Steam Machines not a threat to Xbox One, says Microsoft

Valve's recently announced line of Steam Machines do not threaten Microsoft's Xbox One console business, corporate vice president Phil Harrison told MCV in a new interview.

Harrison acknowledged that Valve's vision for Steam Machines is not yet fully in focus, but said Microsoft has a winning formula in place for the Xbox One.

"I don't think it's a threat," Harrison said about Steam Machines. "I have great admiration for Valve. It has done some really smart things. The Steam platform for one. They're based close to our HQ in Seattle. We have a good relationship with it."

"We think the Xbox One business model, developer ecosystem, and retail support will make our platform very successful," he added. "It is unclear to me, until I see Valve's product and understand all of their announcements, exactly what they are doing."

Harrison said Valve's announcement of Steam Machines demonstrates that the living room remains the "center of gravity" for gaming experiences.

"The biggest screen in the house connected to a sound system is the place where you are going to get the most amazing games," he said. "So in that way we are aligned."

Harrison said previously that Microsoft is watching what Valve does in the living room space with "great interest."

Microsoft's Xbox One launches on November 22, while Steam Machines will be publicly available beginning in 2014.