EA, the largest publisher in the world doesn't want to have anything more to do with you.




None of us can really say how big a risk Steambox and Steam OS is for the company. And unlike Microsoft and Sony, you are dealing with a company with a lot less experience and other groups to support it. Plus Valve is a boss free structured group, which is why many things move slow. It's really trippy.

I personally think it's a risk. Obviously Steam is a big win for them. 30% of every purchase right in their pocket is good business. But I don't think their income is any close to Sony, Microsoft or Google who are some of the most important companies in the world.
And all of these companies have had to varying degree a history of trying to destroy competition.