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[Knuf]

I thought if you were a private company you can't be bought out unless you want to sell?

I honestly don't know what shareholder currently holds the majority in Valve, but every company, public or unlisted, can be bought out if the potential seller agrees to the offer the buyer is making: it's certainly true that's easier to perform buyouts (even hostile) on public companies, but why should be it not possible to buy out private ones?
I can see Microsoft using very convincing arguments trying to get Valve majority, and make them replace the Linux SteamOS with a Windows SteamOS soon after they succeed.

 

[dex3108]

What I find curious is the symbol of the next announcement.
It's [O ] (with space)
not [O] (without space)

Any guesses?

Left side that is closer is nVidia, and right side that is not that close to OS i AMD XD

 

[Coldsun]

I honestly don't know what shareholder currently holds the majority in Valve, but every company, public or unlisted, can be bought out if the potential seller agrees to the offer the buyer is making: it's certainly true that's easier to perform buyouts (even hostile) on public companies, but why should be it not possible to buy out private ones?
I can see Microsoft using very convincing arguments trying to get Valve majority, and make them replace the Linux SteamOS with a Windows SteamOS soon after they succeed.

Considering Gabe still owns the majority and hes worth over 1.5bil... I don't really see what Microsoft could offer him.

 

[angular graphics]

Last time Gabe talked aboit OnLive, he wasn't too hot about it

http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/8/3852144/gabe-newell-interview-steam-box-future-of-gaming

Also as he says in that quote he has been consistently repeating the same comments about OnLive for years.

Here is another recent comment he made: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/...sees-living-room-pcs-inter-game-marketplaces/

While local home streaming is entirely feasible, Newell made it clear that he doesn't think OnLive-style centralized streaming of content over the wider Internet will ever really work. Distributing functionality over a network is one of the oldest problems in computer science, he pointed out, and having smart nodes at the ends of the network has turned out to be the best solution. "Cloud gaming works until it starts to be successful, when it falls over from its own success," he said. Furthermore, future gaming applications are only going to be more sensitive to the latency inherent in Internet streaming.

 

[gofreak]

Like others, I'm leaning on the idea the next announcement is a controller.

They can talk about the controller in the context of SteamOS on any PC without talking about a specific box (if announcement number 3 is a particular box). Talk about the work on latency and any other things they've been doing.

 

[angular graphics]

I honestly don't know what shareholder currently holds the majority in Valve, but every company, public or unlisted, can be bought out if the potential seller agrees to the offer the buyer is making: it's certainly true that's easier to perform buyouts (even hostile) on public companies, but why should be it not possible to buy out private ones?
I can see Microsoft using very convincing arguments trying to get Valve majority, and make them replace the Linux SteamOS with a Windows SteamOS soon after they succeed.

What would those be? You mean even more money, right? Newell seems to be ok with the billions he already has and gone on record saying: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/t...e-maker-with-few-rules.html?pagewanted=3&_r=2

Although Valve’s finances are private, Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, estimates that the company could be worth around $2.5 billion today.

Mr. Newell said that there was a better chance that Valve would “disintegrate,” its independent-minded workers scattering, than that it would ever be sold.

“It’s way more likely we would head in that direction than say, ‘Let’s find some giant company that wants to cash us out and wait two or three years to have our employment agreements terminate,’ ” he says.

 

[Adry9]

The third announcement could be a way to make a connection between a SteamOS and smartphones. Gabe mentioned at the linux conference that he wanted to make a persistent connection between the PC, the couch/TV and smartphones for when people are away from home, which is something Sony and MS are also doing.

 

[Knuf]

There's no way Valve will sell to MS. Gaben majority owns Valve, he's already a billionaire, he thinks Windows 8 is a bad joke, so nah.

Considering Gabe still owns the majority and hes worth over 1.5bil... I don't really see what Microsoft could offer him.

This is your (and my) hope, but since MS is not new to this kind of operations, and considering that Gaben is also an ex-MS employee... well, you never know.

 

[Shrike Alvaron]

What I find curious is the symbol of the next announcement.
It's [O ] (with space)
not [O] (without space)

Any guesses?

It almost looks like an open box to me, or more specifically since it's on its side, a computer case with the side panel removed. It could be pointing to the openness of the Steambox and being able to replace components inside it like any other PC.

 

[Coldsun]

This is your (and my) hope, but since MS is not new to this kind of operations, and considering that Gaben is also an ex-MS employee... well, you never know.

I suppose your right. It just wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense.

When he left Microsoft he had more than enough to retire. He entered the gaming market with his own capital (and his partner who was also from Microsoft). Since then, theyve amasses larger fortunes running Valve (and subsequently Steam).

They've rejected purchase offers from the very least Activision and EA. I suppose Microsoft could offer billions on top of what previous offers were, sure. Would Microsoft? Would Microsoft offer more money to save the Windows aspect of gaming? The same Microsoft who already has a hard enough time justifying the money they throw at the Xbox division to Investors? I doubt it.

Microsoft buying Valve simply isn't in the realm of feasible from both sides.

 

[Knuf]

What would those be? You mean even more money, right? Newell seems to be ok with the billions he already has and gone on record saying: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/t...e-maker-with-few-rules.html?pagewanted=3&_r=2

Not necessarily only more money, Gaben worked there for 13 years, what if MS offer him to come back in a relevant position to straighten the Windows ship, too?

I suppose your right. It just wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense.

When he left Microsoft he had more than enough to retire. He entered the gaming market with his own capital (and his partner who was also from Microsoft). Since then, theyve amasses larger fortunes running Valve (and subsequently Steam).

They've rejected purchase offers from the very least Activision and EA. I suppose Microsoft could offer billions on top of what previous offers were, sure. Would Microsoft? Would Microsoft offer more money to save the Windows aspect of gaming? The same Microsoft who already has a hard enough time justifying the money they throw at the Xbox division to Investors? I doubt it.

Microsoft buying Valve simply isn't in the realm of feasible from both sides.

I think you're missing a thing, here: if they try to buyout Valve, is not to save the Windows aspect of gaming, it's to save the entire Windows division, or at least the consumer part of it.
What aspect in the PC world detracts many end-users from switching to Linux? You know what, games.

 

[Bollocks]

Where can I read about today's? announcement?

 

[Coldsun]

Not necessarily only more money, Gaben worked there for 13 years, what if MS offer him to come back in a relevant position to straighten the Windows ship, too?

I really don't see why Gabe would stop doing what hes doing, where he has all the freedoms of the world, to be owned by another company. He has a billion and a half in the bank. He is free to do as he pleases professionally. I'm not seeing the carrot that would be offered.

Why would he want to right the Microsoft ship? There'll be resistance from higher ups and investors. Things that he doesn't have to deal with in any capacity right now.

 

[Coldsun]

Where can I read about today's? announcement?

The announcement hasn't been made yet. Come back in 8 hours or watch http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/

 

[MrCunningham]

Where can I read about today's? announcement?

Right here: http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/

It will happen in less than 7 hours and 58 minutes.

beaten

 

[EatChildren]

Valve is a privately controlled company suspected to be making a fortune off a lucrative and brilliantly executed business model while also harbouring flexibility and creativity amongst its software and hardware personnel, with no indication of business struggle or financial issues in the near or distant future.

There's more or less no benefit at all to Newell selling out Valve to a bigger company, nor any projected catalyst that would force them to. They're riding high and own the whole thing.

 

[MaLDo]

Where can I read about today's? announcement?

Every bit is here

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom


triple combo beaten

 

[demolitio]

I might be interested in a box down the line but have a good enough computer for now but I'm really hoping it's successful and causes a resurgence in the PC market and maybe bringing along more PC-centric games 5 years from now.

Actually, if the streaming worked well, the box would be awesome for me for when I have another surgery and go on bed-rest but I guess it comes down to the cost.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Where can I read about today's? announcement?

In about six hours.

 

[angular graphics]

Not necessarily only more money, Gaben worked there for 13 years, what if MS offer him to come back in a relevant position to straighten the Windows ship, too?

That I don't see any reason GabeN to want.

 

[ashecitism]

What I find curious is the symbol of the next announcement.
It's [O ] (with space)
not [O] (without space)

Any guesses?

An earlier guess was, the left bracket is a couch and right is a tv. So it's SteamOS sitting in a livingroom. Which is tied to hardware.

But the open box suggestion also makes sense.

 

[Zerin]

I might be interested in a box down the line but have a good enough computer for now but I'm really hoping it's successful and causes a resurgence in the PC market and maybe bringing along more PC-centric games 5 years from now.

Actually, if the streaming worked well, the box would be awesome for me for when I have another surgery and go on bed-rest but I guess it comes down to the cost.

What qualifies as pc-centric? With focus on the living room and gamepad thus far this would increase the console-like qualities of pc games if anything.

 

[iceatcs]

Eh did some already forget that there is Steam windows version, so there is no need windows SteamOS. Also it still required to have windows pc to link up, if you want play windows only titles on SteamOS via streaming.

 

[deleted]

If we're talking controller for today and not the box - the shape is roughly a NES controller, the circle could represent a trackball.
That would make many PC games couch friendly - if they can pull it of and if gamers are willing to give it a try, because it would function vastly different from console controllers.

 

[EVH]

Valve is a privately controlled company suspected to be making a fortune off a lucrative and brilliantly executed business model while also harbouring flexibility and creativity amongst its software and hardware personnel, with no indication of business struggle or financial issues in the near or distant future.

There's more or less no benefit at all to Newell selling out Valve to a bigger company, nor any projected catalyst that would force them to. They're riding high and own the whole thing.

I love Valve, their games and the way they work, really, but would like to know more about how they manage the taxes reporting stuff. It is something that every company in the world does, but still I'm interested.

Wonder if I send a mail to Gabe he will explain...

 

[demolitio]

What qualifies as pc-centric? With focus on the living room and gamepad thus far this would increase the console-like qualities of pc games if anything.

Not that. More games willing to push beyond the boundaries of the consoles later on in the generation and possibly more true PC exclusives and reviving genres that have been dying (or are already dead) due to the focus on the console market. At least make PC gaming more popular and receive more attention other than just a few places.

 

[Khaz]

Wonder if I send a mail to Gabe he will explain...

I think he will be quite busy in the next few weeks. Should have sent it earlier!

 

[brotkasten]

Eh did some already forget that there is Steam windows version, so there is no need windows SteamOS. Also it still required to have windows pc to link up, if you want play windows only titles on SteamOS via streaming.

The only thing I'm interested in is streaming from one Windows PC that runs Steam to another Windows PC that runs Steam.

Is this going to be possible in the future or does the streaming feature require SteamOS?

In the announcement they mentioned the Steam client will also get the features the SteamOS gets, including in-home streaming.

Thank you very much.

 

[ashecitism]

In the announcement they mentioned the Steam client will also get the features the SteamOS gets, including in-home streaming.

 

[Horse Detective]

This post is pointless,

but the more I think about this whole thing the more excited I get.

 

[MysticX]

so Half-Life 3 SteamOS exclusive??? you heard it here first folks!

 

[RulkezX]

Not that. More games willing to push beyond the boundaries of the consoles later on in the generation and possibly more true PC exclusives and reviving genres that have been dying (or are already dead) due to the focus on the console market. At least make PC gaming more popular and receive more attention other than just a few places.

There is not a single thing stopping devs doing that just now , a new OS won't change this.

In fact if an under the tv Steambox was really successful there may be an even smaller market for traditional PC games played with a KB/m

The only thing I'm interested in is streaming from one Windows PC that runs Steam to another Windows PC that runs Steam.

Is this going to be possible in the future or does the streaming feature require SteamOS?


.

I was under the impression Gabe is only interested in local streaming , they ain't working on improving input latency just to fuck it all up with internet streaming.

 

[Horp]

so Half-Life 3 SteamOS exclusive??? you heard it here first folks!

Infact I've heard it probably 20 times in just this thread already.

 

[zkylon]

unless you have to log in to your steam account to use steamOS, I'm on board with it

I still can't use linux since there's no photoshop for linux but I'd make a partition and give it a shot

 

[Lingitiz]

There is not a single thing stopping devs doing that just now , a new OS won't change this.

In fact if an under the tv Steambox was really successful there may be an even smaller market for traditional PC games played with a KB/m

We still haven't seen Valve's controller solution. Considering one of the games in the first press release was Rome 2, and Valve's current most popular game and money maker is Dota 2, it's totally possible they may have found a living solution for the M/KB.

 

[brotkasten]

I was under the impression Gabe is only interested in local streaming , they ain't working on improving input latency just to fuck it all up Internet streaming.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I was talking about streaming from my workstation in my home office to the HTPC in my living room. Everything locally over WiFi. I just didn't want to dual-boot my HTPC just for this feature.

 

[Coldsun]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I was talking about streaming from my workstation in my home office to the HTPC in my living room. Everything locally over WiFi. I just didn't want to dual-boot my HTPC just for this feature.

Then your in luck because thats definitely going to be in the cards.

 

[RulkezX]

We still haven't seen Valve's controller solution. Considering one of the games in the first press release was Rome 2, and Valve's current most popular game and money maker is Dota 2, it's totally possible they may have found a living solution for the M/KB.

One of the others was FM2014 and Miles Jacobsen said

we've already announced the FM will work with Big Picture mode, so you can much easier play the game that way should you want to on the PC/Mac/Linux versions with a keyboard and mouse. SteamOS would also require a keyboard and mouse. As far as I know, no current, or next gen, consoles come with keyboards or mice.

Realistically anything they show pad wise is going to be a step backwards from Kb/m.

Unless they have designed a pad with perfect precision and 120 buttons.

 

[Khaz]

We still haven't seen Valve's controller solution. Considering one of the games in the first press release was Rome 2, and Valve's current most popular game and money maker is Dota 2, it's totally possible they may have found a living solution for the M/KB.

I don't play dota but wouldn't a solution like the Wiimote plus nunchuk be feasible? Replacing the nunchuk with something bearing many buttons?

 

[iceatcs]

The only thing I'm interested in is streaming from one Windows PC that runs Steam to another Windows PC that runs Steam.

Is this going to be possible in the future or does the streaming feature require SteamOS?

Good point - but then people won't bother install SteamOS. That something Valve don't want. I'm willing to prepare it is SteamOS exclusive.

 

[Horse Detective]

I could not imagine playing mobas with a controller.

 

[angular graphics]

Good point - but then people won't bother install SteamOS. That something Valve don't want. I'm willing to prepare it is SteamOS exclusive.

They won't make something exclusive to SteamOS "just cause". If there are no technical obstacles, and there shouldn't be, it will work everywhere.

 

[ashecitism]

Good point - but then people won't bother install SteamOS. That something Valve don't want. I'm willing to prepare it is SteamOS exclusive.

It's not. Why would they lock out a feature for the majority of their users? Steam is the platform, not SteamOS. It's just the means for them to go independent of MS and to get Steam on more devices. To expand their ecosystem and a safery measure in case MS goes crazy with Windows.

 

[MaLDo]

They won't make something exclusive to SteamOS "just cause". If there are no technical obstacles, and there shouldn't be, it will work everywhere.

I fully agree with that for steam games but....

what about extra graphic features in L4D3/DOTA3/CS/TF3 or whatever linux version thanks to opengl~source2 partnership?

 

[iceatcs]

They won't make something exclusive to SteamOS "just cause". If there are no technical obstacles, and there shouldn't be, it will work everywhere.

Ok.... but it is my opinion. I stick with it because my rule is never too much hope.
You seem have lot of hope from them. I hope they can give all you wish for.

What's everyone talking about lol.

We are talking about:
Steam PC A - streaming - Steam PC B
Nothing to do SteamOS.

 

[Nozem]

Could I dual boot my Mac in SteamOS?

 

[Coldsun]

Could I dual boot my Mac in SteamOS?

I don't see why you couldn't. Its a linux variant.

 

[Nozem]

I don't see why you couldn't. Its a linux variant.

Sweet! Here's hoping performance is better than in OS X Steam.

 

[Sentenza]

I know I already said it dozens of pages ago, but just to stress the point: something I'm very curious about is how much this SteamOS could be a viable option even for a standard desktop use.

I mean, is its whole interface going to be in "Big Picture" style or there will be settings to make it suited for traditional desktop work?

 

[RJT]

Ok.... but it is my opinion. I stick with it because my rule is never too much hope.
You seem have lot of hope from them. I hope they can give all you wish for.

What's everyone talking about lol.

We are talking about:
Steam PC A - streaming - Steam PC B
Nothing to do SteamOS.

You don't seem the understand the basics of how PCs work. You are not making any sense.