Do you think the Steam boxes will do well?

It's pretty clear that Valve is going for the console userbase with Steam machines and Steam OS. Steam OS is basically a Linux distribution built around and optimized for gaming. The Steam machines are basically pre-built gaming machines designed to fit into your living room. They've also designed a controller that attempts to give you mouse level precision as opposed to imprecise analogue sticks.

Personally, I don't think they're going to sell very well. Console users don't really care about PC gaming at all, and PC gamers want their own custom rigs that they build themselves. Valve has made machines that seem to target a very small, very niche middleground.

One thing I suspect Valve will do is announce Half-Life 3 alongside one of their major hardware releases and have some sort of incentive to get you to buy it. For example, including HL3 free with a Steam machine, or maybe making it exclusive to Steam OS.

There's a lot that could happen in the next few years. Valve has built up a business model that prints boatloads of money and has created an extremely loyal userbase. Do you think they'll be able to successfully break into the hardware market, or will it be a failure?

They'll be about as successful as the Neo-Geo, Atari Jaguar, 3DO.... or more likely the Philips CDi.

Nah.

It'll probably be like the vita where there is absolutely a small market of people who will love what it offers, but the mass market will not have a compelling desire.

I'm pretty sure they depleted pre-orders for some of them, I'm sure they'll do fine but they're just PC's and people need to understand this, there's no real measurable metric with there being so many manufacturers.

Valve has essentially fostered the next 3DO.

Valve thought they could walk on water, between this and microtransaction mods, they are quickly learning they are not infallible.

They will be an exceptionally niche product, but will be a fantastic alternative for people looking to get into PC gaming, without the hassle of having to learn all the extras associated with the platform.

It's hard to say just how well it will do considering it's an entirely new product.

They are targeted for people like me and I hope they do well because maybe one day I´ll purchase one because there are awesome games you can only find for PC.

@uninspiredcup: One nice thing about Valve is that they will 180 on a dime if people don't like what they do.

I think they will, they wont stop, theyll just keep coming like computers do. It will be a slow process, but the way these computers get priced, they dont even have to sell a million.

They'd have to sell them at a pretty sizable loss, with the goal being to make it up through Steam, to have good enough hardware at a good enough price to really steal away enough of the market. Because Valve themselves aren't making the boxes I don't see that as a possibility and I don't see these working.

I don't get why people would buy this? Just build a PC or buy a pre-built PC. There's your Steam Machine.

Nope. Why buy a PC with an inferior(for now) gaming OS with inferior hardware to a normal gaming PC? It makes no sense to me. Who wants to buy a system that plays PC games but not every PC game? If you want to save money buy a console. If you want to PC game, buy a real PC.

I think it will do about as well as the PS TV. People who have one will love it, but it won't sell outside that niche.

Something I've been wondering about these Steam Boxes; as I understand, they're just branded PCs (much like Alienware) and even packaged with a 360 controller, can still function with any keyboard/mouse. They're supposed to function as any PC but here's the thing - running from their own proprietary Steam OS in place of Windows, is it still possible for users to install any software of their choosing; from an Office suite, to media player, Photoshop, Premiere, Dreamweaver, Sony Vegas, Pro Tools, 3D Studio Max, Maya, Tax apps, and so forth?

Basically are they every bit as fully functional as any box store or custom built PC or even being built for PC gaming, just limited to the gaming side of PCs?

They'll sell decently. I don't think they're gonna break records or anything like that, but there will be a market... Though, it'll probably be pretty niche.

It's too early to tell. It's a long term plan and as usual Valve will take baby steps and change stuff like just how they did with Steam.

I'm not expecting super big numbers but I think it should do decent. I'm expecting more out of SteamOS as I want Linux gaming to be alternative. I hope in the future the giant AAA publishers (Activision, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Square Enix and EA) support Linux.

I imagine in the next year when newer models have better hardware to significantly justify the cost difference between the PS4 and XB1 while still being cheap and having more AAA support I imagine they'd sell a lot better.

I doubt it will do well, ok at most. I think Valve have moved too slow, it's incredibly easy to build a powerful small form factor PC that can sit in the living room now, i suspect even a prebuilt PC will be cheaper than what Valve will offer too. Steam's big picture mode is already there and i wouldn't waste extra money for a less powerful PC just for the Steam OS so they're not really adding any extra value or even convenience that i can get elsewhere with a better value.

Define 'well'. I don't expect the first generation to sell as much as normal consoles no. I don't think Valve expects that either.

hard to say. its not really a console...its most a living room optimised PC. valve arent subbing any hardware nor are they developing any steam OS exclusives (a good thing for PC gaming but not effective at pushing steam OS). its just business as usual for them.

i dont think any of the OEMs have developed the ideal steambox yet. they are either too expensive or not powerful enough. alienware is probably the closest but i dont think an 860M is going to cut it for the next 5 years. steam OS gives OEMs a gaming ready, living room optimised OS that they can use to build a, for lack of a better term, console PC. but its still going to be up to them to actually sell it to the market. they do have an advantage over self builds in that the hardware available for for home builders for building an effective box thats around PS3 sized is very very limited (though i suspect that will change over the next year).

i do think the steam controller will be the most successful element of this whole venture. it seems to be selling well and, although feedback is mixed at the moment (the word "interesting" is used a lot) i do think noise will get more positive around the controller the more people get used to it.

I hope steam OS is successful as that will mean more games for linux, something that i want to see improve.

Valve is in it for the long haul i.e. it doesn't matter if Steam Machines won't be a success over night. Valve hopes to steadily gain independence from Windows by boosting Linux. I just hope Valve succeeds in doing so.

Steam Machines are supposed to function like any PC? Maybe in terms of working with hardware peripherals, but not in terms of software. Valve has stated that SteamOS is not a replacement for Windows. It is quite clearly a console operating system. Steam Machines are basically the most open consoles ever or somewhat restricted desktops e.g. you can still replace SteamOS with Windows, upgrade some of the hardware, and plug in whatever hardware peripheral you want.

Well the preorders for steam machines have been sold out for half a year now almost.. And the Steam controller, as more and more people tinker around with it and get use to it, is being praised left and right.

It is important to note that the 860m labeled on the alpha is not a laptop 860m.. It is more or less a modified version of the 750 ti desktop gpu that can be overclocked too. If you can get that thing for $400 (which it is like that a lot on steam).. It is a helluva deal for a entry level or counterpart machine.. It is also half the size of a PS4.

eh.

Out of the box and linux OS means most of my games in my library won't be available? Whats stopping someone from just buying an Alienware Alpha? It can do what Steambox does and play my games since its running Windows.

Tbh I think it might flop but I could be wrong, and considering the average consumer won't bother replacing the OS it doesn't inspire many of us to be very forthcoming. Valve has had this mindset for a bit, but their paid mods/bethsedagate is starting to prove they're not invincible in this industry.

The Steam Boxes? Absolutely not.

Steam Link, on the other hand, I see it doing pretty well for itself.

Probably not super great.

Nope. None of my console gamer friends care or know anything about them and I personally think they are too overpriced.

Well the controller has been an underwhelming mess... so probably not.

It may start to make people think more about living room gaming PCs ... but meh....

@Big_Red_Button: You're right about the niche market. PC gamers want the modability and multimedia features on the side, even the portability of laptops if they like that sort of thing. Making a PC console only has a niche appeal to it but given the recent surge in PC gaming and Steam's popularity there's bound to be a following for Steam Machines. I don't see it being a commercial failure.

I dont think so.

The main reason is the same reason PC gaming is kind of annoying now: Driver Compatibility and updates.

Clearly, these systems are marketed to console gamers who want to play PC games.........but the makers of these systems arent doing anything to eliminate this barrier.

Take the Alienware Alpha for example (I have one). The GPU doesnt register as a standard GPU.......thus it cant receive the automatic Nvidia driver updates and you cant download from the site either. There is a special "Alienware Alpha" driver that you have to download from Dell.........and how many people actually know that Dell owns Alienware? You get my drift?

If they are going to do the PC Console, then they are going to have to treat it like a console and actually support it! Use standard PC parts so that the drivers can be updated through the Windows Update service. Pre-install Nvidia Experience or AMD software so that the end user doesnt have to do it.

Having to install all of the software myself was a burden, and im a PC Gamer. Console gamers will find it a barrier to entry.

no, I'd rather just get a gaming PC myself

Nope, and it really sucks. The potential for Steam boxes is incredible. But Valve never think about their ideas before they commit to them. Almost every creative decision made from that company in the past few years has been severely lacking.

Trading cards, paid mods, big picture mode, steam controller, user tags, early access, greenlight, etc. are all sadly undercooked.

They aren't really aimed at anyone. PC gamers want to build rigs themselves and Console gamers are afraid of everything not made by Microsoft or Sony.

If Valve isn't gonna spend money on the Steam Machine, why should we?

I've said this multiple times and i'll say it again: Valve needs to buy PC/Linux ports of games that would otherwise never have a PC version. Cash injections for Relic Entertainment (Dawn of War III), Bandai Namco Studios (Tales of Vesperia, Gundam Extreme VS) and Harmonix (Rock Band 4) would make for a good start.

i "think" (not sure) that you can dual boot windows on it

@Big_Red_Button: add this to your OP maybe? not sure but it seems like you can install windows on it

windows 8 is built in the alienware alpha it seems. you just need to go to desktop mode, here is an official video from alienware:

PC trying to take on consoles directly - thanks for the laugh

it also seems like the base alienware alpha has better graphics/framerate/resolution than the PS4...

I'll be getting one or something similar sooner than later.

Steam box ? No.

But the Steam controller is awesome.

Steam Box (Steam OS) is basically Valve's jab to Windows OS. If it became successful, more games will be made for Linux and less reasons to stay Windows.

If not for DX12, I'd already installed SteamOS/Linux on my system.

I honestly have no idea what the hell they were thinking...though if Half Life 3 came with each steam box then it'll be day one buy

They'll make the Wii U look like a huge success in comparison.

Here is a great video explaining what SteamOS actually is:

You won't get a streamlined console like experience with windows, as it is a high maintenance OS and you will need pull out a keyboard and mouse.

The stability and low maintenance of Linux, the power and versatility of a PC, and the utility of a console. I don't see how it could not be successful.