Is this a bad time for Valve to launch Steam Machines?

[zarx]

kabamarutr said:

1. Ι believe I have seen somewhere the concept of 3 standard setups. You'll have to allow me some time to find a link, if I can find at all. Anyway, that's what has spurred my question.

2. I agree. Based on that, I ask myself (and you in want of making a conversation), "if a large amount of users buy a steam machine, will we not see more games developped with standard specs in mind? Will it not mean that even less games exploit a high end PC?"

3. I really cannot answer anything to that. I have no relevant information at my disposal. It is perhaps too early.

 

It is a thought, that Valve is trying to pass a message here: "You dont'need a console! You can have a PC for gaming! What? It doesn't suit well to your classy living room? No problem! Here is a decent-looking box that suits fine.".

Anyway, it is a machine adressed to gamers, as are all consoles. The target group is somewhat different, but they are still gamers. When confronted with a "living room" solution, will they choose a Steam Machine, or get "crushed" under the PS4 tsunami?

There was talk of 3 Tiers (Streambox, mid teir gaming and enthusiest) not 3 specs, there will be a veriaty of different configurations in each teir. And it's not like manufacturers aren't going to update the specs each year either. Keep in mind Valve will have multiple partners. Here is the list of different parts for the first batch of test units

Here’s the specs per Valve:

GPU: some units with NVidia Titan, some GTX780, some GTX760, and some GTX660
CPU: some boxes with Intel : i7-4770, some i5-4570, and some i3
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 (CPU), 3GB DDR5 (GPU)
Storage: 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD
Power Supply: Internal 450w 80Plus Gold
Dimensions: approx. 12 x 12.4 x 2.9 in high

They have already said that their will be further configurations down the road including AMD hardware. There will be no fixed hardware spec to optimise against. The lowest spec configeration is at least as powerful as a PS4 anyway. If anything if anything SteamMachines will raise the bar for game spec targets, as most PC gamers are running far less powerful hardware than that now.

SteamMachines are for people that want to play PC games on a box designed for a living room TV environment. It is an alternative to a console (and in some ways a traditional PC) but it's not directly competing with either. It's trying to carve out a new niche that will expand the reach of Steam. I don't see any huge marketing push or big launch events, they are not going to have an E3 conference, they are not going to have lavish AAA exclusive games. I really don't see these boxes competing with the big consoles in terms of raw numbers. But they don't have to be to be a success, I think there is a market for these device and that market will find these devices. I also think that they can coexist with Consoles, they are an extentension of the existing PC/Steam ecosystem not a new Console ecosystem.

I belive that there is an audiance that does want a PC with a nice box that plugs into the TV and works well with a controler. That allows them to play PC games and get all the perks (mods, steam sales, free online play, configerable settings etc etc) that come along with that. I don't think that a large number of people will buy a Steambox instead of a console period, as they are still offering a different experiance to a console. And it will definatly be a slow rollout with a gradual rollout, Valve is playing the long game here.