Valve's SteamBox Gets a Name and an Early Demo at CES

xynopsis writes "Looks like the final version of the Linux based Steam Gaming Console has been made public at CES. The result of combined efforts of small-form-factor maker Xi3 and Valve, the gaming box named 'Piston' is a potential game changer in transforming the Linux desktop and gaming market. The pretty device looks like a shrunk Tezro from Silicon Graphics when SGI used to be cool." Looks like Gabe Newell wasn't kidding.

Nope, ain't happening

[crazyjj]

offer modular component updates, including the option to upgrade the PC's CPU and RAM.

I will *not* get back into that chase again, thank you very much. The whole reason I left PC gaming years ago was because I got tired of the specs chase. Consoles meant never having to look on the box and see if I needed yet another upgrade to play a game. I've even still got the stack of old video cards and MB's to remind me of how much money I wasted back then.

Not going back to that. And if I was, I would just build my own PC and connect it to my TV (why bother with Valve's box?). After all, if I'm going back to the chase, may as well get the freedom of a PC too.

2013

[gmuslera]

Maybe won't be the year of the linux desktop, but with that, and a few android based gaming consoles could be the year of the linux game console.

I hate the case

[drinkypoo]

Wake me up when people start making consoles that stack again

Re:Linux + DRM

[L4t3r4lu5]

Linux is an operating system, not a belief system. It lets me use my computer how I want to, and the day it gets in the way of that I will swap to something else. If I want to install DRM laden software onto Linux, who are you to judge?

Re:Linux + DRM

[Anonymous Coward]

If you think linux's only purpose is to create DRM free games, or anything else for that matter, you're kinda missing the point. The purpose of linux afaik is to create freedom....to do whatever you want with the OS. If I want to play DRM games on my linux install, then its doing its job because its what I want to do with the OS.

Re:Linux + DRM

[yincrash]

Steam is a delivery platform with optional DRM. No game is required to use the DRM, and many indie games and older games do not. Once you purchase those games, you can move them wherever you wish and even delete Steam and still have usable games.

Re:Author quote

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Isn't SGI one of those companies that has achieved eternal coolness by (like any self-respecting rock star) dying horribly before it could really ruin its reputation with a string of pathetic comeback attempts at 3rd string clubs?

My sense is that SGI's last gasp of genuine relevance was over a decade ago; but that they are forever enshrined in the datacenters of Valhalla(and every system today that uses OpenGL gives them praise)

Re:Nope, ain't happening

[Builder]

Two years in the gaming world is nothing. I remember about 12 years back when you really did have to upgrade every year to 2 years to keep playing games with decent performance.

Things in the hardware space weren't always as stagnant as they are now.

Re:Nope, ain't happening

[shutdown -p now]

If you play games on PC with graphics quality that matches that of Xbox, it'll last you 5 years as well.

If you want to play at 1920x1200 with 4x AA, perfect shadows and water reflections, and insane viewing distances, then, yeah, it's less than that. There's no free lunch.