Breaking news!
If you were breathlessly waiting for your opportunity to stick it to Microsoft and Sony's dominance in console gaming you're going to have to wait a little longer.
This week Valve announced via its Steam Universe community forum that the much hyped Steam Box gaming console wouldn't see an official launch date till 2015. Originally scheduled to launch this year, apparently feedback from the 300 testers in the Steam Box beta program have discovered some issues with the console's controller. Truth be told, calling the Steam Box a console is a bit of a stretch. The Steam Box is really more of a specification than a product.
Consisting of a customized Linux distribution called Steam OS, A hardware specification based on PC components and that troublesome controller that's hanging up the launch date. It seems that Valve's idea of making a better game controller simply isn't. For one thing, instead of joysticks the control surfaces are touchpads with vibratory feedback similar to some on-screen keyboards found on smartphones.
Valve's official explanation for the delay is this... "Obviously we're just as eager as you are to get a Steam Machine in your hands. But our number one priority is making sure that when you do, you'll be getting the best gaming experience possible" That's nice but the controller may be the least of the Steam Box's challenges.
Hardware partners who've committed to producing products based on Valve's prototype are already complaining about the relatively low (meaning slim margin) hardware specifications. Unlike top-tier boutique systems commanding thousands of dollars, Valve's Steam Box (or Steam Machine as it's now called) looks more like an entry level PC in a fancy case. It's left partners voicing their concern that, " it will absolutely be the least profitable system we ever sell.” It's also unsure if the console market will tolerate these delays much longer while Valve continues to tinker with its flagship product.
It's already been suggested that interest in Valve's console is waning due to slipping launch dates and licensing instead of actually manufacturing the console.
If that's true then the real question for partners and perhaps even Valve is, why bother?
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