Microsoft’s Phil Harrison has acknowledged SteamOS and Steam Machines in separate interviews, explaining that he’s still trying to find out more about Valve’s plans, but he has a lot of respect for the company and is observing them closely.
In the initial interview with Eurogamer, Steam Machines were just announced the night before. Phil explained that he was still studying all the facts Valve had released at the time. He then shifted the conversation back to the perceived death of the video game console, citing that Valve’s interest is a clear sign that there is still demand for a gaming experience in the living room. Particularly, he thinks this would be a high quality experience, running on superior gaming hardware and playing on a superior sound system. Of course, Phil says he believes Xbox One is the best example of that.
Phil also addresses Steam’s digital download model and its similarities to the original Xbox One content delivery model. He talks up Microsoft’s decision to let the consumer choose how they get their content, and the advantages of choosing digital.
In a separate interview with CVG, Phil explains he has actually not yet decided if Valve’s new initiatives are competition for the Xbox One or not. At this juncture, there just aren’t enough facts available for him to make a certain assessment. This time, he points out that Valve’s strategy to get into the living room is validation for Microsoft’s desire to get there as well.
It’s strange but given the shifts in Valve and Microsoft, I could imagine Xbox One and Steam Machines entering the living room and taking different roles there. Ironically, it would be Valve’s Steam Machine that would be the dedicated game machine, while the Xbox One would be poised to be the all-in-one entertainment machine. Would you make that your next-gen setup?
