[Rumor] Curious about Valve’s Steam Box? This could be it.
No one can really confirm what Valve is doing at this time, but that hasn’t stopped the Internet from leaking pictures and ideas all over the place. The big news is that Kotaku may have actually found a prototype or at least an example of what the Steam Box might be. Here is a picture:
This was posted by Valve employee Greg Coomer back in November, alongside the following quote: "Built this tiny PC. i7 quad core, 8GB ram, Zotac Z-68 mobo w/ onnboard Nvidia mobile gfx. Runs Portal 2 FAST ". Those specs are the same as The Verge claimed were coming to Steam Box: “We're told that the basic specs of the Steam Box include a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GPU”. This doesn’t mean this is official. In fact, Kotaku points out that this looks very much like the Zotac Z68-ITX WiFi platform, with a shell built around it.
There are other theories and quotes that may or may not support the theory of Valve building a console, which can be found in the source. None of these tweets can confirm or deny the controller that we posted this past weekend to come with Steam Box. One thing I did find was a few more trademark pictures that I wanted to share with you guys. Let us know what you think in the comments.
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» Source: http://kotaku.com/5890275/is-this-a-photo-of-valves-rumored-console
» Tagged In: #Leak, #PC, #Rumor, #sean hinz, #steam, #Steam box, #TV, #valve
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g1 DISCUSSIONS
darkhyrulelord
If that's the Steam Box then I think it needs more pizzazz....like putting a gold finish on it.
Kingvideogame
OH! If that happens, I'm praying for a TF2 squeal with an storyline!
Heigen
Onboard Nvidya??? These things are going to meltdown like Chernobyl.
Drappke
The main complaint people have with pc gaming these days is the price that it costs for buying a great gaming rig and the fact that if you want it to run smooth for a couple of years, you might have to know a thing or two about computers... if Valve would sell a small gaming pc for cheap and optimize their products for it... it would sell like hotcakes
Heigen
Build rig, change parts every year and sell old parts, that way you can have the newest parts and it doesn't take much money.
xTrogdorx
Allow me to note a few things: One, these days, it's pretty much expected that everyone has a computer anyway. Particularly if you have the money to spend on a console. Therefore, for the combined price of a console and a crappy computer, you could buy a gaming computer that would serve both functions and be better at both of them. Second, is it so bad to expect people to know a thing or two about computers? In my opinion, the simplicity of console gaming isn't doing society any favors.
Drappke
Yes, everyone has a computer, but very few are cheap enough AND provide you with a kickass gaming experience (detail up to max and steady framerate). Second: I agree completely, but if you want sales, you have got to make it idiot-proof... a 6y old kid has to be able to install and start playing ANY game... that gap between console and pc is fading...
The Theory
sorry but I fear that the "steam box" would fail in the long run, let me explain:
Steam as distributor is quite successful, but I doubt that this success would translate well over physically, especially if they won't hold any exclusive games. If or when they do enter the market they will have to compete directly against OnLive(their most direct competition since they do basically the same thing) and indirectly against the rest of the consoles(Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii u, etc). And if you look at the reality of things OnLive doesn't have as huge of a profit as the Three Consoles, why? Simply Because not everyone as the internet or internet of quality.
So not only Steam would shoot itself on the foot once for going against OnLive which has a cemented hold in the market, but it's going to a limited market.
The only chance that the Box would make some profit is to;
1- Hold disk contents(optional)
2-sell the console at around 125$US
3-Hold console exclusive games
if the success of the console depends on the fans, then they are going to be very disappointed seeing as, like I said, Steam by itself is already a success and I don't think that a great number of people will pay more money to get essentially the same service.
xTrogdorx
Lets see... Ethernet, Wi-fi, DVI, Line in/out, USB... Computer hardware.. intended to play computer games... So, it's a computer. Except without all the other benefits of being a computer, like being able to do things that's not games. Oh, and if/when Steam ever goes under, this thing becomes a brick.
lcvolt
i just hope they dont make it, it is hard to keep up with the consoles. buy nintendo because of the exclusives, buy ps3 because of the third party support, buy 360 to play more online games buy steam console now? buy 3ds to continue enjoying new handheld games buy a ps vita to.... NOT