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Rumor: Maybe Valve Really Is Making A Console
Topic Started: Mar 3 2012, 02:07 AM (521 Views)
MrTechnoSqueek
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Quote:
 
Respected tech reporter Joshua Topolsky is putting it all out there over at The Verge, reporting that the chatter about Valve Software getting into the hardware business isn't a tease.

He says Valve is making a console and that we're going to be finding out about it real soon, maybe next week at the Game Developers Conference, or maybe in June at E3.

This one's wild.

The Valve console—which seems like more of a hardware standard than say, a Steam 64 or ValveStation—would be a set-top box that can run PC games and use Steam or even competing services such as Origin, according to the report. Unlike, the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, multiple manufacturers could be allowed to make it. Game developers wouldn't have to pay for a licensing fee to Valve for the privilege of making games for this console, bucking the standards of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, which charge game creators to make games on theirs.

The box would support configurable game controllers as well as a bracelet or some other sensor that would incorporate a player's biometric data to affect games (similar to how Nintendo's never-released Vitality Sensor was supposed to read a players bloodflow and stress to tweak the way a game played out in real-time.)

According to Topolsky:

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. ..

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.

Topolsky builds his case by combining the rumors he's heard with recent statements from Valve boss Gabe Newell about a willingness for Valve to make hardware and a wariness about the expanding influence of Apple's closed, tightly-controlled app store.

Valve has earned legions of admirers for their games (Half-Life, Portal) as well as for Steam, the leading PC gaming service for connecting players and selling games online.

Read the whole Verge piece. We've asked Valve for comment, and our ears are certainly perked up. If we hear more about this from anyone, we'll let you know.

So... maybe Valve was saving the next Half-Life to launch on their first console? Couldn't be!


SOURCE:http://kotaku.com/5890183/rumor-maybe-valve-really-is-making-a-console?utm_campaign=socialflow_kotaku_facebook&utm_source=kotaku_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
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Kharnivore2099
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Sounds interesting, but it brings up the age old question again of, "why not just buy a pc?"
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appletsauce
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I think this is for the crowd that believes this:

1. Gaming PCs are too expensive, don't have $5000 to spare and $1000 worth of upgrades every year just to keep up with the games
2. There's no guarantee the game will work on my PC
3. Can't play PC games in living room on the couch
4. Can't use controllers on the PC, and you have to configure them for every game, needs to be easy
5. No local multiplayer or split screen

I believe it's for people that believe any of the listed items above.
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Diesel_Dan
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I missed the boat on the whole PC gaming/Steam scene, so this really appeals to me. The reason I enjoy console gaming so much is that it's (mostly) worry free--I buy a game, put it in my PS3 and it works. No minimum system requirements, no upgrading components, etc.

Bringing that experience to the PC realm is something I could get behind. I just hope there's room out there in peoples' wallets and shelves for another console.
Edited by Diesel_Dan, Mar 4 2012, 10:18 AM.
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eSkilliam
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appletsauce
Mar 3 2012, 06:55 AM
I think this is for the crowd that believes this:

1. Gaming PCs are too expensive, don't have $5000 to spare and $1000 worth of upgrades every year just to keep up with the games
2. There's no guarantee the game will work on my PC
3. Can't play PC games in living room on the couch
4. Can't use controllers on the PC, and you have to configure them for every game, needs to be easy
5. No local multiplayer or split screen

I believe it's for people that believe any of the listed items above.
I agree. It's basically going to be a gaming PC without all of the business fluff. As opposed to todays PC's which are business machines without all the gaming fluff. It sets a standard for games to be made by which could really only be done by steam, the leader in pc game organization. It also guarentees that everyone purchasing this has what they need without having to upgrade anytime soon. The need to upgrade your PC every year for gaming has gone away. My machine is currently middle to lower end and I bought it about 3 years ago, and just upgraded the video card. For under $1000 3 years ago, I have a PC that will run all but one or two games out right now, with the settings mostly all the way up. Mines just a run of the mill quad core. If you start out with a core i7 in a system built just for games, I would say you could have almost a 10 year run with it at this point. Make it easier to use with a controller and television, but keep the mouse, keyboard, and monitor available and you have just consolized the PC for gaming. PC was already there, it's been there. It just needed a set of standards to keep the developers in check. Steam is already working on a Television interface that I think is supposed to debut later this year because so many gamers are hooking their PC's up to their TV's.

On a side note, I've heard from many sources that Alienware is actually making this box and partnering with Steam for the gaming standards and interface...

As for your comments appletsauce. The crowd that believes that is wrong. From the way you wrote it, I'd say you agree with me on that lol. PC's can do all of that and more, you just gotta know how :D


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Kharnivore2099
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pc's easily configure to controllers now, they hook up to all modern tv's and a decent rig wpnt cost you that much. Maybe 10 yrs ago yes, but they are fairly old arguments now. :p
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roboshmoe
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I really don't understand why they think they need a console to compete. I mean, yah there are those people who only play on console, and I guess they might be trying to appeal to them, but the giant group of people who exclusivly play PC are a group on there own.
Idk. It just doesnt seem necssesary to make an entire new console.
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eSkilliam
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roboshmoe
Mar 3 2012, 02:51 PM
I really don't understand why they think they need a console to compete. I mean, yah there are those people who only play on console, and I guess they might be trying to appeal to them, but the giant group of people who exclusivly play PC are a group on there own.
Idk. It just doesnt seem necssesary to make an entire new console.
Don't think about it like that. Think about it along the lines of going to a music store and they have that Mac already fully decked out for music creation with all of the needed interfaces. You go to an IT department at a large company and they have purchased computers that were specifically configured to run as servers. You go on the road and see someone with a laptop that they got specifically for it's portability. All it is going to be is another small form factor PC specifically set up for gaming. It's really only going to be a console in the fact that it will take a space on your entertainment center instead of your desk or lap. A very large group of PC gamers are wanting and building rigs very similar to this right now. The guys on the Giant Bombcast are all setting up their computers this way, and talk about it on a regular basis on their show. Note that there is the other crowd that wants the biggest and baddest setup, and those are not the guys this product is being made for. This product is being made to fill a gap in the market for a product with high demand and no supply. It has nothing to do with competition with consoles; it's a needed addition to the gaming market. I think its a great idea.

Never turn down new technology even if it seems redundant. You may not want it, but there is someone somewhere that has a need or use for it.


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turbogamer2point0
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i'd definitely have a use for it. i wanna see if this actually plays out
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TheArmchairEmpire
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For me the thing isn't very appealing since it's just a pre-packaged PC for all intents and purposes. Can just as well get a Dell, or something from Alienware, or just build your own. Moreover, PC gaming most certainly does not cost "$5000" for a good, or even adequate gaming rig. That's a myth that needs to stop. Last year I built a new desktop that is an absolute beast, and I indulged myself quite a bit. The thing cost less than $1000. Very respectable price, and it can run all the fancy pants graphics games extremely well. Those who don't do a lot of PC gaming really need to understand that these $5000 systems are entirely unnecessary for the most part. Some people like squeezing every last drop of graphical fidelity out of a game and will pay a pretty penny to do so. You don't need to do this to play the games. You can make a rig for a fraction of that and do just fine.
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eSkilliam
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TheArmchairEmpire
Mar 3 2012, 10:57 PM
For me the thing isn't very appealing since it's just a pre-packaged PC for all intents and purposes. Can just as well get a Dell, or something from Alienware, or just build your own. Moreover, PC gaming most certainly does not cost "$5000" for a good, or even adequate gaming rig. That's a myth that needs to stop. Last year I built a new desktop that is an absolute beast, and I indulged myself quite a bit. The thing cost less than $1000. Very respectable price, and it can run all the fancy pants graphics games extremely well. Those who don't do a lot of PC gaming really need to understand that these $5000 systems are entirely unnecessary for the most part. Some people like squeezing every last drop of graphical fidelity out of a game and will pay a pretty penny to do so. You don't need to do this to play the games. You can make a rig for a fraction of that and do just fine.
That actually sounds like an argument for this device to me. I think it hits a growing market of gamers that are looking to build or buy this thing with no actual way to just buy it. Plus it may get more people interested in PC gaming which can only make the community grow.


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SuperTrainStationH
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The prospect of a new game centric home hardware platform being put out by a game centric company is really exciting.

Only Nintendo is left in that arena as of now.

If this turns out to be as bold an entry into the console space as some are indicating, this 8th generation is going to be one hell of a wild ride just in terms of Nintendo and Valve alone.
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MidiPour
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eSkilliam
Mar 3 2012, 11:03 PM
TheArmchairEmpire
Mar 3 2012, 10:57 PM
For me the thing isn't very appealing since it's just a pre-packaged PC for all intents and purposes. Can just as well get a Dell, or something from Alienware, or just build your own. Moreover, PC gaming most certainly does not cost "$5000" for a good, or even adequate gaming rig. That's a myth that needs to stop. Last year I built a new desktop that is an absolute beast, and I indulged myself quite a bit. The thing cost less than $1000. Very respectable price, and it can run all the fancy pants graphics games extremely well. Those who don't do a lot of PC gaming really need to understand that these $5000 systems are entirely unnecessary for the most part. Some people like squeezing every last drop of graphical fidelity out of a game and will pay a pretty penny to do so. You don't need to do this to play the games. You can make a rig for a fraction of that and do just fine.
That actually sounds like an argument for this device to me. I think it hits a growing market of gamers that are looking to build or buy this thing with no actual way to just buy it. Plus it may get more people interested in PC gaming which can only make the community grow.
Armchair did mention how it costed him less than a 1000$ to build a custom PC. Which is a fairly cheap price considering how most PC's out run along that price, if not more if you're going for a monitor-PC (total waste of money in my opinion). Of course, you can also buy a really nice monitor, a pair of lighted keyboard and a gaming house. All at a fair price. Comparing this to prices to the videogame hardwares, which only really do a couple of tasks (mainly play games and watch movies), the PC has the upper hand for its pocket knife sort of capability

But then there are the downsides, most people waited for the PS3 and 360 to drop down significantly in price before taking the plunge. Most people didn't buy the 3DS at launch either. So, considering this, a less than 1000$ PC becomes less than ideal when you're gaming on the cheap.

Then there's the fact that people complain about hardware updates on the home consoles, how interested do you think they are to download, go through installation of a PC game? How about older games where you have to troubleshoot why you can't play that game? Along with the fact that you to make some adjustments to the setting (beyond the average gamer's head), the PC really becomes less than intuitive. I personally like and play the PC, but in terms of an alternative, I can see why Valve may put a hardware out there for PC games, and I can see this catching a potential market who doesn't want to deal with the 'complexity' of PC gaming.
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TheArmchairEmpire
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Some older PC games can be tough to run if you have an original physical copy. Digital seems to be doing better for keeping up with hardware advances. Games on GoG are a good example of this as the company actually stays on top of that stuff and tweaks the code if compatibility issues do come up. Older stuff on Steam usually works quite well also largely because of how robust the patching system on that platform is.

In fact, if we do see a Steam console, I think the speed of Steam patching will be a big draw for a lot of developers. Tim Schafer mentioned a while back how much red tape is involved with patching a game on a console, and that it can take forever to get things patched on the 360 and PS3. On a Steam game, though, a developer can log in the same day and make the patch live no problem. I can see this being very appealing to developers on a Steam console.
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MidiPour
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That's an interesting fact that I personally, where have you read that by the way (I'd like to read where Schafer said that personally out of interest).

As for physical copy games of the past, that's a shame since I'd like to revisit games of the past such as Neverhood or Monkey Island. But I guess I could buy a cheap windows 95 old school CRT monitor PC at a bargain price.
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TheArmchairEmpire
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Here's the interview:

http://www.hookshotinc.com/interview-schafers-millions/

And the section in question:

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Independent’s Day

I ask about 2011, a year in which the studio released three excellent titles. Is that success? Is that what this is all about? “Double Fine is a company that values its independence,” says Schafer. “We really value our employees, and…” there’s a slight pause, then Schafer shouts at someone else in the room, “why are you looking at me like that?! Of course I value you!” There is muffled laughter in the background and Tim returns. “…And we have a responsibility to make things happen for ourselves. It’s not enough to come up with great ideas, you have to come up with great business ideas, too. You have to protect yourself.

“But yes, we’ve been trying all these different projects, and it’s great – we have multiple teams and multiple leaders like Lee Petty, Brad Muir and Nathan Martz, people who are new, who can take on these projects. We’ll try out iOS devices, or maybe free-to-play, we’ll try licenses. We’re having a lot of fun doing it.”

Double Fine, then, is making the most of the digital era, coping a feel of all the new platforms and delivery methods. But there are frustrations, too. Schafer has watched the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN services dwindle away from fantastically promising beginnings to troubled, even fading services. “Ever since I played Geometry Wars I thought, what a great new portal,” he enthuses.

“But it seems that this year, the idea didn’t explode like it should have. Back when Castle Crashers came out, it seemed it was going to grow and grow. I just wish there was more support, more marketing, more placement on the dashboard. It could have been our own little Sundance Film festival, a great sandbox for indie development.

“But the indie community is now moving elsewhere; we’re figuring out how to fund and distribute games ourselves, and we’re getting more control over them. Those systems as great as they are, they’re still closed. You have to jump through a lot of hoops, even for important stuff like patching and supporting your game. Those are things we really want to do, but we can’t do it on these systems. I mean, it costs $40,000 to put up a patch – we can’t afford that! Open systems like Steam, that allow us to set our own prices, that’s where it’s at, and doing it completely alone like Minecraft. That’s where people are going.”
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RatchetAndClank
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I really like this idea. I have a pretty good gaming PC, but a lot of people don't and do not want to spend $1000+ on a good PC. Plus with a well-known name like Valve, it would attract a lot of developers and would get good sales unlike the OnLive (it's okay but needs a lot of improvement). Oh yeah, we could get Half-Life 2 Episode 3 and Half-Life 3 :)
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MidiPour
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Oh wow, 40,000 to merely put out a patch? That's ridiculous.

I appreciate the posting.
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Kharnivore2099
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Retroverdose

You make a good point about playing older games on PC's, some can be a real pain to get working on these newer Operating Systems. However, i think if your comparing PC to current console gaming then thats not really relevant.

In my experience, modern consoles barely manage to play games from previous generations unless it has been made available via digital format...much like many old PC titles via Steam, GOG and Gamersgate etc.

Many of the arguments people bring to PC gaming are usually very outdated, the only ones really still standing are the initial cost of the hardware and maybe the confusion caused by being unexperienced with PC's. buuuut...

1. The initial cost was high for my PC (£1000 ono), but the money i've saved on games and the overall quality of the games themselves are far superior. There are deals on games every week and when the holidays come along everything on steam seems to be on deal. Picking up big titles for less than £5...thats a no brainer.

2. Many people not used to consoles would be confused with PS3 and 360 dashboards, all they would need is a little time to adjust. A PC OS isnt any different.

I see consoles still have thier place, but i think thier time is running out quick.
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