Billed as ‘PC in living room,’ system will be available in November
By Isaac Warren
Staff Writer
For Jonathan Davis, gaming consoles are a better choice, compared to playing games on one’s computer.
“Consoles are more accessible and much easier to use.” said Davis, a Lincoln Land student.
Walatee Weah, another LLCC student, felt the same way. He said the graphics on consoles were better than PC graphics.
But student Jared Gorrell is on the other end of the spectrum in the PC vs. game console debate, feeling PCs are more accessible and easier to use.
Clearly, there are pros and cons to consoles and PCs. Fortunately, the company Valve has come up with a solution that can combine the best of both worlds.
This November, Valve’s founder Gabe Newell hopes to revamp the gaming industry by introducing a new gaming console called the Steam Machine, marketed as bringing PC gaming into the living room.
The Steam Machine is a PC, but it is set up like a gaming console. It connects to the TV to allow gaming with the traditional console experience, but with the benefits of PC to stream games and improve graphics.
Valve has allowed 14 companies to create versions of a Steam Machine, including Alienware, Asus, Origin, and Zotac.
All of the companies’ machines will run Valve’s official operating system called SteamOS. This operating system is different from other operating systems, such as Windows and OSX, because it was created specifically for playing games.
The Seattle, Washington-based company has released multiple games since being found in 1996. Many have changed the gaming industry, including the “Half-Life” series, “Team Fortress 2” and the “Counter-Strike” series.
Valve is well known for making a piece of software called Steam, a software distribution platform. Essentially, this software is used as an online store for PC games. Valve has also made a game engine called Source, which is used to run most of their games.
More recently, however, the company has changed from making only games and software, to creating new hardware as well.
Steam Machines can be bought in a bundle, which includes the Steam Machine and the Steam Controller.
The Steam Controller is a revolutionary controller that was designed specifically for the Steam Machine. It combines the comfort of a controller with the familiarity of a keyboard and mouse, aiming to provide an accurate and comfortable gaming experience. Steam Machines and Steam Controllers can be taken apart to be fixed, modified or even upgraded.
Starting Nov. 10, consumers will be able buy the Steam Machines through online retailers and, eventually, in some stores, such as GameStop and Best Buy. An employee at the Springfield Best Buy said they will carry a large assortment of machines.
The prices are expected to range from $450 to $6,000, depending on how powerful the Steam Machine is. Consumers can preorder Steam Machines with delivery by Nov. 15.
Isaac Warren can be reached at [email protected].