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Valve 'jumping in' PC hardware market

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DVDBack23 @ Sep 04, 2012 03:51 | 11 comments

Valve has posted an interesting job posting this week that claims the company is 'jumping in' to the PC hardware market.

The post, for an 'industrial designer,' shows the company's frustration with the lack of innovation in the market: "Valve is traditionally a software company. Open platforms like the PC and Mac are important to us, as they enable us and our partners to have a robust and direct relationship with customers."

"We're frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we're jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven't really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There's a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked."

Valve is not looking for a slouch either, with the requirements being "6+ years of professional experience shipping world-class, high-tech hardware products", along with "confidence with 2D and 3D design visualization tools".

The company previously denied rumors that it was building its own 'Steam Box,' a PC/console that would play PC and Steam games through your TV using a proprietary controller.

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Comments

Comment by: HuskyMuffin24 (Sep 04, 2012 06:01)

I'm excited to hear this.

I will buy anything Valve trademarks. =P

Comment by: LordRuss (Sep 04, 2012 14:46)

If they're going to go at hardware like they did software (i.e., tell you to remove stuff rather than solve an issue) I'll be avoiding them like the plague as I have already been doing.

The opening statement regarding "the company's frustration with the lack of innovation in the market" is almost laughable to the point of defecating hard enough to pass yonder turd through a sturdy wall of 2 sheets of drywall. 2 coats of paint each.

I mean, they're talking about spending the big bucks to get into the hardware game when IMO they 'still' haven't gotten their software technique down. That's (dare I say) an Apple move?

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

Comment by: KillerBug (Sep 04, 2012 20:19)

Lack of innovation? They keyboard is just about perfect...if you want to use keyboard controls while sitting on a recliner, there are partial keyboard setups. The mice evolve at a rate that makes the DS3 look like a dinosaur (which is itself little more than a wireless DS2 copy). Actually, anything that gets onto a console can be used on a PC within a few months, but usually the keyboard and mouse are far better anyway. What's more, right now the real innovation in gaming is coming in the form of headmounted displays and controls that are ONLY supported on PC ( http://oculusvr.com/ ).

Anyway, I'm not going to buy anything from Valve...I don't want a controller or display that is going to turn off every time my internet connection times out for half a second.

Comment by: xtago (Sep 06, 2012 07:21)

Be a waste of time and money.

Many other companies do all the hardware side Valve wouldn't get much of a look in.

You need to have some sort of name in the hardware game or you won't get sales and valve is known for software but with them not done any direct software for about 10+ years now they'd be hard pressed trying to make a name for themselves.

Keyboard and mice haven't changed much because they are pretty much the peak of control you can do.

Controllers are pretty crap compared to K&M setups.

Comment by: bhetrick (Sep 07, 2012 13:02)

The impression I got was that they want to release a Steam console; one to compete with Xbox and PS.

Basically, a ~$300 console, but for pc gaming. Intended for those who don't have the patience, knowledge, of funds to build a gaming pc.

Comment by: ronatola (Sep 07, 2012 13:05)

1 guy?
better be a freeking hdwr tech superman!

Comment by: LordRuss (Sep 09, 2012 19:16)

Originally posted by bhetrick:
Basically, a ~$300 console, but for pc gaming. Intended for those who don't have the patience, knowledge, of funds to build a gaming pc.

Originally posted by ronatola:
1 guy?
better be a freeking hdwr tech superman!

NO KIDDING!!! There wouldn't be a $300 PC on the planet I'm aware of that could run the titles coming out today... At least competently to keep a consumer from having to upgrade every 2 years.

$500, possibly, but we're back to ronatola's Uber-tech titan & any number of us in here with 10 years of high end system building under our belts could do that job. Then promptly lose that job after 90 days having finished the project 80 days early.

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

Comment by: bhetrick (Sep 09, 2012 20:34)

Originally posted by LordRuss:

Originally posted by bhetrick:
Basically, a ~$300 console, but for pc gaming. Intended for those who don't have the patience, knowledge, of funds to build a gaming pc.
Originally posted by ronatola:
1 guy?
better be a freeking hdwr tech superman!
NO KIDDING!!! There wouldn't be a $300 PC on the planet I'm aware of that could run the titles coming out today... At least competently to keep a consumer from having to upgrade every 2 years.

$500, possibly, but we're back to ronatola's Uber-tech titan & any number of us in here with 10 years of high end system building under our belts could do that job. Then promptly lose that job after 90 days having finished the project 80 days early.

I wasn't being specific with the $300 price point.

The way it works now with consoles, manufactures sell their hardware at a loss with the intention of making it up in software and component sales.

Valve could take the same approach.

Or, on the other hand, it could also be reasonable to assume that Valve's console could be upgradable, unlike the MS/Sony counterparts.

So Valve could sell a $300-ish console which would work with the majority of the Steam games. And for those games which would require an upgrade, Valve would be glad to sell it to them.

Comment by: LordRuss (Sep 10, 2012 14:34)

Originally posted by bhetrick:
So Valve could sell a $300-ish console which would work with the majority of the Steam games. And for those games which would require an upgrade, Valve would be glad to sell it to them.

Well, sure they would... I made a drawn out analogy about razor blade sales & the how they give away (basically) the holders/handles still to this day. But drive up the prices of the replacement blades higher than a cat's ass because you're accustomed to using the handle.

Consoles basically get/have you over the same barrel. Especially when they release the same title on multiple platforms.

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

Comment by: KillerBug (Sep 10, 2012 20:40)

Originally posted by bhetrick:

Originally posted by LordRuss:

Originally posted by bhetrick:
Basically, a ~$300 console, but for pc gaming. Intended for those who don't have the patience, knowledge, of funds to build a gaming pc.
Originally posted by ronatola:
1 guy?
better be a freeking hdwr tech superman!
NO KIDDING!!! There wouldn't be a $300 PC on the planet I'm aware of that could run the titles coming out today... At least competently to keep a consumer from having to upgrade every 2 years.

$500, possibly, but we're back to ronatola's Uber-tech titan & any number of us in here with 10 years of high end system building under our belts could do that job. Then promptly lose that job after 90 days having finished the project 80 days early.
I wasn't being specific with the $300 price point.

The way it works now with consoles, manufactures sell their hardware at a loss with the intention of making it up in software and component sales.

Valve could take the same approach.

Or, on the other hand, it could also be reasonable to assume that Valve's console could be upgradable, unlike the MS/Sony counterparts.

So Valve could sell a $300-ish console which would work with the majority of the Steam games. And for those games which would require an upgrade, Valve would be glad to sell it to them.

If it only tried to compete with current consoles, then $250 would not be too difficult to get to...if it matched the price/performance of the nextgen consoles while offering the ability to upgrade and a simply massive supply of existing PC games; AND if it was advertised to the mindless masses that buy whatever has the best ad; then it could do well. However, if I know Valve, they would do something really stupid like locking it down to Steam and requiring always-on internet.

Comment by: Ripper (Sep 11, 2012 00:50)

This sounds suspiciously like Ouya!