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Gabe Newell Hints At Linux Gaming Hardware Announcement Next Week
Speaking at LinuxCon in New Orleans, Valve co-founder and managing director Gabe Newell made some surprising statements and hinted at an announcement next week. While Linux gaming is currently only a small portion of the Steam user profile, Newell is confident that the platform is going to be a major player.
According to an Ars Technica report, Newell stated that Valve is going to ensure that Linux has a place in gaming's future. Newell didn't reference the long anticipated Steam Box by name, but given the thrust of his talk about rivaling living room consoles, new information about the device wouldn't be surprising.
Last year, Newell called Windows 8 a "catastrophe," citing the operating system as a closed platform.
[Source: Ars Technica]
Our Take
The time is right for an affordable living room computer that can take advantage of Steam's Big Picture mode. If Valve is able to bring a device to market that rivals the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and can compete on price, the company may sway people who aren't PC gamers because they prefer the couch to the computer chair.
Given Steam's library and the frequent sales, a Steam Box might have a benefit for console die-hards, too. Anything that introduces competition into the fight for the living room is likely to yield cost benefits for the end user.
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