[Rumor] Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardw

[Shoat]

I don't care much about this news, unless it is the all-mighty future-console that can run PC games and Nintendo/Microsoft/Sony Console games and has a fair and open digital distribution market. Otherwise it'll be just another console I can't afford with another set of platform-exclusive titles I'll never get to play, woop-di-doo.

Having to choose between consoles is the by far worst thing about console gaming (people who can buy all the consoles every generation are the exception, not the rule) and only results in gamers having access to less games in total and the console makers having to fight over customers and game developers having to choose between either spending extra money and effort for multiplatform releases or making their games exclusive to one platform, thus limiting the amount of people who'd potentially buy it.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Not what I meant, I meant my oldies on discs . From we know now, the project is actually some form of a PC running Windows anyways, I just dislike the idea of not having an optical drive - it reminds me of a netbook or something.

TBH you could just pirate them in that case and you wouldn't be required to switch PCs to still use Steam. You could still use your disc-based games.

Eventually though disc based PC gaming (and eventually all disc based gaming) will go the way of the dinosaur though. Valve's just been taking the first steps towards that.

 

[Foxi4]

Not what I meant, I meant my oldies on discs . From we know now, the project is actually some form of a PC running Windows anyways, I just dislike the idea of not having an optical drive - it reminds me of a netbook or something.

TBH you could just pirate them in that case and you wouldn't be required to switch PCs to still use Steam. You could still use your disc-based games.

Eventually though disc based PC gaming (and eventually all disc based gaming) will go the way of the dinosaur though. Valve's just been taking the first steps towards that.

This is actually something that does worry me. Innovations aside... I just like physical mediums, be it cartridges or discs - whatever.

I simply realize that there will be a day when there will be no more Steam, no more Origin, and you can't keep all your downloads on a drive at one time - you'd clutter it up in no-time.

That said... I worry. I'd much rather stick to physical distribution and leave the digital one as a novelty. I guess you can't stand a fighting chance againts time though... ^^;

 

[Guild McCommunist]

This is actually something that does worry me. Innovations aside... I just like physical mediums, be it cartridges or discs - whatever.

I simply realize that there will be a day when there will be no more Steam, no more Origin, and you can't keep all your downloads on a drive at one time - you'd clutter it up in no-time.

That said... I worry. I'd much rather stick to physical distribution and leave the digital one as a novelty. I guess you can't stand a fighting chance againts time though... ^^;

I completely agree, I do love to have a physical copy, sort of as a "physical trophy" to buying a game. A game collection looks nice, kinda like a large shelf of leather-bound books for geeks. Plus I'd be lying if I said I didn't love the little goodies. The maps are just awesome. I have a big ass map from RDR: Undead Nightmare and another map from Skyrim. Plus you get some neat extras (like I got a music CD when I got Divinity II).

EDIT: Steam is at least here to stay, people only use Origin because they have to. Still, EA games are certainly not Valve games. Valve games break records and set norms, EA games are good but they definitely don't have as much appeal to PC gamers. As gaming grows, so does the tech. Storage space will expand as gaming does, or for all we know, they could all turn to streaming eventually. OnLive is a rather remarkable experience, as connections get faster it seems like an ideal method for PC gamers. It essentially nips piracy in the butt and ignores almost all hardware restrictions. The same game that's playable on a $1000 computer can be played on a $200 netbook. It's pretty amazing. Maybe in a decade or two gaming will become this. It's just an evolution, although not everyone will like it.

 

[DSGamer64]

It's entirely possible without being overly expensive, especially if they can get contracts with Nvidia, AMD or Intel to develop hardware custom designed for their box. Engineer up a custom case with sufficient cooling, a mid range graphics card that can be upgraded and the latest in hardware technology like PCI Express 3.0. Since you effectively only need one hard drive and CPU wise an i7 is overkill for any gamer even at this point, an i5 quad core would be more then enough.

 

[Snailface]

If this is open source and real it will have my heart.

 

[mori123]

Its perfectly possible to be an Older generation CPu and They could be rewriting Steam Itself to be the O/s which would make the most sense since they already have steamplay games etc.., an i7 processor @ the Consumer level is expensive Sure but buy 10 million @ once to mass produce and the price Plummetts as well as the gpu etc.. who knows Honestly if valve was to do it i would say they Should Get a Nvidia Gpu/cpu Going p nvidia is in that arena or close enough could be the nvidia/valve Combo console

And alot of you saying Oh i need my Oldies etc.. This is Not meant for You This is for People who want Games that they can play On The pc but don;t Own a PC really Its all about new Players not established one think of this as an option for those Who Do Not Own a pc, Or whos PC is very Weak and not good for many current games if you want the Whole 9 yards Keep your pc and have it, if you want Affordable Entertainment with the Set platform of The Steambox then Buy one of those. Think of it as a Value priced PC does not do everything but What it does do it does well.

 

[shakirmoledina]

probably valve was trying to get enough fans behind them so if they pull off something big like this then it wont fail.
lets hope the system is cheap and fun

 

[chyyran]

An open console? HELL YA!

 

[Rydian]

Guys, a main point is the power of an i7 will be wasted because it won't be used. Games can't just magically suck up more CPU power to run better. Most games are not CPU-limited.

 

[The Milkman]

This seems neat, I like the idea of the controller being swappable, if they do it right then it pretty much becomes the ultimate controller, also if this thing can run PC games then it pretty much just trumphed every other HD console on the market, since pretty much EVERY gane on themcan be played from a PC also. Ill have to keep ab eye on this...

 

[TripleSMoon]

I just hope they dont try to rip us off, like OnLive where you're FORCED to spend $50 on their special controller if you don't want to use the keyboard, when, honestly, any typical dualshock clone will work fine if you map the "home" key to the keyboard...

 

[SuperHolySheep]

I just hope they dont try to rip us off, like OnLive where you're FORCED to spend $50 on their special controller if you don't want to use the keyboard, when, honestly, any typical dualshock clone will work fine if you map the "home" key to the keyboard...

I just use a wired xbox 360 controller and that also works.

 

[TripleSMoon]

For Onlive, or Steam?

 

[SuperHolySheep]

For Onlive, or Steam?

onlive.

 

[TripleSMoon]

For Onlive, or Steam?

onlive.

Oh? Huh... that's weird, I remember the rule being that you HAD to use one of their controllers... did that change, or does ONLive just accidentally read the XBox controller as an OnLive controller?

 

[LightyKD]

For Onlive, or Steam?

onlive.

Oh? Huh... that's weird, I remember the rule being that you HAD to use one of their controllers... did that change, or does ONLive just accidentally read the XBox controller as an OnLive controller?

Users always had the ability to use the 360 controller on OnLive. The OnLive universal controller was made mostly for tablets, newbies and the convenience of people who own multiple OnLive capable devices.

 

[Deleted User]

"[Rumour] My ass is spilling cheese and is also on fire."
"[Rumour] Apple changes name to pear."
"[Rumour] Kaz Hirai revealed to be using blow-up sex doll for daily sexual desire fulfilling."

GBAtemp, can we ban rumour threads? In my opinion, it's not news until the head honcho of whatever the title is in question actual gets off his or her arse and reveals its existence.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

GBAtemp, can we ban rumour threads? In my opinion, it's not news until the head honcho of whatever the title is in question actual gets off his or her arse and reveals its existence.

We label them as rumors so what's the issue? some of them turn out to be real and if anything they're interesting "what if" threads on speculation. It's surely a lot less harmless on a topic like this. Generally ones that are gonna attract some attention like "[Rumor] 3DS Actually Powered by Cow Dung" will be closed if the discussion becomes "overheated".

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I hope this bombs worse than the Virtual Boy. This better not happen at all.