Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Dota 2, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced over one dozen Steam Machine designs now in production from leading manufacturers and targeted for release in 2014.
The lineup of Steam Machines announced today offers a wide variety of price and performance options made possible by the Steam Machine's open design, with systems starting as low as $499 and top end systems rivaling today's bleeding edge gaming PCs.
Every Steam Machine includes an innovative Steam Controller designed for use with a wide variety of game genres, and is powered by the SteamOS, a custom OS built atop Linux.
"The first generation Steam Machines offers something for every gamer, which is a critical part of extending Steam into the living room," said Gabe Newell of Valve. "With over 3,000 games and more than 65 million gamers on Steam, it's important to offer gamers a variety of Steam Machines that allow them to select what makes the most sense for them."
Announced earlier this year, Steam Machines are new entertainment systems targeted for use in the living room and leveraging Steam, the popular online platform for gaming and software with over 65 million accounts worldwide.
The makers of first generation Steam Machines are:
- Alienware
- Alternate
- CyberPowerPC
- Digital Storm
- Falcon NW
- GigaByte
- iBuyPower
- Maingear
- Material.net
- Next Spa
- Origin PC
- Scan
- Webhallen
- Zotac
descender wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 13:41:
HL2 had little to do with turning it into the monstrosity it is today,
TangledThorns wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 10:59:BitWraith wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 08:48:jacobvandy wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 06:20:
Half-Life 2 was not the reason Steam took off.
Keep telling yourself that one.
Seconded.
BitWraith wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 08:48:jacobvandy wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 06:20:
Half-Life 2 was not the reason Steam took off.
Keep telling yourself that one.
dj LiTh wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 05:41:
The problem is that you can do that already. Build a pc/htpc, get a wireless mouse and keyboard, wireless controller, and still have a fully functional computer. Why use steamOS when its just going to take away options rather then add?
Verno wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 09:21:BitWraith wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 08:48:jacobvandy wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 06:20:
Half-Life 2 was not the reason Steam took off.
Keep telling yourself that one.
I'm sure it was a factor but you don't think Counter-Strike had a bigger impact? It was the most played online game for years running after the WON retirement and probably lead to millions of Steam installs.
BitWraith wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 08:48:jacobvandy wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 06:20:
Half-Life 2 was not the reason Steam took off.
Keep telling yourself that one.
jacobvandy wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 06:20:
Half-Life 2 was not the reason Steam took off.
dj LiTh wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 05:41:
The problem is that you can do that already. Build a pc/htpc, get a wireless mouse and keyboard, wireless controller, and still have a fully functional computer. Why use steamOS when its just going to take away options rather then add?
dj LiTh wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 05:41:I do not think we see all the functionality the Steam OS is capable of, and obviously they will need some exclusive features to sell them.
The problem is that you can do that already. Build a pc/htpc, get a wireless mouse and keyboard, wireless controller, and still have a fully functional computer. Why use steamOS when its just going to take away options rather then add?
Fantaz wrote on Jan 6, 2014, 23:35:DangerDog wrote on Jan 6, 2014, 23:23:I'd disagree. wasn't it the case when HL2 required Steam that everybody chose Steam to eventually be the dominant/leading platform for digital distribution? if HL3 was exclusive to SteamOS it could be adopted as a main platform for gamers, and I wouldn't be surprised if Valve made HL3/L4D3 exclusive to Steam Machine/SteamOS. history can repeat itself. they may say there won't be exclusives but things can always change. the only way for mass adoption is for exclusivity rights, and that's what Microsoft is trying to do with Xbox One for digital TV shows and movies.
Valve has already said there won't be any exclusives, even if they did try to do HL3 as an exclusive people would play HL3 and then ditch the OS and go back to Windows.
I don't see this as a reason to ditch Windows as a desktop OS and have no interest in PC gaming in the living room.
SpectralMeat wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 05:37:El Pit wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 03:27:The idea is to use these Steam Machines in your living room like they were consoles and access your Steam games, while sitting on the sofa playing on your big screen TV.
This is just my opinion, but plugging a controller into my pc turns my pc into a console. That's what I personally despise: the controller/gamepad. And now even Steam is luring pc gamers into controller usage. No. Keyboard and mouse or bust. Again: this is just my opinion.
Not to replace your gaming PC that has all your peripherals connected.
I don't think you can play every PC game with a controller anyways, and I don't believe the intent with these machines is to phase out the traditional PCs and control methods and replace them with a console like controller.
It is more like having access to your games on as many screens in your home as possible.
I personally think this is awesome. I'd love to sit back on the couch with my kids and play my PC games vs cuddle up in front of my monitor in the office, but that's just me.
El Pit wrote on Jan 7, 2014, 03:27:The idea is to use these Steam Machines in your living room like they were consoles and access your Steam games, while sitting on the sofa playing on your big screen TV.
This is just my opinion, but plugging a controller into my pc turns my pc into a console. That's what I personally despise: the controller/gamepad. And now even Steam is luring pc gamers into controller usage. No. Keyboard and mouse or bust. Again: this is just my opinion.