Steam Box Part 3: Why It’s Enticing

This is the third segment looking into the implications of the Steam Box.  Here are links for Part 1 and Part 2.  We have already gone over the basic ideas and challenges that the Steam Box will face.  Now I will explain why such a product would be enticing.  Why would anyone purchase Steam branded hardware for the living room?  A lot of people like to talk about how the increased openness of the platform will be a benefit.  I don’t see it.

The Playstation and Xbox worlds are controlled and at least somewhat closed.  Gabe Newell originally had some pretty harsh words regarding the Playstation 3 but later changed his tune when Sony allowed some Steam integration.  Microsoft and Sony behave in ways that they feel suit their best interest and that is not always going to coincide with Valve’s preferences.  Despite what some may say, the Steam Box will not be a panacea of openness.  Valve has its own agenda as well and everything will be confined to Steam’s rules (which EA seems to have problems with).  As discussed in our previous article, Valve needs to have all the big games available on Steam.  This means shoring up its relationship with EA.  Currently, if a game isn’t on Steam it’s not a deal-breaker because you can still use other available channels to play that game.  With the Steam Box, if the game isn’t available on Steam you won’t be able to play it at all because other options won’t exist on the Steam Box.  Valve needs to prove to developers and publishers that it is as good a partner or better than Microsoft and Sony.  In addition to EA titles, games by Blizzard would add immensely to the attraction of a Steam Box.

The openness of the Steam Box comes more from the hardware side.  Microsoft and Sony are apparently of the mindset that consumers are content with ancient and outdated hardware.  When things like smartphones seem to grow in leaps and bounds every year, having a seven year old console is downright depressing.  If the Steam Box allows users to easily upgrade hardware it could keep people much more satisfied.  In this regard it would function much more like a PC than a console (because in reality it is just a PC designed to have a small form factor).  If you are on a budget or just content with less eye candy then go for a basic hardware option.  If you love having settings maxed then go ahead and upgrade your hardware as you see fit.  Everybody’s happy when you don’t lock everyone into one specific set of hardware.

The major attraction for the Steam Box is the ubiquity of the Steam platform.  People who only play on consoles will stick with Microsoft or Sony.  People who only play on a PC won’t have any use for hardware meant for the living room.  The main target audience is those who play on consoles and PC’s.  For this group, every game release brings up the question of whether to purchase the game for their PC or for their console.  Often the choice begins to feel like a trade-off that shouldn’t exist.  If you pay for the game, why are you limited to what platform you can play it on?  (This isn’t true in an absolute sense.  Many people have PC’s hooked up to their television already.  The problem is there currently is no great way for such a setup to work.)

The Steam Box would allow you to purchase a game on Steam and be able to play it anywhere.  Want to sit at your desk and use your beastly gaming PC?  Done.  Want to get a few hours on your Macbook while traveling?  Done.  Want to lay out on your couch and relax?  Done.  There is a huge desire to make this a reality.  The ‘buy once, play anywhere’ idea is extremely enticing . . . but again, content is king.