SteamOS: The Future of Gaming?
For the last 30 years, Mac and Windows have been the two main contenders in the Operating System battleground, with very few third parties coming into play and even Linux only having a small share. However, having two contenders mean that gaming companies have to essentially build two versions of the game if they want to reach as many people as possible. For example, Riot Games, creator of League of Legends (LoL), had to rely on third parties to let Mac users play LoL for over two years before the release of the Mac accessible client. However, Valve, the gaming company that is famous for both the Half-life series and creating Steam, the most widely used online gaming store and client, has announced their own Operating System built specifically for gamers. The most shocking this is that the Operating System is going to be downloadable for free, for both manufacturers and customers. When compared to Windows 8, which runs for up to $80, having a free Operating System by a major, reputable company is a huge step in the right direction in terms of a downloadable Operating System. With steam already built in to the system, and (hopefully) eventually gaining other applications and processes as well, the Steam OS is looking to gain momentum in the stalemate between Windows and Mac. In addition, because the Operating System is free, there is no reason not to try it, and the more people that try it, the more likely that developers will try it, especially with the free licensing for the manufacturers.
The SteamOS will also be released hand in hand with the recently announced Valve created Console, the Steam Box, and its own controller, which is set to be released in 2014, and currently undergoing customer beta testing. With Steam soon to be in the living room and on the television, they’re making plans to have the Steam Box and the SteamOS connected, so you can watch or stream straight from your computer to your TV with little hassle. In addition, videos, music, and television shows should all be stored on the same steam cloud and interchangeable between computer and television.
Lastly, and maybe the most groundbreaking, is that steam will be partnering up with Linux, the longtime third party Operating System that was always in the shadows of Mac and Windows. However, after being hinted at by Valve’s cofounder Gabe Newell that Linux would soon be at the front of gaming hardware, it makes sense that Valve is pairing up with them for this new OS. It remains to be seen exactly how this relationship will pair out, if Valve is looking to absorb Linux, or a simple partnership is forming between the two companies.
To what extent may be unknown, but the fact that Steam is already making its own computers, the “steam machines” using both Intel and Nvidia parts, and their own console and controller, shows that Valve is putting a lot of effort into the project, and it will be interesting to see how far they are willing to go in order to become the future of gaming. With constant updates to the already in place system, more games and developers joining the platform all the time, and with new multiplayer and family options, Steam is looking to stay at the front of PC gaming clients. So keep your eye out in the next few months as Valve and Linux look to make their mark in PC gaming early 2014.
Jason Mulcahy