Valve making a console (that's actually a PC)?

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TronFAQ
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Valve making a console (that's actually a PC)?

Post by TronFAQ »

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/03 ... x-console/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So there's a rumor going around that Valve is going to make a console. Only, it's not really a console. It's a small form-factor PC that looks like a console, can connect to a TV, and will have gamepads/controllers by default.

Microsoft actually did the same thing with the original Xbox. It was a PC in disguise. But there will be two key differences. 1) The original Xbox was a low-spec PC, while the Valve one will be high-spec. It's rumored to have an i7 CPU, 8 GB memory, and a reasonably powerful Nvidia GPU. 2) The Xbox was deliberately designed not to run Windows software. Specific Xbox versions of games had to be made, which wouldn't run on a PC even though the Xbox and PC were very similar.

It's funny, because just a few months ago I was talking with someone about this, and saying: why doesn't Valve make a console-like PC? But not one that's closed and restricted, like the first Xbox was. A Valve console/PC that can run all Windows software and use all PC hardware. It's just an easier to use, more user-friendly, lower cost PC with Steam pre-installed.

If this takes off, it could give PC gaming a significant boost.
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Re: Valve making a console (that's actually a PC)?

Post by TronFAQ »

Here's another rumor I came across, that's related. If you thought the idea of Valve making a console-like PC was weird, then check this out.

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/03/02/sony ... n-amd-gpu/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


So now there are whispers going around, that Sony's Playstation 4 will have an x86 CPU and a GPU both made by AMD. That, in effect, the PS4 will also be a PC in disguise.

This rumor is just . . . too bizarre to be true. But if it is true, then it would be both a good and a bad thing for PC gaming. Good, because it would mean the PS4 version of a game is effectively the same as the PC version. Very little effort would be required to port from one to the other.

Bad, because knowing Sony: they'll make sure as many games would be PS4 "exclusives" either to start with, or permanently. So a game that could easily run on a PC would end up being stuck on the PS4 only.


At any rate, like I said, this rumor is just too ridiculous to be true. Then again: who would have thought Macs would end up with Intel processors, effectively making them PCs as well.
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Daddyo
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Re: Valve making a console (that's actually a PC)?

Post by Daddyo »

Maybe someday they'll just toss out the 'ol CPU altogether and the entire machine will mainly be a GPU.
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Re: Valve making a console (that's actually a PC)?

Post by SweatyPyro »

I would have hoped that Valve was dedicating resources to ensuring that Half Life 3 would be the greatest game created ( up to its release, anyway ), but the rumor is interesting. Hopefully it doesn't run into over-heating issues that are so frequent with 360s.
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