Quoting: etonbearsI was always unclear as to the exact audience for Steam boxes; small/value doesn't sit easily with powerful/upgradeable, and how many would spend £1000-£1500 on something that only really runs Steam Big Picture well...? I struggle to visualize a mass market.

This. Instead of buying a 1500$ console PC you can get similar performances with a laptop for the same price tag. On top of that, you still have the leisure of connecting your laptop to the TV with a relatively small footprint.

Console pc should be targeted to console users and the typical console user doesn't care about upgradability that much. This Dell and Zotac nailed it but the price tag... Ouch! Way too expensive. This is why I have the feeling that Valve is in a much better position to offer a cheaper solution partnering with AMD and, if it is not enough, sell it under cost. Afterall they already got the games catalog to absord the loss. PC gaming, as a whole, would benefit from a successfull Steam Machine campaign.

Edit: And with the XBox One X and PS4 Pro, Sony and Microsoft have created a new price tag in the console market where Valve might get an opportunity to be even more competitive.

But it's all just speculation. Time will tell.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: etonbears

Quoting: Mohandevir

Quoting: etonbears

Quoting: MohandevirLooking at this:

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Gallium3D-NIR-Link-Opts [External Link]

Valve still cares and is still investing in Linux. They wouldn't bother with that otherwise.

Something will happen regarding this, I'm not going to put all my faith in that, but it smells like an AMD based Steam Machine or something similar is on the way... Maybe... Hopefully...

How I would like to see Valve release it's own Steam Machine (no third party involved) with only one or two hardware specs (like PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro) along with a complete SteamOS overhaul.

I would not completely rule out a Valve-produced device, but it would be against their general reasoning regarding the value to gaming of an open market of upgradeable hardware.

To produce something compelling at a similar price point ( c.f. XBox / PS4 ), Valve would likely have to follow a similar route, contracting AMD to produce semi-custom designs. They could yet do that; it depends on where the market pressures fall.

Valve support Linux because it is the leading platform amongst those that are unowned and uncontrolled. Valve have clearly helped make Linux a more viable platform for gamers, but I think it would be a mistake to assume this means they view Linux the same way evangelical Linux supporters do.

Edit 1: I don't know why, it didn't record my comment... So here it is:

True enough, but I started to think it possible when Atari announced an AMD based custom hardware that is compatible with x86 platform for the Ataribox.

Couldn't Valve follow the same path with a more powerfull offer?

Edit 2: Removed my initial comment that was in the middle of quote.

Valve absolutely could produce a box of their own - and it would probably be good - and they still may do so.

But their original gambit with SteamOS/Linux was around uniting the many companies involved in the PC games industry in a collaborative open ecosystem for the benefit of all; and to avoid Valve becoming roadkill to proprietary lock-in ( specifically the threat of Windows store ). For this to succeed, they must not appear to put themselves in a position of advantage or control while encouraging developers to write games/software for SteamOS/Linux, and hardware manufacturers to offer console-like upgradeable games-friendly PCs.

So they work mostly in the background to push things along, while trying to get the ecosystem robust. Clearly, they are having some success with the software side, due in no small part to the main game engines supporting Linux, but there doesn't appear to be much traction in the hardware side. I think it is difficult for PC manufacturers to come up with anything compelling using off-the-shelf parts. The Dell/Zotac machines are no more than interesting, are no better value than self-build, and can't easily be used for other purposes than Big-Picture gaming ( SteamOS really doesn't do anything else well ).

Valve risk damaging what hardware industry support they have if they build a Steam PC themselves ( arguably Steam Link already caused damage by removing streaming as a Steam hardware selling point ). But, if they get to the point where no company wants to partner with them on hardware, that is when they are most likely to produce a box of their own.

Really interresting. It all comes down to one hardware partner that is all you just described: Cyberpower Steam Machine. Not as small as Dell or Zotac but fully upgradeable with on the shelf parts and the Steam Machine offer is still available with up-to-date parts.

This said, Dell is still trying to sell it's nearly 2 years old Steam Machine and no upgrades seem to be planned and Zotac seems to have vanished from the radar.

Let's wait and see...

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: etonbears

Quoting: MohandevirLooking at this:

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Gallium3D-NIR-Link-Opts [External Link]

Valve still cares and is still investing in Linux. They wouldn't bother with that otherwise.

Something will happen regarding this, I'm not going to put all my faith in that, but it smells like an AMD based Steam Machine or something similar is on the way... Maybe... Hopefully...

How I would like to see Valve release it's own Steam Machine (no third party involved) with only one or two hardware specs (like PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro) along with a complete SteamOS overhaul.

I would not completely rule out a Valve-produced device, but it would be against their general reasoning regarding the value to gaming of an open market of upgradeable hardware.

To produce something compelling at a similar price point ( c.f. XBox / PS4 ), Valve would likely have to follow a similar route, contracting AMD to produce semi-custom designs. They could yet do that; it depends on where the market pressures fall.

Valve support Linux because it is the leading platform amongst those that are unowned and uncontrolled. Valve have clearly helped make Linux a more viable platform for gamers, but I think it would be a mistake to assume this means they view Linux the same way evangelical Linux supporters do.

Edit 1: I don't know why, it didn't record my comment... So here it is:

True enough, but I started to think it possible when Atari announced an AMD based custom hardware that is compatible with x86 platform for the Ataribox.

Couldn't Valve follow the same path with a more powerfull offer? The logic is "if you want a small footprint, buy a Steam Machine but if you want upgradbility, build a full fledged PC." Afterall, Alienware and Zotac were official Steam Machines and were lacking upgradability...

Edit 2: Removed my initial comment that was in the middle of quote.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: liamdawe

Quoting: MohandevirLooking at this:

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Gallium3D-NIR-Link-Opts [External Link]

Valve still cares and is still investing in Linux. They wouldn't bother with that otherwise.

Something will happen regarding this, I'm not going to put all my faith in that, but it smells like an AMD based Steam Machine or something similar is on the way... Maybe... Hopefully...

How I would like to see Valve release it's own Steam Machine (no third party involved) with only one or two hardware specs (like PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro) along with a complete SteamOS overhaul.

Well, if they came out with an AMD-based Steam Machine, it could end up being a fair bit cheaper than an Intel model and still perform really well. It also gives them an advantage there, with the open drivers that they can help shape and control updates closer.

It doesn't sound too far-fetched either, considering all the Mesa work Valve has employed people to do. Although they previously mentioned a large part of that was to get VR in shape on Linux.

Steam VR... Yes.

Sony has it's own VR Headset to go along the PS4... Same for future Steam Machine?

Edit: Might not be their intention at all, but nobody else is in a better position than Valve to sell consoles under cost like Microsoft and Sony are doing.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Looking at this:

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Gallium3D-NIR-Link-Opts [External Link]

Valve still cares and is still investing in Linux. They wouldn't bother with that otherwise.

Something will happen regarding this, I'm not going to put all my faith in that, but it smells like an AMD based Steam Machine or something similar is on the way... Maybe... Hopefully...

How I would like to see Valve release it's own Steam Machine (no third party involved) with only one or two hardware specs (like PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro) along with a complete SteamOS overhaul.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: Tuxee

Quoting: mahagrI really hope it'll be Ryzen based, if it is, it'll be instant buy for me. If it's using older AMD, I see no point of getting the device...

What makes you think it's gonna be AMD64 architecture? More likely it will be ARM based.

Unless it changed, from the start they specified it will be a custom, amd based, PC games compatible device:

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/atari-are-launching-a-new-gaming-system-the-ataribox-and-it-runs-linux.10418
https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/25/ataribox-runs-linux-on-amd-chip-and-will-cost-at-least-249/ [External Link]

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: jens

Quoting: liamdaweEven so, the titles Feral have ported this year have been pretty incredible for us.

Yeah, this goes without saying. I'm very grateful that Feral is still on board with Linux, considering how difficult Linux can be as platform and community.

Yeah. It's probably because the gaming industry neglected Linux for so many years that it turned us into insatiable gaming hungry monsters. At the second the feeding slows down it feels like apocalypse...

More! More! More! :)

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: liamdawe

Quoting: jens

Quoting: MohandevirI would like to have a report form Feral about the number of games they ported in 2016 and in 2017.

Yeah, would love to know that too, plus some info about which titles where (financially) successful for Feral or not.

Ask and you shall get stuff...this took me a while to compile...

About Feral...

2016
Total War WARHAMMER
Total War: WARHAMMER - Realm of the Wood Elves DLC
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Mad Max
Warhammer 40,000®: Dawn of War II®, Chaos Rising and Retribution
Life Is Strange
XCOM 2 - Shen’s Last Gift DLC
XCOM 2 - Alien Hunters DLC
XCOM 2 - Anarchy’s Children DLC
F1 2015
Tomb Raider
Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces DLC & Ardennes Assault DLC
Company of Heroes 2 - the Mac vs Linux multiplayer update
Medieval II: Total War Collection

2017
HITMAN GOTY Update
HITMAN
F1 2017
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen DLC
Dawn of War III
Total War: SHOGUN 2 and Fall of the Samurai
DiRT Rally
Total War WARHAMMER - Norsca DLC
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - A Criminal Past DLC
Mad Max - Vulkan
+ One still on their radar for Linux

I think that's about right.

So yeah, they had more overall last year, even when removing DLC. However, for this year I imagine moving their pipeline to Vulkan took quite a bit of time, but we have to remember that is laying the groundwork for future ports as well. It went from a Mad Max beta, to Dawn of War III (both OpenGL & Vulkan) to F1 2017 (just Vulkan) and maybe their current teaser will be Vulkan only too.

On top of that, I have no doubts that Feral have Linux ports lined up for 2018. I don't have any confirmation from them (speculating here), but considering how things are going something incredibly drastic would have to happen for 2018 not to be another good year for Feral's Linux port.

Thanks Liam,

Awesome as always!

This is what I was meaning. 2017 might just be a transition year where less ports have been done. To us it feels like a slowdown but it might just be a temporary setback. If Feral is in this situation what about other porting houses? I'm not asking you, Liam, to dig for the info, I suppose it's the same for others.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

I would like to have a report form Feral about the number of games they ported in 2016 and in 2017.

My feeling is (I may be wrong) that 2017 was a lot less productive than 2016, on the AAA front. Is it because of lower opportunity for Linux ports or is it because they had to put a lot of manpower to develop their Vulkan conversion layer?

No matter the reason, it gives us, Linux gamers, the feeling that Linux gaming is loosing momentum. If it's because of Vulkan development, there may be hope for 2018-2019.

I might just be too optimist...

"Time flies when you’re having fun. Excluding expansions, F1 2017 is our 20th Linux game in less than four years!
Penguins, thank you for all your support. There are still plenty more treats to come…"

-Feral post on Facebook

View this comment - View article - View full comments

16$ for a fighting racing game, local multiplayer with splitscreen... Count me in.
Nearer to Blaze Rush, imo. Little Street Racers.... Nah! Not the same. (I own both).

View this comment - View article - View full comments