Steam rolls out official marketing launch of all things SteamOS, including hardware

[CPA]

Well, here's Steam's marketing announcement of all the new equipment being rolled out this November.

Didn't realize they would have a VR system and "Steam Link". Also surprised over the number of manufacturer's of SteamOS systems.

 

[futurefields]

In about 3-4 years when these consoles are looking like crap compared to even a low end PC possibly even with integrated graphics I think this is going to pay off big for Valve/Steam co.

 

[Red Storm]

I was pretty surprised to see some big name games coming to Steam OS. That's great to see, should get more and more devs to come aboard.

With all the Steam gear and nVidia's Shield stuff I'm just going to sit back and wait it out to see which evolves the best.

 

[RampantAndroid]

In about 3-4 years when these consoles are looking like crap compared to even a low end PC possibly even with integrated graphics I think this is going to pay off big for Valve/Steam co.

When steam boxes cost as much as a console (more - aren't some 5-600 USD?), what's the point? MS & Sony could easily compete by refreshing hardware every 3-4 years and be...well, basically equal to a steam box.

Add in the Intel Compute Stick and WHY would you buy the steam remote thing?

 

[postmortemIA]

When steam boxes cost as much as a console (more - aren't some 5-600 USD?), what's the point? MS & Sony could easily compete by refreshing hardware every 3-4 years and be...well, basically equal to a steam box.

Add in the Intel Compute Stick and WHY would you buy the steam remote thing?

Are you sure that steambox is competing with consoles? I'd think that their market is primarily PC users, and secondarily taking as much as they can from consoles. The reasoning would be that Valve is driver of PC gaming rebirth in last few years.

 

[Texashiker]

When steam boxes cost as much as a console (more - aren't some 5-600 USD?), what's the point? MS & Sony could easily compete by refreshing hardware every 3-4 years and be...well, basically equal to a steam box.

When console games go on sale for 75% - 90% off let me know.

One of the big selling points of steam is the steam sales. Why should I buy a full priced console version of Skyrim when I can get it on sale for $10 off steam?

 

[RampantAndroid]

When console games go on sale for 75% - 95% off let me know.

One of the big selling points of steam is the steam sales. Why should I buy a full priced console version of Skyrim when I can get it on sale for $10 off steam?

And how many of those will be on this steam box? I don't see this pulling console gamers who invested in an existing ecosystem. I see PC gamers using the steam streaming functionality...not buying a less powerful gaming system.

 

[Texashiker]

And how many of those will be on this steam box? I don't see this pulling console gamers who invested in an existing ecosystem. I see PC gamers using the steam streaming functionality...not buying a less powerful gaming system.

You are thinking short term.

The steam page says something like 4,500 games on the steam os.

The steam console will be the nail in the coffin for consoles. Why should anyone buy a console and pay full price for games when they can get the steam console and get access to 90% discounts.

You really think playstation and xbox are going to match the steam deep discounted sale price of games?

 

[frozentundra123456]

Why would anyone buy a console? Plenty of reasons, pretty much the same reasons people buy consoles now: Console exclusive games for one. I also doubt they will be able to sell a steam machine for a console price that will be able to play games at console levels. Also the ability to play split screen on one machine, which most pc games wont do. As well as the ability to play online with friends who already have consoles.

Honestly, i dont think steam machines will change much. I am sure there will be steam fans and microsoft haters that will embrace it, but otherwise, it is just a gimped SFF pc that probably will not be any cheaper and no windows OS to do other tasks. I also expect DX 12 will negate any performance advantage Steam OS would have brought. If valve can bring out exclusives or convince devs to do so that would be a plus, but it seems like a small market, but valve has plenty of money to throw at them.

 

[cyphilis]

I was running Steam OS on a home built Steam Machine but there were only 2 games I played that would run on steam OS in my game inventory. I switched back to Windows 8.1 to be able to play all of my steam games,. but if they could bring more over I'd be for it. The games seem to run smoother in Steam OS then Windows and I liked the layout of it all.

 

[Jodell88]

Why would anyone buy a console? Plenty of reasons, pretty much the same reasons people buy consoles now: Console exclusive games for one. I also doubt they will be able to sell a steam machine for a console price that will be able to play games at console levels. Also the ability to play split screen on one machine, which most pc games wont do. As well as the ability to play online with friends who already have consoles.

Honestly, i dont think steam machines will change much. I am sure there will be steam fans and microsoft haters that will embrace it, but otherwise, it is just a gimped SFF pc that probably will not be any cheaper and no windows OS to do other tasks. I also expect DX 12 will negate any performance advantage Steam OS would have brought. If valve can bring out exclusives or convince devs to do so that would be a plus, but it seems like a small market, but valve has plenty of money to throw at them.

Windows has DirectX 12, other OSes have Vulkan.

 

[Lonyo]

Well, here's Steam's marketing announcement of all the new equipment being rolled out this November.

Didn't realize they would have a VR system and "Steam Link". Also surprised over the number of manufacturer's of SteamOS systems.

It says that it's the developer edition available in "Spring".
Bear in mind that Oculus developer kits have been out for 18 months or something since V1 and they launched V2, maybe don't get so excited about VR that soon.

 

[Lonyo]

When console games go on sale for 75% - 90% off let me know.

One of the big selling points of steam is the steam sales. Why should I buy a full priced console version of Skyrim when I can get it on sale for $10 off steam?

Consoles have used games, and you can buy used and then re-sell used.

 

[ControlD]

Honestly I think the most exciting thing Steam unveiled was that small streaming adapter that hooks up to your television (The Steam Link). I think that is going to be a killer device and is exactly what I am looking for.

 

[Rakehellion]

You are thinking short term.

The steam page says something like 4,500 games on the steam os.

The steam console will be the nail in the coffin for consoles. Why should anyone buy a console and pay full price for games when they can get the steam console and get access to 90% discounts.

You really think playstation and xbox are going to match the steam deep discounted sale price of games?

The Steam Box still costs more and you can't sell your games when you're done playing them.

 

[EDUSAN]

a +$100 steambox console price is like... less than 2 console games.

In the very short term the higher price of a steambox will start being actually cheaper AND cheaper the more time and more games you buy.

you dont need to sell your games when you are done playing them on steam, the games are so cheap that everyone bought them. Indie games go into the 75% discount in a month, and AAA games go into 75% in about 6 months. Even 1 month after release the AAA games are cheaper than in any console.

If steamboxes are as easy to use as consoles and are as friendly... and if exclusive titles keep being this bad as they have been lately for the consoles, then i can see steamboxes being a success.

I wont get it cause i made my own steambox with wireless controllers/keyboard/mouse and a big tv on the living room connected to my pc by a hdmi cable, but if valve says hl3 will come to steambox then... THERE I GO!

 

[RampantAndroid]

a +$100 steambox console price is like... less than 2 console games.

In the very short term the higher price of a steambox will start being actually cheaper AND cheaper the more time and more games you buy.

you dont need to sell your games when you are done playing them on steam, the games are so cheap that everyone bought them. Indie games go into the 75% discount in a month, and AAA games go into 75% in about 6 months. Even 1 month after release the AAA games are cheaper than in any console.

If steamboxes are as easy to use as consoles and are as friendly... and if exclusive titles keep being this bad as they have been lately for the consoles, then i can see steamboxes being a success.

I wont get it cause i made my own steambox with wireless controllers/keyboard/mouse and a big tv on the living room connected to my pc by a hdmi cable, but if valve says hl3 will come to steambox then... THERE I GO!

Indie games get so cheap because no one buys them beyond a certain point, really.

Steamboxes won't be $100...ever. Unless you're playing cell phone games. Serious PC games will require these more expensive systems, given that much of the reason consoles can be so cheap is they are an integrated system. Moreover, the fact that a SB isn't a set in stone spec for hardware, you're still going to need to worry about settings. The question of "can my SB run this" or "what settings are best" will still exist. An advantage of consoles is that it doesn't exist. The game says XB1 or PS4 so, yes. You can run it. The only settings are sensitivity and gamma. I don't see a SB doing that without becoming just another console.

 

[SLU Aequitas]

Indie games get so cheap because no one buys them beyond a certain point, really.

Steamboxes won't be $100...ever. Unless you're playing cell phone games. Serious PC games will require these more expensive systems, given that much of the reason consoles can be so cheap is they are an integrated system. Moreover, the fact that a SB isn't a set in stone spec for hardware, you're still going to need to worry about settings. The question of "can my SB run this" or "what settings are best" will still exist. An advantage of consoles is that it doesn't exist. The game says XB1 or PS4 so, yes. You can run it. The only settings are sensitivity and gamma. I don't see a SB doing that without becoming just another console.

He was talking about the likely $100 price difference.

 

[EDUSAN]

He was talking about the likely $100 price difference.

This.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I don't get how steam will handle increasing game system requirements? I imagine they could only show games that run on the box in the steam app.

 

[EDUSAN]

I don't get how steam will handle increasing game system requirements? I imagine they could only show games that run on the box in the steam app.

i see this working the same way for consoles.
Games will increasingly require better hardware, but they will be tested in the low-end steamboxes. If they run well in there, graphics will only get better the better steambox you have.
If a game can run in xboxone/ps4, it should run the same in steambox (and look better if your steambox can handle it)

 

[Stringjam]

I see a disadvantage with using the mobile GPUs in that they can't be upgraded, especially for the higher end $1000 boxes. You're starting to reach a point with that price where the only advantage is form factor over building a typical gaming PC, where components are easily upgradable.

EDIT: Noticed that there are many other vendors offering non-M GPUs. Basically desktops though, with prices at or above a similar gaming PC.

 

[Homerboy]

Steam Link is interesting to me.

The only games I'd want to play on my TV in my living room (or even bedroom?) are those that can be played with a game controller. I just can not find a good way to use KB/mouse in any other setting than at a desk.

 

[Skel]

Does this mean that we'll stop hearing about games having shitty PC ports and will now hear how they have shitty Steam ports?

 

[Genx87]

Honestly I think the most exciting thing Steam unveiled was that small streaming adapter that hooks up to your television (The Steam Link). I think that is going to be a killer device and is exactly what I am looking for.

This is also the most interesting thing for me. Im assuming we can us KB + Mouse with this thing?