Who's up for a Steam Box console?

**Furunculus** · 01-13-2013, 12:35

What say you; a console rocking the beautiful combination of steam, pc games, and linux:

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming...killer-1124160

Imagine a console with Adblock. Imagine a console that isn't hamstrung by its components half a decade down the line, a console that doesn't force its creator to make a loss on each sale or to devote a gigantic chunk of budget half way through its life cycle to make its successor.

The Steam Box should scare console makers. 2012 was a monster year for PC gaming, the portents of doom that dogged the platform for years finally shaken off as the once dominant consoles felt their teeth grow too long.

Valve thinks the time is right for Steam Box, and I think it's dead-on.

Would you buy one?

I am a pc gamer, but i am tempted by a console for the living-room style multiplayer games that are mostly found on consoles.

I crave tekken!

That said, I don't like how limited consoles are, I don't like the business model, and it would never replace my PC for gaming.

But if Valve are going to release a steam based linux console I WILL buy it.

How about you?

**Lemur** · 01-14-2013, 16:09

I'd be all over a Steam box. Consolidate my Steam games with console games? Yes please.

A lot would depend on the model, the fees, the upgrade path, you know, the nitty-gritty. But off the top of my head, I'd say hells to the yes.

**drone** · 01-14-2013, 22:01

The best part of this is the push towards Linux gaming. Even without the Steam Box form factor, this is a great move away from Redmond for PC gaming. If they do it right, games can be sold that work on the SteamBox and desktop PC, with a separate compiled executable for ARM devices (Android phones/tablets).

**Beskar** · 01-15-2013, 15:28

The Future is Bright, the Future is.. Steam powered.

**Xiahou** · 01-17-2013, 00:30

So.... it's a PC... hooked to your TV? I already have one of those.

**Tellos Athenaios** · 01-17-2013, 08:16

Originally Posted by Xiahou

So.... it's a PC... hooked to your TV? I already have one of those.

Which can be said of any old console.

Now depending on the Linux & firmware that come with it, you might be looking at "desktop with Steam + libs preloaded" or at "Steam appliance".

**TinCow** · 01-31-2013, 14:17

Originally Posted by Furunculus

Would you buy one?

Possibly. I've got a big-ass tv and a comfy couch. If I could play some of my Steam games up there instead of at my desk, I might. I would only do so though if it ran the games well and shared data in the cloud, such that I could switch back and forth between PC and console with the same games and retain the same data.

**Furunculus** · 02-01-2013, 19:02

given that i like building pc's, and i'll have access to steam on linux anyway it comes down to price for me.

**edyzmedieval** · 02-09-2013, 20:41

Possibly. It might work out as an alternative to already established gaming consoles.

**Fragony** · 02-10-2013, 04:09

I am absolutely interested in this thing as a console gamer at least, more than I am in the ps4 and new xbox. Wait and see thingie, that beauty looks packed with functionality but will developers care about console-gamers and make it a alternative for consoles, nice thing about consoles is that games are designed to be played on one. I don't want to be messing around with a keyboard and mouse to play games, I like controllers better. Who are they building it for, we'll see

**Furunculus** · 02-12-2013, 19:24

interesting to think that amd might have nailed all four consoles with their tech.

**Beskar** · 02-12-2013, 21:51

Originally Posted by Fragony

Who are they building it for, we'll see

It is a Console/PC hybrid. They are developing a platform (Steam) which will run on Windows/Mac/Linux and they are dealing in dedicated budget-end gaming platforms. The thing with the Steam 'consoles' is that they can reveal new ones with improved technology whilst retaining their collection/client-base. Also if some one decided to move onto a PC or off one, they can take their collections in them.

I also know that Playstation 4 will most likely share into this as well, considering that the PS3 has Steam on it already.

**Beskar** · 02-12-2013, 21:57

Originally Posted by Fragony

Who are they building it for, we'll see

It is a Console/PC hybrid. They are developing a platform (Steam) which will run on Windows/Mac/Linux and they are dealing in dedicated budget-end gaming platforms. The thing with the Steam 'consoles' is that they can reveal new ones with improved technology whilst retaining their collection/client-base. Also if some one decided to move onto a PC or off one, they can take their collections in them.

I also know that Playstation 4 will most likely share into this as well, considering that the PS3 has Steam on it already.