The head of Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox business unit does not consider PC-based video game consoles, such as Valve Software’s Steam Box, viable competitors to fully-featured video game systems or even eco-systems of mobile devices like that of Apple or Google.
“[Valve is] doing some innovative stuff and creating some great experiences. [But] the scale of products and things that are being brought to market are probably a little bit richer when I look at Sony, Nintendo, Apple, and Google,” said Don Mattrick, the head of Microsoft interactive entertainment business unit, while speaking at Microsoft's TechForum, reports The Verge web-site.
Valve’s Steam Box open concept implies launching video games originally developed for personal computers (PCs) as well as using popular services for other types of entertainment. By contrast, the concept of proprietary platforms, such as Xbox or PlayStation, implies exclusive games and services and does not include features from other companies.
Since Steam Box is not expected to offer anything beyond video games, it is hardly going to compete against Microsoft Xbox. For those, who are looking for integrated experience, which includes video games, music, videos and everything else, platforms from Apple, Microsoft and Sony will remain a preferable choice. Nonetheless, with products like Steam Box, there will be competition on the market of gaming devices in general. More importantly, there will be competition from those gaming devices for the living room.
Microsoft further believes that everything it makes on the Xbox should be of higher quality than applications designed by independent app developers like those on the Google Android or Apple iOS platforms. As a result, the Xbox ecosystem will remain pretty close as the platform owner will remain rather conservative about its offerings to the customers.
“There is a certain level of technical and production competency that people have to get through because we are trying to curate great experiences. We are trying to make sure that what exists upon our service on our system is done to a quality level and has interest for people who are likely to use it,” said Mr. Mattrick.
Tags: Microsoft, Xbox, Steam Box, Valve, Valve Software, Xbox Live
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Discussion started: 03/06/13 05:12:03 AM
Latest comment: 03/06/13 08:26:36 PM
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1.
From the article:
"Since Steam Box is not expected to offer anything beyond video games, it is hardly going to compete against Microsoft Xbox."
From valve co-founder Gabe Newell:
“That’ll be a Linux box, [and] if you want to install Windows you can. We’re not going to make it hard. This is not some locked box by any stretch of the imagination.”
So you will be able to stream music and video from (but not limited to) Google Play, Amazon, NAS, Youtube and so on. Without a monthly fee for Xbox Gold pass or similar crap.
Sounds good to me!
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Posted by: exodeus
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Date: 03/06/13 05:12:03 AM]
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It's true that it's sadly all about the content. It took the big companies an eternity to go digital with the threats of AudioGalaxy, Napster, WinMX, eDonkey2k, eMule, Kazaa, GNutella, etc. Bittorent was the final nail in the coffin for the old retail model of selling content at hyper-inflated prices. Then Apple managed to cut some deals and the rest of the industry moved in this direction over 10 years to this point in time. The next gen consoles will be equally about delivering digital content as it is to play games, for the first time. And if you haven't got the content/ services, your ecosystem is limited and will have a hard time battling against the giant corporations.
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Posted by: linuxlowdown
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Date: 03/06/13 07:12:15 AM]
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Microsoft didn't think the iPhone posed a threat to their phone business in 2007 either. I'm not saying the Steam box will be a resounding success, but set top HTPC's with gaming class video cards and the ability to access Steam are clearly becoming more and more attractive. A look at current PC/console releases like Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, Bio shock Infinite etc point to faster PC releases, with little to no downfall to owning the pc version. Even Resident Evil 6 is coming to pc this month. The amount of console - exclusive titles is dwindling, and PCs now have access to the same wireless controllers with rumble, etc as consoles.
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Posted by: jiffylube1024
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Date: 03/06/13 08:58:34 AM]
+ expand thread (1 answer)
- collapse thread
If Valve isn't afraid to offer upgraded devices every year or two for the same cost, with possible new capabilities to boot, the Xbox and PlayStation are in trouble. An evolving device will outlive a static device every time.
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Posted by: Astral Abyss
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Date: 03/06/13 08:26:36 PM]
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