[The E]

So, as you might have seen while reading the assorted gaming news media, Valve is apparently gearing up to release either a pre-built PC similar to the Alienware X51, a common hardware standard, or both.

This, I believe, is awesome. It's basically the same idea that was purported to be at the heart of the Phantom console (which was a giant scam that imploded after a few years), being a net-enabled, PC-compatible thingie you can hook up to the TV.

I, for one, would rather buy one of these puppies than invest in the next Playstation or XBox.

Oh, btw. There's an article on Kotaku that's hilariously paranoid, because they've somehow forgotten that Valve is not going to roll out their own, windows-compatible operating system to go with the thing.

[MatthTheGeek]

Obligatory "Steam is bad" derail.

Moving on.

[pecenipicek]

I demandeteth some linkses.

[The E]

Despite the hilarious fear mongering: http://kotaku.com/valve-console/
Also: http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/2/2840932/exclusive-valve-steam-box-gaming-console

[swashmebuckle]

Huh, what price could they market something like that at?  Would the idea be that the hardware could be upgraded by the user to the next approved "generation" or whatever like on a PC?  Looks more appealing than a console to me, assuming it doesn't cost twice as much...

[General Battuta]

i hope this includes that biometric feedback gameplay system gabe was getting all sweaty about a couple years ago

ps when i replayed half life 2 episode 3 recently my girlfriend referred to combine advisors as 'the gabes'

[MP-Ryan]

ps when i replayed half life 2 episode 3 recently my girlfriend referred to combine advisors as 'the gabes'

I assume that was a typo.

[Mongoose]

Or wishful thinking.

What I think is funny about this is that Gabe just mentioned in a recent interview that Valve would get into the hardware business "if they had to"...and then a week later this news breaks.  Guess it was a very quick need.

[Scotty]

ps when i replayed half life 2 episode 3 recently my girlfriend referred to combine advisors as 'the gabes'

I assume that was a typo.

or batts just trollin' like he does.

[General Battuta]

sorry i'll fix my post to say half life 3 episode 2

[Nuke]

the less proprietary a piece of tech is, the more likely i will want one. id rather have an open source console. ive seen several open source handhelds, other 8 and 16 bit equivalent hardware.  its only a matter of time before somone puts together an open source gpu, though 2d sprite engines have already been done (fpga ftw). a less closed console would be ok, but i really want something that you have full control over, that i can mod without impunity, that i can reproduce provided i can source the parts, anyone can dev games for it without any licensing fees, and no one can say you cant do that.

[Scourge of Ages]

Because everybody loves to read topical web comics,

[MatthTheGeek]

What I think is funny about this is that Gabe just mentioned in a recent interview that Valve would get into the hardware business "if they had to"...and then a week later this news breaks.  Guess it was a very quick need.

Reverse Valve Time (tm).

[Colonol Dekker]

ps when i replayed half life 2 episode 3 recently my girlfriend referred to combine advisors as 'the gabes'

I assume that was a typo.

I googled Episode 3 release thinking i'd somehow missed it while doing army crap/girls 



EDIT -

How interesting's this related subject matter??