Steam started out as a cool new way to buy PC games...the Steam sales are great.
BUT... with Steam getting into the hardware side of it, I see a problem.
Their machines are made to play with a controller and with their big picture mode, they are trying to have their cake and eat it too.
People will one day not be playing PC games with their desktop, but on their fat asses on the couch.
This leads to a change in gaming with less intricate games(whos going to read tons of RPG "stuff" across the room on their TV'S?
With your controller in hand Devs will shy away from making KB/M as the primary way to interact with the games we love..
Any thoughts?
At each and every release of a console it is claimed it will spell the end of PC gaming.
It has not yet, and it won't.
Thank God! *rubs wrist and cries
I think you have a valid point. Unlike other consoles, Steam has a defacto monopoly on games played within it's environment...which is just about every PC game in existence. (Even SD is now under their thumb)
Steam will no doubt "encourage" developers to make games that work best with it's new console. So, PC games will start to look like console games, and the inevitable dumbing down of games will occur.
It will not spell the end of PC gaming, but PC games will morph into something that many here will not like.
There are plenty of RPG games for consoles. I enjoy reading tons of RPG stuff from my couch. For me, anyway, I like sitting on the couch and relaxing to a RPG versus an intense action game. Also, with the craze of such games as StarCraft 2, I dont see need for a mouse going away any time soon. Now TBS and 4X games? Who knows. I think the bottom line is if it is profitable to make 4X games, they will continue to be made.
No.
I think the Steam machines will allow more people to get into PC gaming at a lower price point. They don't have to build their own PC, but they also don't have to shell out thousands of dollars for a Desktop. Thing is, I don't know why Steam Machines would kill PC Gaming, when they are PC's themselves. If anything, it will increase the amount of people playing games on PC's in total. And actually may allow more users to have systems for kids, or in other parts of the house.
Also you cannot kill PC gaming
Should elaborate.... not kill PC games but monopolize the way we play them.
Controllers vs KB/M
TV across the room vs monitors in your face.
I'm not convinced that Steam Machines will have any appreciable impact on anything. They're a niche within a niche. They're also trying to solve a problem that for many people has already been solved. I've been playing pc games from my couch for years. The last thing I want after being tethered to my desk at work is to come home at sit at yet another desk. The cheap streaming boxes could be compelling, but they're just convenient space shifting devices, like Chromecast for games. The Steam controller looks mildly interesting, but the Dualshock 4 is already meeting my needs quite nicely.
I'm not convinced that Steam Machines will have any appreciable impact on anything.
Precisely this.
Steam machines have two advantages as I see it. One - they let you stream from your real gaming computer. And two - form factor, which you are paying premium for.
I think the Steam Link might be a better option for many.
Exactly, they're already offering a much cheaper, better option for streaming from your real computer. So that leaves form factor, again, something you are paying premium for to get a machine you can do less with than a normal desktop computer.
If steam machines ever exceed 0.1 % of machines connected to Steam's storefront client, I'll eat something nasty.
I think that one of the current drawbacks of Steam machines is that (currently at least) they won't run Windows games. So for those of us with an existing Steam library of Windows releases, it's not much cause for celebration.
e: Hmm, It seems I overlooked the fact that Alienware put together a Windows 8.1 version.
The more I think of it the title should have been will VALVE kill PC GAMING AS WE KNOW IT?
Moving from the desktop with their BIG picture mode to the livingroom is all about money after they made billions from us early adapter PC hardcore gamers.
To be considered a PC game M/KB controls should be first and foremost.
Steam box can use mouse/keyboard... It's whether you can reasonably use a mouse and keyboard whilst you sit on your ass eating pizza that comes into play, not whether the hardware can use it. I actually bought a DS4 for my pc because I got annoyed at the terrible keyboard controls for some of my games, there are people doing the opposite with consoles, plugging in the superior precision input capabilities to run shooters and strategy games more effectively on consoles.
You're wondering if Steammachines will kill PC gaming..?
On my local computerenthusiast site, many believe Steammachines will be a flop. I do not, but thinking it will change PC gaming as we know it..? Check above picture.
How do I hide pictures in spoilertags?
Only way it will work is if Valve is willing to make things exclusive to it, which they won't.
Answer is simple. No they wont.
The reason being that steam machines are PC's. The only difference between a steam machine and your average pc is that it runs SteamOS which is a variation of Ubuntu from what I understand.
Point is that how can you kill PC gaming with basically what is another PC brand.
Yair...Island Dog said it simpler...
If Steam machines would kill anything, it's console gaming, as Steam machines are a PC with the price point and physical appearance/size of a console.
Steam machines won't make a mark on console sales either.
It may work for casual gamers, but there is a reason some of us don't play console games. We don't like them.
So unless they have keyboard/mouse and can handle strategy games that need more than a few buttons and a movement pad, no.
PC GAMES is not convinient.
I would highly disagree.
Nah, if anybody does it will be Microsoft. They have a bigger monopoly on PC gaming than Steam does and a more vested interest in converting players to consoles. There are certain kinds of games (including MMORPG and MOBA which are the biggest money makers among PC games) which will never work well with controllers as we know them.
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