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I love Valve, I love Steam, but I think this thing is going to fail.
I don't see who their audience is.
PC games can simply move their PC to the living room if it's that big of a deal, and with 1440p and 4k gaming taking over in the PC a dedicated monitor is high up on a PC gamers list vs. hooking up to a TV.
Console gamers, simply aren't interested because the majority feel $500 cost too much for a console and the Steambox is going to be anywhere from $500 - $1,000 based on the specs.
I just don't see a large enough audience for Steambox to succeed in comparison to consoles. I see the hardware, I see the specs., and I see the potential. I just don't see the audience.
The only people who I think would be interested in the Steam Machines are people who are already educated with Valve and PC gaming, but they probably already have powerful enough rigs, so a Steam Machine would be a redundant purchase.
The fact that we're still not seeing a clear use of exclusive features just yet is another issue. Where's the advantage? What does the Steam Box deliver that you can't already find on a console or gaming PC? That will determine how the Steam Machines will do, and right now, it's not looking too bright for them.
But as always, time will tell.
They say they are the anti console. I say they are the anti windows. They will be a great answer and a scapegoat for those who want to get away from windows.
I don't need a steam console cause i have a rig and enjoy having a workstation and game console in one machine. The benefits of a steam console for me are that when i upgrade my pc i can put my old hardware in a steam machine for my brother who is more into console gaming. That's where the whole anti console thing comes into play. Valve is all about freedom and keeping everything open(Like modding and in some senses custom firmware) where as consoles are all about tight restrictions and keeping the platform as closed as possible(no mods,hardware changes, firmware deviations etc.). The ability to have a console that can be adapted to your lifestyle, schedule and level of interest is very thoughtful.
I am mildly interested in the steam box. I think the biggest issue for me is price point and hardware for this one. I have a huge library on steam, and to see this library come to life on my TV in an orderly and neat fashion would be interesting.
I just cant help but imagine how many rounds of updates it is going to take to make the OS seem smooth with the amount of diversity in the Steam gaming library.