Randy Pitchford: Sony and Microsoft Have Nothing to Worry About With The Steam Machines

Before and after the announcement of the upcoming Steam Machines by Valve many wondered if the contents of said announcement were going to make a dent on the traditional home console market. According to Gearbox Software President Randy Pitchford that’s not going to happen.

[Thatguy-310]

Consoles are a lot more mainstream. This caters to the people that play on pc

[Abriael]

See, my problem with it is that it's hard to see to whom it caters. As a PC gamer, I feel completely uninterested. Why would I want to play my PC games, made for PC, on something else, with a controller?

[-Foxtrot]

"Why would I want to play my PC games, made for PC, on something else, with a controller?"

True

and why would console gamers want to game on a PC like product with a dodgy controller that's not like something they are used to and probably never will get used to since they will be spilting their time between that, the PS4 and possibly the Xbox One/Wii U.

I don't think Valve has thought this out very well

[elhebbo16]

I dunno there is probably a middle catagory of people who like the idea... personally the controller is the only thing that interests me. everything else is like "couldn't I just buy a mid-end gaming PC?"

[ShinMaster]

SteamOS/Steam Machines compete with Windows PCs, not consoles.

Mystery Solved.

[Fishy Fingers]

You don't have to use a pad. You'll still be able to use your preferred input method that you use now and if they deliver on the performance increase over windows, THAT will be my reason as a PC gamer to use steamos (making it a Steambox). At least as a dual boot with windows 7. If I'm already playing on steam on windows, why not cut the middle man opt for those extra free frames per second :)

[starchild]

Guys, this is for gamers who are interested in PC gaming, but have tended to feel a little intimidated by some aspects of PC gaming.

I have seen lots of concerns expressed over the years in which people said they were intrigued by PC gaming, but they are used to a controller and they want to play from the comfort of their couch in the living room. They also want the UI and all that to be straightforward.

Valve is simply trying to streamline PC gaming to make it more appealing to a wider demographic.

I think it has a very good shot of doing exactly that. Consoles will be fine, but this WILL likely expand PC gaming.

[Einhert]

NO it caters to people who would like to get into PC gaming but who are put off by the complexity of it.

It caters to people who want a device as powerful as a PC that can be placed comfortably in the living room under a TV.

As for the controller it is on the cusp of new technology that none of you have had the chance to experience, its not a tracking pad like on a laptop, it uses advanced static feedback and developers have said good things about it while none of you have had any experience with it.

It is basically an open sourced console and there is a market for it, I would like to think Gabe Newell has a better grasp on the industry than a few yobs on N4G that badmouth anything that isn't Sony.

[Abriael]

"It is basically an open sourced console and there is a market for it"

So said the ones that made Ouya.

[starchild]

Abriael, I usually respect your comments, but this one is a head-scratcher.

You honestly don't think Ouya and the Steam Machines are comparable do you?

Ouya is a cheap box made by a no-name start up whose purpose is to play simple android games. The Steam machines are backed by one of the most successful companies in gaming and have the obvious purpose to make PC gaming more appealing and straightforward for people previously intimidated by PC gaming.

[Fishy Fingers]

Ouya wasn't manufactured by one of the biggest names in gaming with a 2000+ back catalog of just about every game from small indies titles to AAAs with a billion dollars to back it up.

It's a far cry from kickstarter.

[ForgivenZombie]

I believe it's the opposite, I think they're trying to get console gamers comfortable with the pc platform by making it feel very similar to a console.

[snake_eater]

Randy who?

[BABY-JEDI]

You know. The guy who gave us all the shit fest called Alien Colonial Marines! Surely you haven't forgotten about this already?

[pwnsause_returns]

he was also the guy who forced sony's hand on pushing for 8GB GDDR5 http://www.playstationlifes...

[Bigpappy]

I agree with Randy.

[Brix90]

Especially after launching at the terrible price of $899.

http://m.ign.com/articles/2...

[KwietStorm_BLM]

That's not the same thing.

[Fishy Fingers]

Should of scrolled down the homepage some more :)

Xi3′s Piston “not a Steam box,” branded as a $1,000 console

http://m.n4g.com/news/13648...

But yeah, terrible price still. Feet of engineering though.

[Brix90]

@fishy fingers

I see what all the disagrees are about now. I thought the piston was labeled a steam box.

[Fishy Fingers]

Fair mistake to make. It is called Piston after all and just like any PC, you'll be able to put SteamOS on it. Effectively making it a steam box.

Clearly bit of marketing on their part to ride some Steambox rumour mill coat tails maybe.

[Fishy Fingers]

Can't really see the Steam box gaining much mainstream attention outside of they're current fan base (PC gamers), at least not for a few years.

[MadLad]

Seems to me that the person this caters to most is perhaps the gamer somewhat interested in PC gaming, but not interested in all aspects of it, nor the idea of building a PC.
It's just a more console-like PC gaming experience used to pull in those who are on the fence.
Again, the only way I see this really taking off is by Valve themselves taking a hit on the price of hardware, much like as is seen with Microsoft and Sony, in the hopes of garnering a larger user base and then making their money back through the sale of games via Steam.
Otherwise, like many seem to feel here . . . I don't really see a large market for them with this.

[ShinMaster]

"It's just a more console-like PC gaming experience used to pull in those who are on the fence."

And I think it might just work if the price is right. $600 would probably do it for me. Not willing to spend any more on a computer.

[Einhert]

Sorry randy, better get back to outsourcing terrible games at ol gearbox

Meanwhile Valve are trying to create a platform that will be a safety net for PC gaming should MS ever close off windows.

[qzp]

you can believe everything that comes out of his mouth...

[skydragoonity]

As a console gamer, I'm interested in steam because I've always wanted to venture into the pc world of gaming cus it has so many good games. This machine gives me the opportunity

[Soldierone]

Because the Steam Machines are confusing and will be hard to market. People were interesting in a Valve console, something that would last 3 to 5 years and cost less than a PC, or something that could be cheaply upgraded to keep up with PC games.

This doesn't do that. You still need a good PC. It doesn't really offer anything beyond streaming to a TV. All it really is, is protection for Valve to keep PC gaming alive. Which is respectable since MS is getting out of hand with Windows....

Its not a threat to console gaming, because its just a new form of PC gaming.

[marcofdeath]

Microsoft officially admits that it has upgraded Xbox ones CPU and GPU are caught a few weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/albertp...

http://www.gameora.com/tag/...

[Mikey94]

PS4 crashes to a Windows 7 screen lol way to go Sony is ok for them to do it but not Microsoft huh.

[cunnilumpkin]

consoles only need to worry about the declining console business in general

pc has been increasing every year since 2010 dramatically

it goes at its own pace and runs in constant evolution

pc gaming makes more money than ps3 and 360 combined

sony and ms have been losing money to pc for a long, long time!

http://www.gamingenthusiast...

this trend will continue

[stamps79]

When I see SM around 400/550.00 price tag, that's when I'll be more interested.

I would like to see a company bring something like this to the table. You would have a starting price at 400.00 and you would have 4 tiers for what type of system you want.

Medium 400/600.00 1080/720P 30+FPS
High 600.00/800.00 1080P 30/60FPS
Ultra 800/1000.00 1080P 60+ FPS
GOD 1000/1500.00 4K/1080P 60+ FPS

[FantasyStar]

That business model is nonsense. You're basically turning Valve into another Alienware. And the latter got bought out by Dell.

[1nsomniac]

Although I agree the Steam machine wont effect Microsoft & Sony Sales although I dont think the Steam box will fail either. I don't think anyone listens or respects Randy Pitchfords opinion!

[jmc8888]

Is Randy Pitchford deciding this based on actual in-game footage or is he spouting off with his mouth again.

Aliens Colonial Marines says hi.

[gamertk421]

These machines are for console gamers who are jealous of those crazy steam sales!

[Trekster_Gamer]

Who the F even listens to this lying jerk after the whole Aliens: Colonial Marines fiasco!!!!

[Rageanitus]

Goes the other way also. PC gaming industry does not have to worry about consoles either.

[xxxGEOxxx]

Ok, wondering if someone can possibly answer this, would we be able to run the Steam OS on PS4 or Xbox One? Forgive me if this sounds like a dumb question, but I'm completely PC illiterate other than using it for work.

[ForgivenZombie]

I think it's interesting, if the price is right it may convert me or at least open up pc gaming to me. I think it would help pc gaming with the ability to play from your couch on the big screen.

[mochachino]

Uh oh, that means they'l be expensive.

[aviator189]

Valve's plans will probably amount to nothing more than a niche following.
I'd rather they just concentrate more on making games.

[Mr Tretton]

Sony and MS will make their own 'SteamMachines' several years from now. Valve is just the only one in the position to get ahead of the curve.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Keep telling yourself that Randy.

[LiQuiZoN]

Valve innovates continually as they are not a publically traded company. Gabe has shown how much foresight he has. He is a great CEO and certainly a visionary. Even the idea of "Steam Trading Cards". Sony and Microsoft will copy that idea for sure. I don't even heavily participate in the steam community but I can tell you that their is quite a large one.

I've already signed up for the beta program. Hopefully I'll get to try the controller out on my steam library.