Tech site Not Operator claims that “multiple sources” have confirmed Valve’s living room PC Steam Machines will officially launch in 2015. An announcement will apparently be made at the Game Developers Conference this March.
In fact, it sounds like almost every aspect of Valve’s move into hardware production and (potential) desktop domination is ready to go. According to those same sources the Steam Controller’s final design has been finalized, and Steam OS is ready to come out of closed beta.
Not Operator goes on to claim that “multiple PC boutique builders” are also ready to launch their own version of the Steam Machine, including Alienware, Digital Storm and Alternate. We thought that Steam Machines would make their first appearance on the market last year until a delay was announced in May, but 2015 looks like the year Valve will finally make its move.
The launch of Steam OS will presumably occur at round about the same time as Windows 10, which Microsoft has been promising will cater to gaming better than previous editions. Still, if you’re looking to build a gaming PC the ability to grab a Steam Machine and have Steam OS ready to go with no license fee required is an attractive one.
Valve have all the moving parts required to make a real impact in the marketplace, perhaps even grabbing a slice of the console pie with those predicted $500 to $700 price points. Whether they’ll be able to make the most of the opportunity and get all those moving parts to slot together effectively remains to be seen, but it’s surely going to be an interesting year for the industry.
