So it seems as if those good folks at Valve have done it again, and this time, it could be big. Valve recently went live with Steam's "Big Picture" mode, which provides a dashboard like OS for running many of your favorite Steam games from a HD Television. Many thought that would be the end of it, but after Valve head-honcho Gabe Newell offered his insight during the Spike VGA's, it comes to light that this is only the beginning. As it turns out, Valve is planning a line of turnkey solutions for pre-made gaming PC's, fully capable with their new Big Picture mode for streaming straight to your TV.As a longtime PC Gamer, might I just say, I for one welcome our new Valve overlords.
This is one of the reasons I love Valve as a company and as a corporate entity. Can you name me any other company that would look in the face of the declining PC market and go "Challenge Accepted" as much as Valve has? No? I didn't think so.
I find this concept extremely exciting, most specifically in just how downright reasonable the idea is. The biggest headache, and often the largest barrier for entry involved with PC gaming is the issues with hardware specs, minimum vs. recommended requirements, compatability issues and all these other words that us computer nerds begin to salivate over. What Valve is doing is removing all of those issues as a variable, offering a standardized and well put together gaming machine that you can just go out and buy. Also, with standardization of hardware Valve may be able to take down the other barrier holding people away from PC gaming. Price.
With just about any other company, I would have my doubts as to whether they could pull this off. But it's not any other company, this is Valve. I think Valve is the only company with the infrastructure and brand recognition required to take on such a mammoth task. As owners of the worlds largest PC digital distribution system, Steam has the clout and game library ready to go. Or they can give away free copies of Portal, that has always worked before.
My enthusiasm was curbed somewhat when I began to ask myself the question: how is this different from a console? It's a difficult question, because on the surface, it's not. A controlled set of hardware requirements for mass production and ease of development. But in the end, the difference comes in three magical words: PC Digital Distribution. That is what Valve is leveraging to push for living room PCs, and I believe its that concept alone that keeps this firmly as a PC instead of a console. What this means to me is that so long as Valve uses a unified distribution network, if developers want their game to be on the Steam Box, it will have to be available for all PCs too. There is nothing about that sentence that I don't like.
What I'm ultimately hoping is that this may be the boost that PC gaming has been desperately needing. I love the idea of lowering the barriers for entry for PC gaming. It's a wonderful gaming experience, easily my favourite, and to see more people being able to take it for a whirl would be ideal.
So for now I will content myself to wait and watch, just hoping to see what crazy and wonderful scheme Valve comes up with next.
