It seems Valve is going to release a "Steam Box" after all...

[Garoth Moulinoski]

And now, we have pictures!

[DankPanties]

Xi3 wouldn't discuss price for Piston, but commented that the Steam Box is based on its "performance level" X7A offering, which is priced at $999. Xi3 declined to comment on what would differentiate Piston hardware-wise from a standard X7A.  Xi3 also offers the entry level X5A, which is priced at $499 with a Linux operating system.

In all these articles I keep reading this could cost between $500-1000.  That's just speculation of course.  But given mass production I was hoping the "Steambox" now known as Piston would cost between $200-300.  That would put it well above the Ouya's price range (but hopefully with the extra horsepower to match), but lower priced than the 720 or PS4.  But at $500-1000 you're looking at hardcore PC gaming enthusiasts only, which greatly narrows down the genres this box would go for.  Do we really need a glorified Steam version the likes of the 720 or PS4?  I really hope the pricing is all wrong because if not, Valve is barking up the same tree as two other dogs.  For $500-1000 I might as well build my own PC that doesn't have a proprietary locked down OS (Steam client).

[Garoth Moulinoski]

Yeah. They'll have to at least sell it in a price range that can compete with the other consoles. Also, who knows what games actually be out for it? Just because it's Steam doesn't mean it'll be the same as Steam for Windows. It could have very little support and that could disappoint a lot of people (specially those who don't really know anything about OS's and think that there are only Windows and OSX) :S

Whoa. Now that I think about it, if that's the box itself, it's only just mildly bigger than the OUYA. Weird... (to me)

[DankPanties]

My original (badly worded) point is that Valve should hit for a sweet spot between the Ouya and the 720, both price and performance wise.  But it seems Valve is going for 720 (or better?) capabilities (which is expensive to the consumer).  I don't know, it seems wrong, but I've doubted Valve before only to be flabbergasted by their grand schemes working out well in the end.

[MegaManJuno]

Quick glance at the current Linux lineup on Steam seems to show 41 games... none of which would lead me to put down money towards this. I'm sure this will be expanded in the future, but as of right now, I don't see much demand for it.

[SargeSmash]

They will have to have exclusives.  They can't just port existing content from Steam.  Or at least I wouldn't think so.  They have to get the console gamer, because I severely doubt a PC gamer is going to go this route.

[MegaManJuno]

I don't know... if they started exclusive content specifically for the Piston, it would probably outrage some of the PC Steam users that they couldn't get it as well...?

I.E.: Do they want to alienate some of their current market?

[SargeSmash]

I think we're starting to hit the problems with this plan, then.  Someone is going to have to code optimized versions of games for the platform, then.  Who knows?  Maybe it will work.  I don't see it, though.

[DankPanties]

Sounds like Valve plans to have a proprietary controller for Piston as well:

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/valve_fends_hollywood_files_several_patents_hoping_improve_gamepad_design123

According to Newell several patents have been filed on the controllers design, and they are still hard at work finding a form factor they are happy with.

[Garoth Moulinoski]

It'll be funny if it ends up being a portal gun... You point at the screen and....

It all seems so up in the air. Even the friggin' Piston isn't 100% materialized (the one we saw was a concept, out of many). It feels like news that's being released too early.

[DankPanties]

It feels like news that's being released too early.

As is the nature of the internet for the past ten years.  The internet eats rumors and shits speculation.

[MegaManJuno]

Assuming they may be referencing this that showed up some time ago...?

[Nec5]

As is the nature of the internet for the past ten years.  The internet eats rumors and shits speculation.

And then the mainstream media just lies about them anyway.