Boxing up Steam

    Valve recently announced that it would be stepping into the console market with the Steam Machine. For those who do not know what Steam is; it is a PC program that allows gamers to buy and download games. All the games are then available through the Steam program from any PC you use. Simply download Steam, log in, and you are set. Every game you purchase is there, and all the save points are synced between PCs.

    What does the Steam Machine mean for the video game industry? Well I for one think that it finally bridges the gap between PC gamers and console gamers. This is also excellent news for developers because now they do not need to create four different versions of one game (PC, Xbox, PS, and the Wii). This will save on cost related to development, and cost the gamers less in purchases. Having what is essentially a PC in the living room could open up the industry to more developers as well. Which I hope it does since the current video game industry is (in my opinion) heading towards another crash. The industry needs new life breathed into it, and fast.

    What the Steam Machine is essentially a PC that will run the SteamOS. Valve also stated that the console will be able to play the nearly 3,000 games already on Steam. The company will also be releasing the SteamOS so gamers can build their own Steam Box anyway they choose. This will prove to be a significant advantage for Valve as they are the only gaming company to allow users to use an OS on custom built hardware. Valve even stated that users will be free to hack the Steam Box with no issues. The specs for the Steam Machine are random at this point since Valve has multiple prototypes out in order to test the best configuration for the Steam Machine.

    I can not wait to have this console sitting in my living room. The ability to play a PC game in my living room is a huge plus for me. Valve has already added in a “Big Picture Mode” that lets users play on large screens. This mode simply enlarges the current Steam program into a new layout that is easy to navigate on a large screen. To accomplish this, users have to hook up his/her TV to a computer. It can be done, but in my example my computer is in another room and would look out of place in my living room. However, a console dedicated just to run Steam is enough for me to pre-order one next year.

    Valve is out to shakeup the console wars with their Steam Machine. If Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo do not watch out, their consoles could go the way of Blockbuster.