@Diegoctba Your point is weak if you consider that two of the biggest sponsors of Gamespot recently have been the next gen console manufacturers. Frankly, I find it refreshing the site is giving any ink at all to Steambox.
@Xenrathe @cratecruncher With so many (non-gamer) pc users abandoning their desktops for tablets and smart phones there is a danger that hardware innovation may slow. Anything that breathes new life into the pc desktop format is a good thing.
Have you played GTA5 yet on your pc? It's way too early to tell where this is going but maybe as console installed base tumbles the exclusive title thing will be a harder sell to publishers.
I recognize the Steam Machine positioning is a bit muddled at this point with so many 3rd party assemblers attempting to compete. But what I don't comprehend is why more than a handful of people would want to buy an inferior device to their current pc rig just so they can play games on a tv. Most would just build their own. It's a tiny niche.
It seems more logical to serve the console only gamers put off by the price, hassle and confusion of pc gaming with a bare-bones pc spec, equivalent to PS4/XB1, at or very near that price point.
One problem may be that the low console prices are subsidized by higher individual game prices. The steam machines won't have that situation because much of the appeal of pc gaming is the lower prices for individual titles. Steam's current growth is based on cheap (!) games.
I think if this steam machine product is going to sell in significant numbers it must compete at the same price as the latest consoles. That's where the volume is and that's why Valve are pushing this project in the first place. Valve already has the customers Peter and Justin mentioned. They want new people to use their services.
Sony and Microsoft consoles are toast. As soon as console buyers realize they can enter the pc game sphere at the price and convenience of a console these little "Steamers" are going to fly off shelves. Valve doesn't want to make money on the hardware. They want millions of console players to start using their Steam service.
Steam Machine is a basic specification that is open source not a single product like the XB1. There were 14 different third party Steam Machines revealed at CES. The Bolt II mentioned in the video is an ultra-high end toy for people who write checks for Lamborghini's. Most of the steam machines will be "competitive with consoles" on price but have better spec's and access to less expensive pc games, etc.
Making fun of worthless games is about the only entertaining thing anyone can do with them. I didn't have any sucky games this year thanks to the gaming press and other gamers steering my funds well away from them. Thanks Gamespot & User reviews!
Consoles, consoles, consoles... I wish Jess would game on her pc more so her news insights are better balanced in 2014. I bet a third of the people here don't even own a console.
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