As Valve gears up for the launch of multiple Steam Machines in time for Christmas, David Crookes looks at the likely impact on the PC market
Up until now, modern day gamers have had a simple choice to make when deciding how they want to play: do they go for an inexpensive console or do they invest in a potentially wallet-sapping gaming PC? The arguments over what path to take have raged for many years, spanning the relative merits of the hardware and the quality and quantity of the games. The truth is, that a consensus has never really been reached.
On the one hand, console gamers have extoll the virtues of compatibility while, on the other, PC fans stress the diversity and choice offered to those who prefer to play on computers. Console owners say they needn't worry about whether their chosen system has the right internal card or enough memory, while PC gamers point to the wider range of genres - which include Real Time Strategy and the deep, involving, point-and-click adventures that consoles have traditionally struggled to grasp well enough.
For many years there was a pretty clear line in the sand, with many gamers staunchly positioning themselves on one side of the fence or the other. In more recent times, however, the boundaries between PCs and consoles have become increasingly blurred. Although consoles continue to make playing games a simple, straightforward process (give or take the frustrating regular updates), the likes of GOG.com and Steam have also simplified things immensely on the PC. These days gamers who get a decent enough PC will have just as stress-free a time as those who choose a console. Indeed, when coupled with the rising number of console developers who are factoring in PC development, it has become harder to choose between the two systems and say definitely that one is better than the other. Soon, that choice is likely to become more difficult.
Last year, Valve unveiled SteamOS, a brand new operating system specially created so that any PC on which it is installed is instantly turned into a dedicated gaming machine. It allows access to the Steam games distribution channel and so lets gamers buy, download and install hundreds of games without being distracted by all of the other things the PC tempts you with - you know, word processing and spreadsheets, dull stuff like that. Any games that are downloaded are instantly accessible and, what's more, they can be played on large screen televisions from the comfort of your living room thanks to a feature called Big Picture Mode.
With such innovations, Valve was positioning SteamOS firmly in console territory, and now it is allowing third-party manufacturers to produce what are in effect PC-console hybrids running the operating system, while letting existing PC owners replace Windows with the Linux-based SteamOS. Valve will not be manufacturing any of the so-called 'Steam Machines' itself, but companies such as Alienware and Cyberpower have seized the opportunity, producing official gaming PCs that look cool enough to sit in the living room by shedding the bulk and ugliness of a typical tower.
In one fell swoop, Valve has been able to remove the distinct advantage that consoles have long had over the PC: their ability to sit under the living room television and allow gamers to kickback with a gamepad. Traditionally PC gamers have played with a mouse-keyboard combo while sitting at a desk, and that has been off-putting for many players.
Even those who have used PCs in the living room have found the arrangement clumsy at times - since a tray with a mouse and keyboard balanced on the knee is no match for a small, all-in-one controller. With the Steam Machines and SteamOS, though, that issue looks set to be circumvented somewhat.
Letting Off Steam
So what is actually on offer? Quite a lot actually. As of the beginning of June, in the US at least, it has been possible to preorder official Steam Machines running SteamOS (the previous Steam Machines had to make do with Windows) with a delivery date of October 16th. Prices range from $449 for the Alienware Steam Machine, which utilises an Nvidia GeForce GTX GPU 2GB GDDR5 graphics and an Intel Core processor. At the top end, though, $1,419 with get you a Core i7 edition.
There is also a small machine from Cyberpower, called Syber, costing from $499. That can support up to an Nvidia GTX 980 but, unlike the Alienware offering, a controller has to be bought separately. It is also possible to buy a piece of hardware called Steam Link, though, which lets existing Steam gamers stream games from a Steam PC or Steam Machine to a TV at 1080p if the player doesn't want the computer in the living room.
The cheaper the machine, the lower spec'd it will be, and so gamers will perhaps make a decision based upon the kind of titles they like to play: cheaper machines for indie games, more expensive for blockbusters. Yet even though there eventually will be a potentially confusing array of Steam Machines with SteamOS installed around, they will all be marketed under one umbrella, so for those tempted to move from console to PC gaming, it will be clear that the computer is capable of running and streaming games.
This will hope to get around the issue of gamers being put off by the oft-baffling and/or daunting sets of requirements for a PC gaming set-up. There are some gamers who would love to play games on a PC, but are unsure if the machine sitting in front of them in PC World is good enough to do what they want. This has often been a barrier for entry for potential PC gamers and so, in this sense, Steam has the opportunity to reinvent PC hardware.
It could, should it be successful, create a subset of machines that consumers and gamers see as perfect for play. For those looking for a gaming rig, it may soon be a case of looking for a Steam Machine, safe in the knowledge that there will be minimal fiddling before they have a system verified as being suitable for the games they want - and lots of cool, advanced titles available via download within seconds of the thing booting. With a bit of research as the months and years roll on, those who own the Steam Machines may then feel more confident about swapping out certain components such as the GPU and the memory to move with the times (like a PC, the Steam Machines are always going to be more freely upgradable) but the point is that it should encourage even greater take-up of PCs as a gaming machine.
A Reinvention?
There is already evidence that Steam has the potential to reinvent PC hardware, on the outside at least - the Steam Machines do not look like PCs and resemble consoles instead. Inside, the specs and the features are largely down to the discretion of the manufacturer, but they are geared towards being home entertainment systems. Valve has requested that the companies have HDMI input so that the consoles are able to control and manage television feeds, as well as have the ability to record TV programmes. And for those who want to install and customise SteamOS, they must have a Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor, at least 4GB of RAM, 500GB or more storage space, an Nvidia or AMD graphics card and UEFI boot support.
While this is all a variation on the theme of PC, and something people are relatively familiar with, there is one major addition that is new and unique to Steam - its accompanying controller. That's a piece of kit that seems to want to do away with the keyboard and mouse combo that is so prevalent with PC games today. As such, it comes with two haptic feedback trackpads that can mimic all manner of 'rival' control methods, dual-stage triggers and fully customisable control schemes. It is potentially revolutionary, and could become the reason why gamers will want to switch.
The idea is that - even if a game should require a keyboard and a mouse - the player will be able to grab the gamepad, ensure it is set up properly (the gamepad is customisable to suit different games), sit back on a sofa and relax. It's very clever and has gone through many iterations to get to this point.
The controller is being sold in the UK on the Steam website for £40 as well as in GAME where it is already available for pre-order, allowing gamers to get their hands on it on October 16th, a good three weeks ahead of the November 10th general release date. GAME is only selling the controller with a £20 Steam credit, making the overall cost £60. You can also purchase the controller with the Steam Link online for £80 (or for £100 at GAME including the Steam credit).
"For years, Steam has been at the forefront of PC gaming and so we're excited to be able to bring our gaming communities and Steam fans products that allow them to enjoy the full experience in the comfort of their living room, or indeed any room with a television," says Charlotte Knight, UK Retail Managing Director at GAME.
PR aside, it is likely that, if the controller becomes successful, games developers will start to produce games that take into account the gamepad first and foremost at the expense of the traditional method. It won't see the end of the keyboard nor the mouse for all users (some will stick with their tried and tested methods), and neither will it ever replace these peripherals for those who use the computer for nongaming, recreational purposes (although it can, we're told, be used to surf the web). It does have the potential to disrupt the way people play PC games, though. It takes PC gaming down a console-style path, while also allowing some of the flexibility that current console controllers cannot provide.
The Steam Machines are also tapping into a trend. Sales of desktop PCs have been declining sharply in the face of competition from laptops, tablets and even phones. Research firm Gartner has said that global PC shipments in the first quarter of 2015 have dropped 5.2% from the previous year with business desktops suffering the most. Intel has been so affected by this that its CEO Brian Krzanich is sceptical that even Windows 10 will be able to turn things around. He told the recent annual shareholders meeting, "We're seeing some quarter-to-quarter pushing, but we continue to take a view of our long-term forecast... the PC market should be flat to slightly down mid single-digits over the long term."
Gaming PCs are bucking that trend, however. The likes of Intel and AMD will be paying close attention to this and since chips from both makers are being used in Steam Machines, a rise in demand for these gaming PCs will continue to fuel the demand for ever greater CPUs. We should also see, as games continue to become bigger, a call for even larger hard drive sizes. None of this is especially new - videogames have long driven technological advances along with war and space exploration - but a potentially larger take-up of games-only PCs constantly updated year-on-year could have a profound impact. Consoles are only significantly updated every five to eight years.
Microsoft's Comeback
Not that Microsoft is taking any of this lying down. SteamOS was born out of the frustration felt by Valve founder Gabe Newell over Windows 8, which he constantly berated (labelling it a "catastrophe" and claiming it make people "rage quit computing"). Even though take-up of Windows 8 among Steam users was initially healthy - it was reported that 7% adopted it within the first three month, which put it ahead of OS X and Linux - Newell feared that Microsoft was creating a controlled walled garden. SteamOS was a way of ensuring a long-lasting open system.
However, since Valve started to push ahead with the Steam Machines, much has changed. Microsoft has rolled out Windows 10 for free and it has promised to throw its weight behind gaming. The operating system ships with a souped up DirectX 12 graphics API that reduces CPU bottlenecks and allows for greater performance on all hardware. Microsoft has also allowed Windows 10 users to stream games to the Xbox One. They will need to be controlled using Xbox One gamepads, though, which gives Steam and its controller an advantage. Nevertheless, Microsoft has more than risen to the challenge and it will be up to Valve to persuade gamers that a dedicated gaming machine with its own Ul and innards geared up for the best possible performance for each price point is worth shelling out for.
Which brings us to exactly who the Steam Machines are being aimed at. It is unlikely that Valve is targeting Steam Machines at hardcore PC gamers. The high spending PC enthusiast market will always want to keep their machines up-to-date with the latest upgrades, regardless of the success or failure of Steam Machines and so, while they will have their heads turned by the Steam Controller and potentially SteamOS, the fact that a great many games are Windows-only may persuade them to stick things out a little longer. The Steam Machines, then, are perhaps more geared towards console gamers who want to take advantage of the great titles that are being released solely on the PC.
Whatever the audience, though, the lower spenders will help to drive technology ever higher, demanding that their new living room machines are able to play the latest titles. In that sense, PC gaming and PC hardware will emerge the winner. But what of the long-term future of Steam? "Perhaps we will also see an even greater diversity of content on Steam - more family or casual orientated games," says Nick Burcombe, the CEO of Playrise Digital. "Who knows. Perhaps the longer term goals of 'Steam - the Digital Entertainment Platform' is the bigger goal here. Maybe they will have music and film services lined up in the future too?
"Getting Steam out of the PC den and into the front room is a good idea for the company, but whether it is adopted by hundred of millions of people only time will tell. From a development point of view there's some potentially huge cost savings on offer if this did become the dominant platform, but you can rest assured that neither Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo will stand by whilst that happens. Steam in your PC den, your lounge, your tablets and even on our Phones too. Now that would be a cool entertainment platform."
Steam In Numbers
2003 - Steam released exclusively for Windows
2005 - Third-party, non-Valve games appear on Steam
4,500 - The number of games available through Steam
125,000,000 - The number of active users
75 - The percentage of games for the PC sold via Steam
2012 - The year Big Picture Mode was integrated
200.000 - Sales on Steam of The Witcher
250.000 - Overall online sales of The Witcher