Back in March, rumors popped up about Valve entering the hardware scene and making its own console. This was swiftly shot down by Valve just days later, though the company did comment that such a venture may occur in the future.
This issue was laid to rest for a few months, and then, in August, Valve announced that Steam’s Big Picture mode was heading to beta soon. Within comments on Big Picture mode, Gabe Newell once more hinted that Valve was not interested in making hardware: “We show [big-picture mode to] hardware guys and say, ‘Look, if this is a useful tool for you to deliver your hardware into living rooms, that’s great.’”
Now the rumors are starting up again. Why? Because Valve has a new job listing for an Industrial Designer on its website. The job description is rather lengthy, but here are a few key quotes:
“As an Industrial Designer at Valve, you will join a world-class group of electrical, mechanical, software engineers and designers who are busily defining new entertainment experiences through both hardware and software. We’re hoping to add your expertise in product design and manufacturing, ergonomics, usability, aesthetics, and surfacing to our team.”
“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.”
(I added the bold, of course.) This job description would, in fact, seem to confirm that Valve is planning to begin creating hardware in addition to software. However, it does not seem to imply any sort of console.
What do you think about all of this? Are you excited? Indifferent?
Hmm. I don’t really know what they could do. They could make some kind of media box based on steam, but I don’t really know what kind of market that will have. I also find it difficult for them to try in get into any kind of competing console market. I don’t see them in PC stuff either. I have no idea what their plan is, but I assume it will be something good.
This coupled with Steam for Ubuntu Linux is very interesting. Ideally I’d like a Steam machine (kettle?) that whilst focusing on games also has a fully featured Ubuntu install for other media related tasks and general computing. This would both push Steam and Ubuntu as separate platforms but also a unified one, giving PC gaming a broader exposure and Ubuntu a dedicated machine can only be good things.
I would really like to see that. Come on Valve, make it happen!