Valve will indeed be making its own console

[GONNAFISTYA]

Valve Confirms Plans to Enter Hardware Business

"Valve is traditionally a software company. Open platforms like the PC and Mac are important to us, as they enable us and our partners to have a robust and direct relationship with customers," the posting reads. "We're frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we're jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There's a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked."

I have no idea how this will end up.

My initial feeling is "good...someone wants to focus on an upgradeable console that allows us to swap out newer hardware so we don't look at dated graphics for 10 years" but there's a voice in the back my mind saying "they'll eventually be like any other business and will end up demanding a closed system." When it happens, they'll give the same excuses others have used and say "it was to protect our product's good name, viability, etc". I also have no doubt that Steam will be the only vendor allowed on the machine.

Meh. I just don't trust business types...too full of shit for their own good. These things always start off with good intentions and always end up being evil in some way and doing the exact thing they're trying to prevent.

Fuck you unfettered greed for turning me into a cynic.

[bitWISE]

Seems like a waste of time to me. There have been plenty of new input devices and variations of mouse and keyboard but no one uses them because they suck and/or cost too much. As far as internal hardware goes, it is more about the game developers than the hardware developers.

[Κracus]

Oooooooo... I might just have to get myself a new console.

[Don Carlos]

What would have made this even more interesting is if they had bought OnLive. Having Steam as the only distribution network on it is not a bad thing, Steam is awesome and it works very well.

Also with Gabe in charge of things, we know it is going to ba e quality product in general. Gabe, other than being a little shit with releasing stuff in a timely fashion, has nt done much wrong in the way of game developement and nurturing things at Valve.

It is exciting and if I were other console makers, I would be worried. More worried if I was Sony and Nintendo...

[Tsakali]

I don't get it, this will have the same issues PC gaming has from the point of developers but without all the capabilities of a PC. Sounds like a stupid ass idea.

[Tsakali]

ba e

lol put down the crack pipe.

[Don Carlos]

I dunno, if they have a "standard" to develope to for a set period of time, it might make things easier for the developers. Or it might result in games not being as pretty as they once were for the PC....

It is very interesting to see how it will work (if it is indeed a console...which it might not be)

[GONNAFISTYA]

What would have made this even more interesting is if they had bought OnLive. Having Steam as the only distribution network on it is not a bad thing, Steam is awesome and it works very well.

Having Steam as the only vendor goes exactly against what this new box is supposed to represent. And I agree that this machine will no doubt be a new target for hackers to grab whatever they can from it. I can foresee a day when they get their accounts hacked as often as Sony.

Also with Gabe in charge of things, we know it is going to ba e quality product in general. Gabe, other than being a little shit with releasing stuff in a timely fashion, has nt done much wrong in the way of game developement and nurturing things at Valve.

Well...hero worship isn't a good way of judging whether or not a product will suck. Truth be told, there are very few developers that want to release shit...99% of the time it's a management call. Also, the "Free 2 Play" model it'll invite ALOT of sub-par products being peddled. Steam has a decent reputation right now but if push comes to shove we can guess that more and more crap will get through the filter if there are slumps...which there always are.

It is exciting and if I were other console makers, I would be worried. More worried if I was Sony and Nintendo...

I'm glad someone's excited but I certainly don't think Nintendo has anything to worry about from ANY other console/game manufacturer.

[Don Carlos]

ba e

lol put down the crack pipe.

Simple typo dude...calm down

[seremtan]

Meh. I just don't trust business types...too full of shit for their own good. These things always start off with good intentions and always end up being evil in some way and doing the exact thing they're trying to prevent.

or, to put that another way: they start off beholden to the standard modern liberal delusion of 'capitalism with a human face', sell that idea to their customers (and even to themselves), then over time realise that the actual, real capitalist paradigm doesn't allow for 'nice guys', and that the only way to either grow the company or avoid going under is to be 'evil' (that is, 'evil' within the pseudo-moral framework of 'nice capitalism')

sorry but your cynicism is a product of that liberal delusion (of 'capitalism with a human face'), which is itself an ideological construct which exists to camouflage it's true nature. ditch the delusion, and your cynicism will go with it

[Don Carlos]

Having Steam as the only vendor goes exactly against what this new box is supposed to represent. And I agree that this machine will no doubt be a new target for hackers to grab whatever they can from it. I can foresee a day when they get their accounts hacked as often as Sony.

But it won't just sell Valve games....so I don't understand what your concern is with this?
Steam is incredibly difficult to hack because they don't have retards working for them in the security department. In fairness, nothing is "hack-proof" so yeah, it could be hacked. But then so could your Amazon account, your online banking - basically anything with a password. It is the joy of an online world; your shit is all there for anyone to take, you serve it up on a plate in the beleif that someone has got your back when it comes to developing security. Steam is no different.
How many people dreaded Microsoft jumping into the console market? I did, but I think the Xbox 360 is in the top 3 consoles there has ever been. I am looking forward to seeing what they are going to offer next, where as I couldnt really care about the next PlayStation or the Wii U.

Well...hero worship isn't a good way of judging whether or not a product will suck. Truth be told, there are very few developers that want to release shit...99% of the time it's a management call. Also, the "Free 2 Play" model it'll invite ALOT of sub-par products being peddled. Steam has a decent reputation right now but if push comes to shove we can guess that more and more crap will get through the filter if there are slumps...which there always are.

It isn't hero worship, it is a simple statement. Everything he has worked on and released has been good. I don't think there has been a duff Valve game as yet?
The slumps in the gaming market that you are talking about won't just hurt Steam, it will hurt everything because most games are ported to more than one platform now. So if the games are shit on the "Steam box", the likelyhood is that they will also be shit on Steam PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, NextBox, Wii U etc etc.

I'm glad someone's excited but I certainly don't think Nintendo has anything to worry about from ANY other console/game manufacturer.

Sony moreso than Nintendo, but Nintendo seem to like fads. I think most people think that it is inovation, and it is, but it gets old really quick. They are certainly exploiting the market for kids and well done to them for that. They will continue to sell well, especially in Japan so I guess you are right, they don't have much to worry about. But once again...Sony...

Anyway, I am not trying to bitch and I respect your opinions on these matters, but I do enjoy a good debate about stuff like this

[GONNAFISTYA]

Oh no problem. Not bitching...just wondering out loud. Your guess is as good as mine as to how this whole thing turns out.

[Don Carlos]

If it is a console, I don't think there is any mddle ground for it. It will either be a shower of shit or the best thing to happen to gaming since the PS1. Chances are we will hear nothing about it for the next 3 years anyway...

[xer0s]

lol, Valve doesn't understand. We'd rather have Half Life 3...

[Tsakali]

maybe hl3 will be the opening exclusive for their new game system.


PROFIT!

[Transient]

So... why not just build their own alternative to a mouse/KB setup and stick with the PC, rather than make their own console? They could start releasing a series of games that use their new input device and it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg for consumers that way.

[xer0s]

But, they want our arms and legs...

[seremtan]

lol, Valve doesn't understand. We'd rather have Half Life 3...

HL2 episodes *are* HL3

[Ryoki]

So... why not just build their own alternative to a mouse/KB setup and stick with the PC, rather than make their own console? They could start releasing a series of games that use their new input device and it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg for consumers that way.

This...

[MKJ]

I don't get it, this will have the same issues PC gaming has from the point of developers but without all the capabilities of a PC. Sounds like a stupid ass idea.

indeed. I don't understand why people are celebrating this. To respond to GKY's comment; no you dont have to look at 10 yo gfx (cos gfx make a game amirite) but now you need 18 patches per game to run because there are near unlimited hardware combinations - the plague of PC gaming. and unless a patch is perfect, fixing everything without breaking anything else nor making any gameplay changes, people will have a fit. a syndrome GKY is well aware of.

guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.

then we get to this whole new input-device issue. many have tried to innovate (usually too hard) and it's either something gimmicky that dies after three forced games or people will desperately cry about the superiour m/kb combo. noone really wants new innovative input devices, people want innovative fun gameplay. the rest comes later.

[DTS]

Valve know fuckall about hardware. Therefore, their console will be lame.

[seremtan]

and you know this how?

[DTS]

They've never made any hardware. If they want to get into the hardware business, they should start with something simple, like a graphics card; even when it comes to graphics card design they ain't John frickin' Carmack.

[Tsakali]

hardware can basically be next to standard tech / parts, and they are hiring hardware engineers for the game controllers.

Where's the problem?

[DTS]

"Next-to-standard tech / parts" do not a console make. Consoles are pieces of specialist hardware, custom chips, the whole lot. Some chips can already be made, but no-one's going to make a decent console without designing a chip. PS1 used chips Sony had already made for thier film and TV effects business.

Microsoft are the only ones that went the "stock hardware" route, and we all know how that went, with consoles breaking left right and centre; epic hardware design failure.