E-mpire Writes: Before we even get started, it must be acknowledged that Valve's recently announced console/PC hybrid's specifications are a mystery. We are not going to go into spec comparisons or any of that. Rather, we will take a look at some of the known hurdles that Valve and the other console manufacturers are going to have to jump this coming generation, and the potential outcomes.
Blindfolding myself and clicking a Steam page at random would serve me better recommendations than Steam’s algorithm
Hmm, not sure I agree with that. The recommendations I get are usually pretty good, but then again I have pretty large library of games on Steam and hundreds of them in my wish list, along with lots of curators I follow for it to build recommendations off of. On occasion it will throw me a random FIFA game or something I've never bought or shown interest in, but mostly its decent IMO.
Dive into the best Metroidvania games on Steam, from hidden gems to top-rated classics, and embark on unforgettable adventures!
Players can pay to edit their character, resurrect the dead and other actions.
Yet Helldivers 2 gets a pass? Y’know a GotY contender by the name of RE4 had them and so does Devil May Cry V. The funny thing is I enjoyed both of those games thoroughly without having to buy a single microtransaction.
What I do consider a valid complaint is not being able to start a new game or being able to edit your character. That’s kind of a seriously baffling decision, but then I think how I played Dragon’s Dogma 1 and I never edited my character and I just did a 100% playthrough on a single file and didn’t start a NG since. So, I don’t think these are really going to impact me, but I can see how it will others.
I was going to pay full price to support this game because I've been waiting for it for forever but I think I'll wait until I get it for free from Epic or a Humblebundle monthly.
I am not defending Capcom, as I am not a fan of MTX in single player games. I do however belive they were open to reviewers about having MTX in their game. The reviewers just decided to leave that part out. Which is very disingenuous. There are some companies that get away with these things. Image if this was done by EA, Ubisoft, or even Activision? I am positive those defending Capcom, would have had their pitchforks ready if the companies listed above did this
Valve's MAIN source of revenue is STEAM. The "steambox" acts as an extension of the service to people who want to get into PC gaming without the quips and quirks of driver updates and the like. The big 3 on the other hand MUST SELL THEIR CONSOLES as their source of revenue (hence the slim revisions). Valve, by these standards are immune and any steambox sold is simply extra profit on top of the main distribution service which is STEAM.
Secondly, the "steambox" is made by off-the-shelf materials and since STEAM is platform agnostic ANY 3rd party company like Asus/Razer, etc can create their OWN steamboxes which in turn brings more and more people to STEAM which is the end goal. It is not about "beating" or "winning" next-gen. It's about finding alternative ways to make the service more palatable to the potential gaming masses in the living room.
More competition drives more sales, the next xbox or ps4 must find other ways to make the multi-plats favor their side since STEAM supports mods/big picture/dd/kb/mouse/x-game chat/free online and a variety of 3rd party controller support OUT of the box without hassle!
@ DigitalAnalog (Post #1, I accidentally made a new post rather than replying to yours.) You do make a very good point. The points outlined in the article are still just as valid without that info, however. Even without taking the platform agnostic approach into account, the Steam Box still has what it takes to beat the big 3 consoles at their own game. We all know this is a Trojan Horse for Steam much like PS3 was for Blu-Ray. That makes Valve's position in the upcoming console race that much better for them. They really don't have anything to lose, as they don't even have to win. That doesn't mean they won't, however, for the reasons outlined in this article.
Valve will definately not be console king but it might leave its mark! I would rather see Valve than Nintendo along side Sony and Microsoft.
I don't think Valve will be trying to win. They need to get their foot in the door first and establish a nice install base. Stop trying to crystal ball this.