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Valve is about to win the console generation

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Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#351

Post by Zhyl »

jaapz wrote: post #270
Normal_gaussian wrote: post #46

Valve certainly won't win it, but they're bringing the heat where it wasn't before. SteamOS is the important part here - if it is proven to be a good console experience (which the deck has basically proven already) then licensing of the OS to other manufacturers will put a lot of pressure on integrated h/w s/w manufacturers. Unlike the handheld format, the tvbox console is fairly easy to manufacture and is tolerant o…

> then licensing of the OS to other manufacturers They already tried that the first way around when they introduced steam machines. That didn't really work. The fact that they now took full control is what's exiting about this steam machine.

They tried it without a flagship and without a large library of compatible games.

They now have a flagship first party Steam Machine and Proton to run games. They are also working with partners to create 3rd party Steam OS handhelds.

If steam machines sell well, we will likely see supported 3rd party offerings.

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#352

Post by AlexandrB »

Normal_gaussian wrote: post #46

Valve certainly won't win it, but they're bringing the heat where it wasn't before. SteamOS is the important part here - if it is proven to be a good console experience (which the deck has basically proven already) then licensing of the OS to other manufacturers will put a lot of pressure on integrated h/w s/w manufacturers. Unlike the handheld format, the tvbox console is fairly easy to manufacture and is tolerant o…

This is only possible due to how the console space has changed over the last 10 years. The killer app for console over PC used to be simplicity - you pop in the disc/cartridge and you just go. This is rarely true anymore. Even Switch 2 games often require waiting to download a bunch of stuff before you can play. Meanwhile the PC experience has generally gotten simpler and most games "just work", in part thanks to Steam itself.

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#353

Post by unaindz »

Kbelicius wrote: post #342
rkangel wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a circular opportunity though - if the SteamOS market share gets anywhere, then it might become worth it for these developers to support anti-cheat on the that platform. Some systems (notably BattleEye) actually have Linux support, they just need to enable it, but there's no incentive for them to do so.

> Some systems (notably BattleEye) actually have Linux support, they just need to enable it, but there's no incentive for them to do so. This isn't really true. As GP said, there isn't a kernel level anti cheat for linux. You can switch a flick on BattleEye to run on linux but it wont be a kernel level as it is on windows. So there is an incentive for them to not turn it on because it simply is the worse version than…

Battleeye games get flooded with cheaters no matter what. On most anti cheats is the same anyways. Just see tarkov for a battleeye game with rampant cheaters

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#354

Post by 827a »

stavros wrote: post #231

> The big thing I want to see in practice is their implementation of foveated rendering. This beautiful hack abuses the fact that human eyes have the most sharpness and fidelity at the exact centre of your field of vision, whereas your peripheral vision is abysmal at it. This means that on average you only have to render about 10% of the frame at maximum quality for it to feel like it's running at full resolution all…

What they're saying is that they might have a foviated rendering solution in addition to the foviated streaming solution we know about, and we'd like to hear about it.

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#356

Post by brees504 »

intexpress wrote: post #94

To win this console generation and outsell the PS5, Valve would have to sell 85 million Steam Machines (as of today, and likely need to sell 120 million by the end of the generation). About a 0% chance of that happening. Looks cool, though

and do that while having none of the big multiplayer games

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#357

Post by brees504 »

bitmasher9 wrote: post #329
isoprophlex wrote: post #304

But what about the price?! 15 year old kids are never gonna drop 800+ on this nerd box if they can play fifa for, what, 400-500? And THAT'S the demographic to win if you want to break up Big Game.

The demographics of gaming is shifting older. Valve is clearly running towards where the ball will be. The steam deck is also available for that 400-500 price point.

The Steamdeck has sold like 4 mil units in 3 years. Handheld PCs are an incredibly niche market.

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#358

Post by rirze »

Aerroon wrote: post #276
slightwinder wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a misconception. Majority of players are with the big Franchises, and they stay with them. The variety-gamers who are playing multiple different games are a minority, though they are a big crowd, loud and have for obvious reasons more attention, leading to this misconception. For example, Escape from Duckov, which you are speaking about, had at it's peak "just" roughly as many players as Battlefield 6 has on a…

I don't think it's entirely the case. They are on franchises, but not the ones you think of - they're playing live service games that have been around for years. Games like League of Legends, Counterstrike, Fortnite, Dota, WoW, PUBG etc. Games like Battlefield are up there, but I don't think they're the games people mainly play over the years. (Although Fifa and GTA definitely are.) For example, the top 10 games in K…

Man, I'm surprised DFO still in the top 10. I thought that game died out spectacularly.

Re: Valve is about to win the console generation

#360

Post by badosu »

nobodyandproud wrote: post #345
testdelacc1 wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Current OS split of Steam users - 94.84% windows, 2.11% mac, 3.05% Linux. Valve has fought tooth and nail for a decade to make that 3.05% a reality. Linux means they control their own destiny, instead of being at the mercy of Microsoft. Valve has their eyes on this prize and they’re willing to play the long game. Everyone’s going to talk about “winning” the console generation, but winning could mean an increase of Li…

Valve’s strategy being that Microsoft will continue down this user-hostile and privacy-hostile experience. Being computer-savvy means I’m still a relative outlier, but given the renewed shift away from Windows and Office; Windows unfortunately may become niche.

Why unfortunately? Isn't that a good thing? (Assuming > 0% will switch to Linux instead of iOS)
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