Valve’s Gabe Newell talks wearable computers, why consoles should open up, and game ownership

Penny-arcade writes: "What we found during our conversation with the man himself is that those titles don’t mean much of anything, and he’s willing to throw his support behind whatever projects needs his help on a day to day basis. Valve has a unique structure… if you can even call it a structure."

[PSVITAlitysensor]

Wow this will be SO MUCH better than Sony & MS imho. Portal, Half Life, Counter Strike, Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead as the first party games and steam as the online structure?.... Brilliant!

PLEASE START MAKING CONSOLES VALVE!!!

[Daver]

maybe you should think about buying a PC......

[SamPao]

hahaha true story :D

[ATi_Elite]

Best reply i have ever read!

Bubbles+ Well Said!

[malol]

im a PC gamer and a valve fan
they should just keep on the current track

focus on PC
make few cash ins on consoles
both sides happy

and BTW i like his new epic beard and he seems he lost wight :D

[Snookies12]

@malol - Haha, his beard makes me think of George Lucas... XD

[blind-reaper]

yeah he went from "fat nerd" to "old wise men"

[MAJ0R]

He kind of reminds me more of Robin Williams with his beard lol

[MaxXAttaxX]

That's the most pointless idea ever.

All of those games are already on PS3/360.
For Valve to make their own console just to have those games as first party titles... makes no sense... just play on PC if you want Steam or consoles.

[tee_bag242]

@ Daver - Maybe he already has a PC. I myself do but would also like to see more innovation in consoles. I dont see this happening but Id definitely support a valve console.

[Daver]

@tee_bag242

Then what you want is more innovations with PC because theres more innovations with consoles than there are with PCs.
PCs have more "power" but innovations is not related with PCs

[Kurt Russell]

Nah, I would happily see a valve/steam console... Have it on my PC but would love the convenience of a console instead.

[PetitPiPi]

But dude, Valve's games won't be exclusive to their console! Nobody wants to play multiplatform games. /s

[SilentNegotiator]

I really don't think any Valve fans (that think the implications through) WANT them to start focusing on a console.

[MsclMexican]

The day we get wearable computers is 10 years before we get Half Life 3..

-_-

(come on prove me wrong, and show us you can count to 3... plz :0)

EDIT: reads article about Gabes response to HL3

"We are ACUTELY aware of our fans demand for HL3."

Acutely= slightly or small

Me: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuu

[Persistantthug]

go to dictionary.com if you need to get more clarity on the term.

[MsclMexican]

@Persianthug...

sorry, was using the math term for Acute angles...

but yeah on topic... really want HL3

[jeeves86]

Even in math, acute means a sharp angle.

[dark-hollow]

he looks like george lucas.

[DeadManMcCarthy]

more like robin williams.

[MaxXAttaxX]

For Valve to make their own console just to have those games as first party titles... makes no sense... just play on PC or any consoles.

[RedDead]

They suck on those systems though, compared to the PC Version. You know they way some games are made specifically for a gamepad in mind? It's the other way around for those ones and the Mand K shine with them. Not to forget Mods.

[MaxXAttaxX]

Suck? Are you kidding? Not even "in comparison".

And what do mods have to do with it? A game's quality shouldn't be determined by after-market mods.
They're first-person games. It's not an alien concept to consoles. It's been around for years.

Such BS statement.

[Voxelman]

He wasn't talking about a platform he was talking about hardware for the biometric/wearable computing stuff they have been working on as there currently isn't that hardware out there yet.

[FinaLXiii]

im seeying it.

[r21]

wow, gabe looks cooler with a grey beard and hair. anyways, arent valve a software focused company or am i wrong?

[CynicalVision]

You're not wrong, they're completely software focused. I don't think it would work out well for them suddenly switching to hardware. Sure they make a lot of money, but it would cost billions for them to invest in something like this.

[superrey19]

it worked out just fine for Microsoft :)

[r21]

cool :D pretty sure they should stay software only. if they made a console, they'd only be limiting themselves. their games evolve just as pc do, if you know what i mean.

[ZippyZapper]

superrey19 but like CynicalVision said MS spent billions to do it.

[kneon]

It would cost billions to get into the console market today unless it's just a repackaged PC. And Valve has close to 0 recognition among the general public, it would be hard for them to go beyond just the hardcore gamers that already know who they are.

Their only chance would be to partner with an existing hardware company, or as I said above sell a repackaged PC in a living room friendly case.

[CynicalVision]

@superrey

You're comparing a company as big as Microsoft with Valve, you can't do that.

[ritsuka666]

new visual of Gabe Newel lol

[dredgewalker]

I like the new image, it makes him look wiser and destroys any fat jokes always associated with his old pictures.

[DarkBlood]

why not? they make enough money as it is to support this structure

they could go with being a upgradable specs console , might be pricey but you'll get the dedicated pc experince in console form unrestricted of course

[fossilfern]

id buy a valve console!

[CynicalVision]

Santa now works at Valve? Interesting. :3

[admiralthrawn87]

steam console? sweet. please do

[MagicAccent]

Steam console? Maybe maybe...

I've yet to see someone outsmart Valve.

[banner]

well that kinda shocked me...

good to know that someone else that makes great games will step up to the hardware making if they had to..

[tee_bag242]

I agree. I think their is room for more competition as long as its innovative and open.

[Danlisa]

Just me or a chunky Robin Williams?

Anyway, if the world around Gabe ain't up to scratch, why not have Valve develop hardware? It might be just the wake up call the industry needs.

[LightofDarkness]

I guess they'd call it "Steam Engine" or something like that. Or, in an ideal world, the "Steamer."

[Ace_Man_6]

Holy shit, look at Gabe now! D:

[matey]

i'll stick with a WiiU guys people will be gob smacked with F-Zero/Zelda/Metroid/ in full HD 1080p native wow,Origin and Steam are heading to WiiU.

WiiU will be the beast Next-Gen end of after seing the small details so far it craps all over ps3/pc,that panaramic demo was awesome it really shows the kind of interaction you will have in OpenWorld games awesome stuff.

Nintendo have been around 4 120 years plus,and turned a profit every year,there 1 of the most innovative company's out there FULL STOP and there very self aware EA/Valve/Capcom/Ubisoft will tell you this they will blow you away with there new console at E3.

[Fishy Fingers]

Phew... I was starting to think I'd never read another Nintendo fanboys rant. Who'd of thought I'd find salvation in a Valve thread.

Keep up the, unrelated, work.

[StanSmith]

Ssssssshhhhhhhhhhh Matey, take your pills and have a nice nap.

[DiRtY]

I think this would fail. It would probably be a good machine but it just won't do the trick. Valve as a company has not the money to step into the ring against Nintendo, Sony and MS. Look at all the losses the PS3 made for Sony (the ones of the original Xbox would even be enough). Valve would be broke and MS would acquire them and totally own the PC gaming market.

Sony just spent 50 million USD to market the Vita launch in the US. probably the same amount will be spent for Europe and 10 - 15 million for Japan. Valve does not have the money to promote their hardware.

I think Apple and Samsung are the most likely candidates to go for the gaming business.

[ZippyZapper]

Isn't a Steam console that thing I have hooked up to my TV called a PC?

[Droid Control]

How about you mke a next gen engine first valve?

Source is getting more than a litle creaky now...

[IaMs12]

We already have a console for Valve, its called a PC. Go download Steam, viola theres your console.

Do what you gotta do Valve. Im curious to see where you go with your open minds. Thats why i like Valve, they think out of the box, creatively.

[THC CELL]

Wont work nuff said

[OC_MurphysLaw]

As much as I love Valve, I don't want to see "Another" console into the market. If they want to make their own branded PC/Laptop..totally fine with that...but not a console. Between MS, Sony, Nintendo, PC and to a lesser extent Onlive the hardware space is saturated to the point that its becoming "too much" for the consumer to try and support all platforms.

[maniac76]

haha id like to see another dedicated gaming console try and make it

[beastlysensation]

what would be amazing would be a steam OS. Id buy that in a second.

[FrigidDARKNESS]

Lmao at valve wants to do a gaming console......no one will support it and not very many people will buy it.

[ATi_Elite]

Ok who opened up a Portal and let Dr. Breen in? Was that you Vort or was it Barney?

the Only hardware i wanna see Valve make is a working Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator!

or a working Ar2 with Dark energy launcher.

[Rifkens]

Gaben looks so cool

[madara0sama]

He looks like a boss.

[mkgt21]

i think hes hinting at consoles using steam as their OS, wouldnt be a bad idea for Sony to partner with valve for PS4. They already have cross plat and steam integration for portal 2.

Full steam integration on a new console (with large Hard drives of course) would also fix that supposed used game issue as well.

[gypsygib]

STFU and give me Half-Life 3

[Raoh]

counter strike cross platform gaming between ps3 and pc with Playstation 3 controller/Playstation Move Controller/Keyboard and Mouse support with skill level based match making..

the future is already here..

I'm just waiting/hoping valve announces that the ps3 version will also support mods like epic's unreal tournament 3 did..

[CaptainSheep]

Gabe Newell's watching meeeee!

[CrzyFooL]

DAT BEARD

[Tyre]

What he stands for is exactly the opposite what Onlive is bringing. Onlive represents a closed system OUT OF OUR HANDS. Go Valve ur the greatest and on our side. U know what's best for gamers instead of the suits

[NYC_Gamer]

I believe Valve and Sony will work together a lot more in the future to expand the psn experience.MS on the other hand won't come around and will keep their xbl closed

[GraveLord]

I do hope consoles become more open like Windows. That way I can pirate my games easily. I'd be saving hundreds of dollars a year!

[Tyre]

Why state that, that's not what he means...and not what i mean. U lack imagination and state the obvious. We need a better way to keep systems open. Closing everything/censoring isn't the solution...like Sopa wasn't.

[snake_eater]

badass Gabe is badass

[jaklink]

Gabe's beard = WIN

[Kakihara]

That's not a beard you fools, it's frosting.

Ps. Yes, I do deserve disagrees for that I know. I love Gabe, I just couldn't resist the allure of the bad joke.