Gabe Newell has admitted the Steam Box is real, Valve is building one, and that it will be available in 2013. This being Valve time, let’s assume 2015. The above is also a fan mockup, but we can dream.
Either way, it’s great news for gamers. That said, there are a few things we’d like to see that Valve could make happen, especially since Newell has admitted it won’t be a fully open PC.
Support for Xbox 360 and PS3 Controllers
It goes without saying this thing will be studded with USB ports, but Valve throwing in some shareware to run controllers console owners already have would be a nice touch.
Dual Boot Capability
It’s likely this will be running some form of Linux, or possibly some custom software Valve has put together, but dual boot, especially to an OS like Android, would be an excellent perk as well.
The Ability To Serve As A Dedicated Server For Multiplayer
Obviously it won’t be able to work as a server for a huge group, but for fans of older games that may have their multiplayer switched off, or which only use dedicated servers in the first place, this would be a great perk for them.
At Least Some Open Architecture
Valve needs to keep up with the Joneses on this one: Even Sony, that lover of proprietary memory cards and formats, built the PS3 so you could at least replace the hard drive easily if you had to. Being able to swap in more memory or more hard drive space quickly and easily is going to be key.
A Disc Drive
Yeah, the idea is that you buy games, digitally, off of Steam, but some of us still have PC games from the ’90s lying around the house that we’d like to play.
These are just five features we could think of; if you’ve got more, let us know in the comments.
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Je voudrais voir l’épisode 3.
Pardon my French.
We’ll see it when the new Source engine is good to go.
So.. no actual steam.
*puts away goggles and comically oversized wrench*
Engie gon’ give it to you (I will never get tired of this).
Well, at least Valve’s latest ambitious announcement has vapor puns built right into the name. Long live PC. #expendableincome
I think the next big Valve announcement will be Gabe just coming to the mic, announcing “Half Life 3 is out today, you can officially get off my balls”, and walking out.
We could finally break out that “Why No Half-Life 4?” hashtag 48 hours after release.
“Gabe Newell Sells Valve to Microsoft: F*** You People, Says Embittered Games Company Owner”
I’m a huge fan of evil, so that made me laugh.
I thought the steam box or whatever there calling it was going to be Linux based and if so would your CD based games from the late 90s even be compatable with later Linux builds such as something similar to Ubuntu, which appears to be the most accessable linux platform on Steam as of now?
This isnt me trying to be a wise ass or anything I literally have no idea and am curious.
I’m not sure. I can’t think of a specific reason that emulators like WINE couldn’t run them, but admittedly, when it comes to gaming, WINE is not that great.
If it can’t actually support old windows games, how about free digital copies of games I already own, especially Valve games. I’m cheap and don’t want to have to buy the orange box all over again just to play it on my nifty new steam box.
Yeah, they have to have a way of detecting you own the game.
This is a huge step in the right direction so good for them (Valve). This should absolutely make Sony and Microsoft nervous. How do you guys think the Steam Box will affect the OUYA?
I think the Ouya crew won’t care. Hell, they’re probably hoping Steam For Android is on the way.