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The Steam Universe Is Expanding In 2014

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A new section of Steam's website has opened with a countdown that will end on Monday with the first of three announcements for Steam in the living room.

SteamLast year, we shipped a software feature called Big Picture, a user-interface tailored for televisions and gamepads.
This year we’ve been working on even more ways to connect the dots for customers who want Steam in the living-room.
Soon, we’ll be adding you to our design process, so that you can help us shape the future of Steam.


Pretty exciting to think about what this will all really mean for Linux and a Steam Box. If they don't announce a Steam Box then I think everyone will be pretty surprised.

It does beg the question though, will you be buying an official Steam Box for your big screen TV when it comes out, when you already have your PC/Laptop?

What are your thoughts? Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial, Steam
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31 comments
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Speedster Sep 21, 2013
I wonder if they will be out in time for Christmas
Sabun Sep 21, 2013
Maybe it's just me, but I have a feeling it might be something like an IndieGogo or Kickstarter campaign sort of event. These words particularly give me that feel:
QuoteSoon, we’ll be adding you to our design process

Or it could be very much like their expansion into the modding community, where they do it their own style yet bring us all in on it. Knowing Valve, they love to collect data before doing anything. No doubt this will probably be a step in getting enough information to make the right choice. I'm excited :)
Bumadar Sep 21, 2013
Why does a steambox based on linux have to be a good thing for linux as a gaming platform ?

Valve will bring out a small box with specific hardware with an OS based on linux and tuned for just that hardware, at first the difference between the SteamOS and Linux will be small, but as time goes on that gap will only increase as they will tweak the GPU drivers (binary blob else nvidia or amd won't help making them faster and more efficient) and other things and it would not surprise me if in the end you will get a Windows, Apple, Linux and Steambox logo on game pages as tweaks and changes to make a game work better will only be on the Steambox drivers.  

sorry if this sounds to negative but if they want to succeed then a dedicated box like the PS4 (based on openBSD) or XBone is the only way to go and to get the big publishers on-board because without them there won't be many AAA titles and without AAA titles then won't be much incentive for the masses to buy a steambox based on linux if they can't play the latest Watchdog or GTA game.

I think its naive to think they will put a generic ubuntu/fedora/opensuse on that box with the opensource drivers and steam pre-installed.
SC Sep 21, 2013
Hell yeah I would buy a steam box!

I love you Gabe + Valve!
Speedster Sep 21, 2013
Quoting: BumadarI think its naive to think they will put a generic ubuntu/fedora/opensuse on that box with the opensource drivers and steam pre-installed.

Don't you think they might be working on a low-end model of Steambox with the latest-greatest onboard Intel graphics? It would explain why Valve was working with Intel on mesa fixes. However the first model will indeed be nvidia with binary drivers, the model that will go out to all the reviewers and have performance compared to the big consoles.
Bumadar Sep 21, 2013
Quoting: SpeedsterDon't you think they might be working on a low-end model of Steambox with the latest-greatest onboard Intel graphics?

the latest and greatest intel graphics are still not even close to the power of amd/nvidia sadly, so no I don't think that.  You want it to be a success then you need the big titles and those need big power.

Which still leaves the issue of people with hundreds (if not more) of windows games who wont be able to play those on a linux based box, so why would they get one ?  I don't see valve going with windows on their steambox though, not after what they said about win8.    Still on a box with fixed hardware/OS a codeweaver port will always work, so that's an option.


Quoting: BladeforceAlso if it is true that you can tinker and customize the OS in Steambox then that will be awesome

imagine the support nightmare on that one.....
abelthorne Sep 21, 2013
Quoting: SpeedsterI wonder if they will be out in time for Christmas
Given the fact that the page says the Steam universe will change in 2014, I guess it will definitely be out by Christmas... 2014. ;)
Mike Frett Sep 21, 2013
@Bumadar And who is to say it won't become some 'Android' type thing in the future, where it becomes incompatible with Desktop Linux?.

I think Valve has something else up their sleeves than just plain Linux forever. We'll see. Also, supposedly, this is suppose to be a powerful Console that costs more than Xbox/PS4, and because of that price; it may well become a niche product. And that's not good.

Releasing it in 2-3 years might make more sense. If it were released right now, it would be the most expensive console with the least amount of games. A Linux Steambox released anytime soon would be a failure. If valve wants success, they need to start talking with AAA developers about games and hardware companies for cheaper prices.

And it only makes sense that Half-Life 3 would be an exclusive title, if there is even any interest for that game anymore. They're gonna need something beside indie games. Yes I understand everyones excitement, but as-is it just won't work.
Bumadar Sep 21, 2013
Quoting: Mike Frett@Bumadar And who is to say it won't become some 'Android' type thing in the future, where it becomes incompatible with Desktop Linux?.

aye, sort of was my point, it will start of compatible and based on, but will go its own way if it wants to succeed
Liam Dawe Sep 21, 2013
Quoting: Bumadar
Quoting: Quote from Mike Frett@Bumadar And who is to say it won't become some 'Android' type thing in the future, where it becomes incompatible with Desktop Linux?.

aye, sort of was my point, it will start of compatible and based on, but will go its own way if it wants to succeed
I highly doubt they will make it lose compatibility with mainstream desktop distro's.

Games would need to be recompiled for them yet again if they did an Android type of thing later on, if they where going to do that they would do it from the start.

They already have their own locked down store - Steam itself, they don't need to lock out the OS later on when they have the store that everyone has to use for Steam games anyway.
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