Gaben tells NBC News that he wants to make a Steam console

[DZComposer]

NBC News grabbed Gabe Newell from Valve for an interview concerning a feature coming the Steam Beta next month: a TV-Optimized UI called Big Picture.

This, combined with Valve's sudden embracing of Linux, brings an obvious question, which the NBC interviewer asked: "Is your strategy more to have Steam Big Picture and then if someone wants to build a device that can hook up to a TV that can run Steam, then you're all for that?"

To which The Gaben responded: "Yeah absolutely." Before going on to mention that Valve had approached hardware manufacturers.

Src: http://www.ingame.ms...-tv-fall-948682

If Valve does this, it may be the end of me living in a Nintendo-Console-Only house.

Though more interestingly, it seems like they are making it so anyone can make one, as well. Perhaps a SteamOS will come soon? *Eyes Micro-ATX mobos and µATX Media PC cases*

[Fox-Shot]

It'd be even better if they partnered up with the people who are making that "Ouya" thing, I'd love to see the Ouya guys with Valve backing them.

[DZComposer]

Ouya is Android-based. While there is a Steam Mobile client for Android, I doubt we'll see Steam on it soon. They seem to be focused on GNU/Linux for full client. While Android runs the Linux Kernel, it uses the Android system tools rather than then GNU tools. This means that things written for GNU/Linux will not run on Android/Linux without installing the GNU toolkit on top of it, which would be VERY messy.

Plus, I question whether the Ouya has the power for many Steam games.

Plus, it is a long way to go for Ouya, and the industry has a rather high entry barrier. As much as I love the idea of an open-source console, I have doubts of ultimate success. They may ship some units, but I highly doubt it will be a hit. Even in the Open Source community, as the AAA games will all be proprietary.

[Steve]

I'd rather have steam doing a dedicated steam OS for PCs. Imagine gaming on PC without having to share resources with windows.

[Wes]

It better use a keyboard and mouse. Also about Valve embracing Linux, I really don't understand where all the hate about Windows 8 is coming from. Surely Metro can't be the sole reason to want to want to stray game developement from Windows to Linux (Assuming that would actually happen). I've used Windows 8 and while I think removing fundamental Windows features like the start menu and replacing it with Metro is a bad idea, after a while of using Metro it really isn't that hard to get used to. From what I've seen, Windows 8 is lightyears ahead of Windows 7 in terms of speed and reliability.

[Dublinthefox]

It better use a keyboard and mouse.

From what I've read it can use both.

[CrypticQuery]

Agreed on the necessary keyboard/mouse support, though I do think that a Steam console would need some serious thought put into it - should it be closed to allow for easier game production because everyone is running off of the same specs, or open and user-upgradeable like a PC? And if so, wouldn't that just make it a PC minus a non-Valve OS?

And I thought I'd share this. When I was walking toward baggage claim in LaGuardia airport here in NY [spent the month of July in Georgia], I saw a rather large woman that looked almost identical to Gabe Newell, though she had long hair. Scary, yes, hilarious, yes as well. :lol: