Steam Machines
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Linux gaming is on a life-support system called Steam
In September 2013, Valve founder Gabe Newell gave a rare, 20-minute presentation at LinuxCon. He called Linux "the future of gaming," predicting that as the industry became more user-driven and connected across both distances and devices, an open-source foundation would be the only way to keep pace with coming innovations. With the standard, proprietary operating systems powering Windows, Mac and consoles, Newell argued, all control over content, pricing and change rested in the hands of billion-dollar corporations. Linux offered a chance for all players and developers to shape the marketplace.
The PS Vita of Steam Machines arrives in 2016 for $299
The Steam Machine invasion is happening this fall. But while these computers are said to be more powerful than traditional consoles, such as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, none of them are exactly portable. Smach Zero's device, however, is. Formerly known as Steamboy, the handheld system runs Valve's SteamOS and features a 5-inch, 720p screen, 32GB of onboard storage (plus an SD card slot), 4GB RAM, HDMI-out and configurable gamepads. In terms of connectivity, you'll find Bluetooth, WiFi and, on the Pro model, 4G for true on-the-go gaming. Smach Zero is also promising access to over 1,000 Steam games at launch, but we'll have to wait and see if that turns out to be true. According to the manufacturer, it will be available during Q4 of 2016 starting at $299. If you'd like to pre-order it, you can do so on November 10th -- the same day as other Steam Machines are launching.
You can pre-order the first official Steam Machines starting today
Look, there's literally no shortage of things you can slot into your home theater system for a spot of streaming media or some melt-into-your-couch gaming. If you want to be able to recline in your living room and comfortably sneer at people who play games on consoles, though, you can pre-order an official Steam Machine -- and the accoutrements to make it shine -- starting today.
HTC One M9 preview, Nintendo's indie relationships and other stories you might've missed!
Saturday is here and it's a great time to catch up on all the stories you might have missed this week. We take a look at the recently announced HTC One M9, meet Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and dig into Nintendo's complicated relationship with indie game makers. All that and more can be found below.
Steam Machines are coming this fall and this is what they look like
Steam Machines. Maybe you've heard of them. They're Valve's oft-talked about, rarely seen in the wild solution for streaming PC games to the fancy HDTV in your living room. And at GDC this week, the company brought us closer to the promise of that commercial reality with a display of all the various units you're likely to see hit retail by November of this year. As Gabe Newell told us, the variety of Steam Machines on offer, from the low-end $50 Link to the premium $5,000 Falcon NW Tiki, present a "good, better, best choice for consumers." But enough talk -- I know you just want to see the goods. So check out the gallery below for a trio of the Steam Machines Mr. Newell demoed for us, as well as a video just after the break showcasing an expanded selection coming later this year.
Report: Steam Controller design finalized, more at GDC
After a number of revisions since its inception, the design of the Steam Controller has reportedly been finalized and will be introduced during March's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Origin PC CEO Kevin Wasielewski discussed the official Valve hardware with GameSpot at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. "So now they're going to production and at GDC is when they're going to announce more stuff," Wasielewski asserted, noting that Origin PC will be in attendance, though the CEO did not divulge what products the company will show off. Valve announced the Steam Controller alongside SteamOS and Steam Machines in September 2013. It later showed off an updated version of the controller in March 2014 that featured a more traditional face button layout (which we went hands-on with at GDC 2014). Valve then added an analog stick to the gamepad in July before seemingly tacking a d-pad onto it, according to images of the controller's design that surfaced last month. Origin PC launched two small form-factor "Chronos" gaming machines last year after announcing the SteamOS-compatible rigs just over one year ago. The company teased new living room gaming systems this week, though it is now downplaying the system's compatibility with Valve's operating software. Wasielewski told GameSpot that the "Steam Machines" moniker is "kind of pretty much dead," and while living room-focused systems are nothing new, "it seems like there's a legitimate demand and push for living room PCs." [Image: Valve]
Updated Steam Controller design features d-pad
The Steam Controller has already seen a couple tweaks since its initial unveiling, first by adding traditional face buttons, and later supporting an analog thumbstick. Now, it appears that the controller will also feature a directional pad, though in what capacity remains to be seen. Game Informer uncovered an image file in the Steam Client beta that suggests the Steam Controller will be able to support a d-pad in place of its left-side haptic touch pad. We say "able to support" because this is not an image of an actual, physical controller, and nowhere is it implied that this design will be released to the exclusion of others. The d-pad could be something users install for when they want it, or it could be part of a redesigned haptic touch pad. Who knows? Valve knows, that's who. And they haven't said anything official on the matter. However, Valve VP of Marketing Doug Lombardi told TechRadar last month that the company will have a large Steam Machines presence at GDC 2015, which begins March 2. [Image: Valve]
Alienware Alpha review: almost the Steam Machine you're looking for
It's hard to describe the Alienware Alpha. On the surface, it's a small-form gaming PC, custom-built from laptop components to fit in your entertainment center. But it was supposed to be a frontrunner in a new category of gaming devices. It isn't. Valve's Steam Machine initiative was delayed past its original launch window, leaving manufacturers like Dell to fend for themselves in a market that doesn't exist yet. It's a weird, awkward place to be in, but here we are, testing the Alienware Alpha: a Steam Machine before its time. The question is: Can one of the biggest names in PC gaming succeed where others have failed?
A Steam Machine without Valve: life with the iBuyPower SBX
It was gaming's hot topic for 2013: Steam Machines. Otherwise known as Valve's plan to take on the living room. The project had my attention for months, with Valve teasing a revolutionary controller, a custom operating system and even an army of hardware partners at CES 2014. Now, almost a year later, those PC manufacturers are ready to unleash their products on the world, with or without Valve. But what happens when you launch a Steam Machine without the project's progenitor? You get the iBuyPower SBX: a $549 Windows 8 desktop ($399 without the OS or accessories) designed to be an entertainment hub. So can Steam's Big Picture mode survive without the backbone of Steam OS or the company's oddball touch controller? Let's find out.
Updated Steam Controller adds an analog stick
Ah, there it is. A new version of Valve's Steam Controller includes an analog stick on the left-hand side, replacing a series of four directional buttons previously in its place. The new controller design still has two circular track pads, four lettered buttons, bumpers and triggers, among other features included in previous iterations. The new design shows up in the latest Steam client beta, as spotted by SteamDB and on the Facepunch forums (via Engadget). We've tried out previous Steam Controllers in the wild, and found the latest version to be functional but awkward: "It's impressive that the Steam Controller can bounce between styles as disparate as 2D adventure and first-person puzzling, and its touch pads could become second nature over time, but it's definitely not going to provide a seamless transition from traditional controllers, at least not in its current state," our reviewer, Richard Mitchell, said. [Image: Valve]
Alienware to launch SteamOS-less Steam Box this year
Alienware Alpha is a small gaming PC designed for the living room, and it launches this holiday for $550. It's Windows-based and ships with an Xbox 360 controller, plus a dongle that supports up to four Xbox 360 controllers, and it will be able to run all games in 1080p and at 60fps. This is Alienware's Steam Machine in every way except technically: It won't ship with a Steam controller and it won't ship with SteamOS. These are the two things that make a Steam Machine, according to Valve. "It's absolutely Steam-ready," Alienware Global Marketing Director Bryan de Zayas told Joystiq on the E3 show floor. "It's not that we're bypassing Steam. It's critical. They have the majority of the digital downloads."
Joystiq Weekly: Battlefield Hardline, Watch Dogs review, Evil Within preview and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. With Sony upping PlayStation Plus to six games per month, we're pretty confident that the service is trying to ruin our lives. We're not obligated to tackle every single title, of course, but in the cycle of starting downloads for games "just in case" we ever feel an inkling to play them, we're losing track of which games we should feel guilty about not finishing and which games we should feel guilty about paying $60 for and not finishing. If not for the bills, assignments and the omnipresence of life's ever-ticking clock, we'd plop down in front of our TVs for a few years and knock out every game we ever felt intrigued by. To hell with "everything in moderation" - moderation wouldn't clear out our shelves of "yeah, maybe one day" RPGs, nor would it help us get the timing for our go-to Street Fighter combos down to the exact frame. Moderation is just a feeble admission that we can't control time (yet), and it ignores our potential to play all the video games, which we'll definitely get to. Eventually. Some day. Unfortunately, getting through every game we've ever wanted to play is still just a fantasy for now. Unless you find a way to break the laws of life's constants - if you do, you should totally let us know. We can do co-op or something. Until we reach that dream state, you can get a glimpse of Battlefield Hardline, read reviews for Watch Dogs and Among The Sleep, and dig into a neat feature on Watch Dogs that explains how legalities ruin everything. It's all waiting for you after the break!
Valve implies 2015 delay for Steam Machines
Valve's Steam Machines program looks set to drift into a 2015 release window, although the company's wording leaves the matter unclear. In an update on the pre-built PCs, Valve's Eric Hope said pending improvements tied to the Steam Controller would realistically mean a delay until next year. Hope didn't state specifically if that's for the Controller and/or the Machines, but the context points to the latter at least. Hope wrote, "We're now using wireless prototype controllers to conduct live playtests, with everyone from industry professionals to die-hard gamers to casual gamers. It's generating a ton of useful feedback, and it means we'll be able to make the controller a lot better. Of course, it's also keeping us pretty busy making all those improvements. Realistically, we're now looking at a release window of 2015, not 2014. "Obviously we're just as eager as you are to get a Steam Machine in your hands. But our number one priority is making sure that when you do, you'll be getting the best gaming experience possible. We hope you'll be patient with us while we get there. Until then, we'll continue to post updates as we have more stories to share." That suggests Steam Machines won't be available until 2015, although the program's homepage still notes a 2014 release window. We've reached out to Valve for clarification. [Image: Valve]
Alienware's Steam Machine will be its 'least profitable system'
Alienware's upcoming Steam Machine may be many things - stylish, made in collaboration with Valve, upgradeable, due this September - but one thing it won't be is a source of major income for parent company Dell. Division general manager Frank Azor told The Wall Street Journal that the Alienware Steam Machine will "absolutely be the least profitable system" the company will ever sell. Unfortunately, we still don't know the pricing scheme of Alienware's entry to the already-crowded Steam Machine market. We don't even know what's going to be inside of the thing, other than an Intel processor and an Nvidia graphics card. It is, for now, a low-profit mystery. [Image: Alienware]
Microsoft praises Valve, vows 'renewed focus' on PC games
With the dust of the Xbox One launch having settled, Microsoft corporate vice president Phil Spencer is ready to turn the company's attention toward the future of PC gaming. During a recent roundtable discussion at GDC, Spencer was asked his thoughts on Valve Software, and more specifically, the upcoming Steam machine platform. "[Valve has] been the backbone for PC gaming for the last decade when you think about the work that they've done," Spencer replied. "As the Windows company I appreciate what they've done," he added. "In a lot of ways they've focused more on PC gaming than we have, and for me that's something inside the company that we'll have a renewed focus on - Windows and PC gaming inside of Microsoft is definitely happening - you saw the DX12 demos here and you will see more from us over the summer." Spencer failed to specify when we could expect to see more from Microsoft, though he later suggested the company is preparing for a big showing at this year's E3 conference. [Image: Microsoft]
Hands on with Valve's redesigned Steam Controller
Valve is showing off its newly redesigned Steam Controller prototype at GDC 2014, and Joystiq just tried it out. As avid Joystiq readers are already aware, the new version of Valve's controller ditches the central touch screen and its odd quadrangle of buttons for a more traditional setup, including four directional buttons and four lettered face buttons. My impressions are more or less in line with our impressions from January. I tried out both Portal 2 and Broken Age. The circular track pad does a decent job of recreating mouse movement in Broken Age, though the sensitivity could make it difficult to settle the pointer on dialogue options (I wasn't able adjust sensitivity in my demo, which could alleviate the issue). Using the thumb pads in Portal 2 proved much more challenging. Precision aiming when firing portals, especially when I had to make portals on a distant surface, was tricky. Four way movement was a little awkward as well, though I was pleased that my position on the thumb pad simulated analogue movement, allowing me to move at a slow creep or a quick run. The haptic feedback in both pads also helped create a feeling of resistance, though obviously it won't fool you into thinking you're using an analogue stick. It's impressive that the Steam Controller can bounce between styles as disparate as 2D adventure and first-person puzzling, and its touch pads could become second nature over time, but it's definitely not going to provide a seamless transition from traditional controllers, at least not in its current state.
Behold: Valve's updated Steam Controller
Valve offered up a clearer side-by-side image of its updated Steam Controller today. The second iteration of the SteamOS gamepad was revealed in January, and peeled away the center touchscreen in favor of more traditional face buttons. The new buttons consist of a directional pad and standard A, B, X and Y buttons, the latter formerly located around the touchscreen. Valve left the large circular trackpads on the device, but also added a Steam icon button in the center with start and select-like buttons on either side with what appear to be stop and play icons. The Steam Controller was announced alongside SteamOS and Steam Machines in September 2013, and was followed up by a hardware beta program that already excluded the controller's touchscreen. We spent some time with Valve's beta hardware in early January and found the experience lacking on the previous version of the controller with Hotline Miami and Portal in particular. Head past the break for a closer look at the updated controller.
Steam Music limited beta coming to SteamOS soon
Valve's Steam Music beta will arrive soon for SteamOS users. The service is a new addition to the platform just announced last week, enabling players to listen to local music files from within the Steam client while playing games. To enter the closed beta, fans will need to join the Steam Music community in hopes of being randomly selected. Valve says beta testers will be "invited in waves" until the feature goes live in full for all players/listeners. The company announced SteamOS in September along with its upcoming Steam Machines and Steam Controller hardware. In mid-January, Valve revealed its ambitions to provide music and video services before launching Steam Machines. We went hands-on with the beta version of the hardware last month and were intrigued by it, even if the Steam Machines term is "nonsense." [Image: Valve]
Alienware Steam Machines will be upgradable
Hardware manufacturer Alienware has clarified earlier statements it made regarding the moddability of its upcoming Steam Machines lineup, revealing that component upgrades will be possible but difficult. "Upgrading the internal components will not be as easy as compared to other platforms [...]," company general manager Frank Azor explained in a statement to Eurogamer, "but we will not prevent a customer from upgrading." Azor cited the small physical size of Alienware's Steam Machine as a specific factor impeding hardware upgrades. Azor recommends that users who approach PC hardware with upgrading in mind should stick with pre-built setups like the Alienware X51. Previously, Azor implied that Alienware's Steam Machines hardware would not be moddable at all, noting that "this particular product is restricted in its upgrade options." Alienware announced this week that new models of its Steam Machines hardware will be issued yearly as the company updates internal components and specifications. Alienware's first Steam Machine will launch in September.
Alienware Steam Machines to get a new model every year
Alienware's Steam Machines won't be easily upgraded, but there will be a new model each year, Alienware General Manager Frank Azor told Trusted Reviews. "Lifecycle wise, consoles update every five, six, seven years. We will be updating our Steam Machines every year," Azor said. There will be no customization options in Alienware's Steam Machines, Azor continued: "You can't really update it." Customers will have small range of configurations to choose from, such as more memory or a faster CPU, he said. Those who want to beef up their machines on their own are better off with a standard PC, Azor noted – after all, anyone can turn a PC into a Steam Machine by buying a Steam Controller and downloading SteamOS. "If you actually want to customize your Alienware Steam Machine, maybe change your graphics card out or put in a new CPU, you would be better off with the standard Alienware X51. This particular product is restricted in its upgrade options." The first round of Alienware Steam Machines are due to hit retail in September.
