MOGA
However, there are mobile gaming devices like MOGA for instance, which helps resolve this issue. MOGA is essentially a mobile gamepad controller that connects to your phone. Devices like these that works in conjunction with your phone is great because it’s hard to play many 3D games like first-person shooters for instance on phones. With touch-screen for input, your fingers can get in the way of the gameplay and complex controls can be cumbersome for touch-screen input. While offering the comfort-ability of a gaming controller, MOGA comes equipped with a full set of console-style controls such as dual clickable analog sticks, L1/R1 shoulder buttons, L2/ R2 shoulder triggers, a D-Pad… everything you need. MOGA actually comes in a variety of controller types. This device comes with a mounting system to help secure your phone. It fits up to 3.2 in/82mm wide and even many phones equipped with a case. I first came across MOGA while I attended GDC Next 2013.
Then we have the PC gamers, arguing that for the same price or a little more you can get a fully customizable and graphically superior PC, with access to far more games, productivity uses and more. One big advantage PC gamers have is the STEAM service. My question is this:
Why should STEAM be limited to PC gamers?
What if Steam was accessible on mobile gaming devices like MOGA as well as Xbox One and PS4?
After all, Steam for the most part is a service. By creating a Steam app on consoles, Valve would expand their service, reaching more players cross-platform and usher in more money. By allowing the service to work cross-platform, it will make it easier on gamers to access all of their Steam games from any device. Microsoft and Sony would benefit as well since they could split the profit (either 10 to 20 percent for them since the app would be on their consoles and the rest of-course to Valve). Something along those lines, but I don't know - that's just an example since Steam is Valve's baby. The PS4 allows players to play PS3 games through streaming but the downside to game streaming is bandwidth. Although I think streaming Steam games should be optional, by making STEAM into an app for consoles, it would help avoid bandwidth issues if gamers also have to option to download their Steam games to their console’s hard drive.
This would help bring immense value to both Xbox One and PS4 consoles and allow Valve to expand their service. By getting STEAM’s service into more users’ hands, it will help bridge the gap even more between PC and console gamers by allowing them to play together. This would allow players to access their collection of STEAM games virtually anywhere, regardless of what platform they are on. Xbox One and PS4 would essentially work like a “STEAM Machine” by giving gamers the option to either stream or download the games they own from STEAM onto their console. MOGA (if powerful enough) could function as a “Mobile Steam Machine” for instance. Steam machines represent PC gaming giant Valve’s biggest attempt to move into console territory by essentially making PCs that operate as much like consoles as possible while still maintaining the advantages that come with a more open platform. Microsoft and Sony should further allow players to connect and link their Xbox Live and PSN accounts as well as their gamer-tags to their Steam account. This will further help bridge the gap between console, mobile and PC gamers and allow them to play their Steam games cross-platform!
The plus side for Microsoft and Sony is that a STEAM app would allow them to expand their game library. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Steam App, log in with your account, and download and play your games on your Xbox or PS4? When you use the Steam app, you still need to have a Steam ID to purchase and play games. Your steam achievements are completely separate from your Xbox Live gamerscore and Playstation trophies. Through the Steam app, Xbox One, PS4 and possibly mobile devices like MOGA could function like a PC for this purpose. In the Steam app, the Xbox One and PS4 should also allow USB keyboards and mice for games as well as navigation. With applications like Moonlight Game Streaming, gamers can stream their collection of games from their PC to another device and play them remotely. It’s perfect for gameplay on the go without sacrificing the graphics quality of your gaming computer. The Xbox One and PS4 are equivalent to a mid-high end PCs and should be able to handle most PC games with ease on the mid-level graphics settings (at least).
I think that there should be some good integration between Xbox and Steam. If, for example, I'm playing a game on Steam I'd like my Xbox status to say that I'm playing said game, even if it's a non-Steam game that was added to my Steam list. I'd also like notifications from Steam to look similar to Xbox notifications. For example, if I get an achievement on Steam I'd like it to look the same as receiving an achievement on an Xbox game, which will make the overall UI look less fragmented. I'd also like to see some kind of integration with the Steam overlay, so that I can still access Xbox features such as viewing messages from Xbox friends without leaving my game. I heard that you are working with Valve to help improve the gaming experience on Windows, and I think that my ideas could do just that.
As mentioned earlier, a Steam App would also add a lot more value to buying a console as well by being able to play PC games without having to own a high-end gaming PC. This would be great for Microsoft and Sony to advertise to gamers who don't have a powerful enough computer. Already, I can see an advertisement on TV by Microsoft saying, “With the Steam App, the Xbox One can work as an optional and affordable Steam Machine.” Unfortunately, for STEAM to play its games well on consoles, the console version of its games will have to be set to certain optimal settings due to their hardware specs. Also, the Xbox One and PS4 for the most part can support mouse and keyboard, which is great since many PC games through STEAM utilize them. Imagine being able to play games like Garry's Mod And Five Nights At Freddy's on your console.
Problem Areas
One big problem area is that both companies are attempting to make a profit off of digital game sales. So the question is, why pay $50 or $60 for a console game, when you can purchase the same game on STEAM for less? In short, Microsoft and Sony could loose money to Valve, but I am certain something could be worked out so that all parties profit. It can be difficult to do any partnership where the same game purchases are available on both consoles and Steam. In the past, I have stated many times that videogame exclusives is one the driving factors that helps sell consoles.
Alternative Solutions
1.) Microsoft should Bring a Windows 10 App to Xbox One
Microsoft could charge a reasonable fee to players who want to purchase and install a Windows 10 App from their Xbox One Store to their console. Windows 10 is familiar and easy to use. It is fast, and comes with plenty of security features than its predecessors before it. It is also designed to work well with the hardware and software you already use. Through this app, players could access Steam that way.
2.) Sony should Bring LinuxOS to PS4
Likewise, Sony could offer players an LinuxOS app for purchase from their store.
Since Microsoft and Sony are charging more money for their games on Xbox and PS4 than Steam, they need to offer more content and deals for players to help justify their prices. Ex: "The PS4 version comes with..." Offer STEAM discount codes. For example, by paying for Xbox Live Gold or PSN, gamers could get a free STEAM game every month. That way, Microsoft and Sony can make a profit, and help justify paying for their service since Steam is free. There are many reasons as to why I think Microsoft and Sony should invest into acquiring a STEAM app. The main reason is because the Steam Machine has the potential to end the Xbox One and PS4. So lets take a look at some of the advantages Steam Machines have.
Advantages of STEAM Machines:
1.) Steam Machines launched with over 1,500 Games
The Steam Machine launch line-up is bigger than the current game libraries of the PS4 and Xbox One. I am fully aware that most of these titles aren’t new games. But what’s impressive is the increase in Linux-compatible games with SteamOS. In October 2014, there were around 700 compatible games, while now there are around 1500. The arrival of Steam Machines should also further increase the amount of Linux-compatible games.
2.) Steam Machines are highly customizable & Future-Proof
The lowest-end Steam Machine costs around $500 and packs approximately the same amount of power as a PS4 and Xbox One. The biggest amount of customizability you get with PS4 is being able to switch out the hard drive, where as the Xbox One can store its games on external hard drives. Steam Machines, on the other hand, are there to be tweaked with and upgraded as you please. The $549 Syber Steam Machine, for example, comes with an Intel i3-4160 processor, GeForce GTX 750 GPU, 4GB RAM and 500GB hard drive. The PS4 and Xbox One have similar specs, aside from their advantage of having 8GB RAM each. But 8GB RAM can be bought for around $50 these days, so that’s how much it would cost to boost your Steam Machine to 12GB RAM, ensuring it “out-RAMs” the consoles. For the most part, there’s little difference between a Steam Machine and its rivals, but the fact that it’s open to tweaking gives it an advantage over the competition.
3.) MUCH Lower Prices for Exactly the Same Games
If you buy a PS4 or Xbox One, you’re essentially tied in to either console’s ecosystem. Publishers need to pay licensing fees to Microsoft and Sony to release games on their consoles and in the growing digital downloads market, both consoles are in complete control thanks to the Xbox Marketplace and PlayStation Store. The PC games market is far more competitive. Sure, Valve’s Steam Machines are designed in a way that encourages you to buy games directly through Steam, but you can easily go to any of hundreds of digital outlets on the internet and buy your games through them instead. This makes it easy to shop around for the best prices. This, combined with the fact that publishers don’t need to pay a premium to release games on PC, means that you can find games for much lower prices on launch, and those games will also drop in price much faster after launch. Wait a few months, and you’ll be paying half the price or less for a PC game as you would for its console counterpart.
4.) More Steam Machine Options to Fit Your Budget
It’s the first, and most important, argument for why you might want to go with a PC over a console. They give you more power for less money. It’s a bit problematic, though: it implies that a significant number of people are going after crisper graphics, and also that those people don’t already prefer to play on PC. Console gamers might be excited about the graphics bump that comes with each new generation, but less interested in the year after year optimization that PCs allow for. However, part of the joy of Steam Machines is the various price points at which consumers are able to purchase them. There are enough different models of the Steam Machine that you can find one to fit your budget which is great new. With that said, depending on how powerful you want yours to be, the higher the cost. Prices range from $449 all the way up to $5000.The cheapest Steam Machines – from Alienware and Syber – weigh in at $449 respectively. These models have approximately similar power to a PS4 and Xbox One and can be customized.
I am not implying that gamers are going after better graphics and personally I don’t favor graphics over gameplay. This is where console sales can make a comeback because they are getting cheaper and by integrating a Steam App, they could serve as an optional “Steam Machine” for both console and PC gamers. Consoles although less versatile than PC as it stands are intuitive and simple. They’re deeply linked to the living room, which is arguably still one of the best places to play video games. Many people feel concerned about having a PC running on their living room TV because of how complex and versatile they are. It creates a user interface problem for PC since many gamers don’t sit from their couches with a mouse and keyboard. Steam’s Big Picture Mode helps fix this problem because its interface essentially functions like a console’s. It’s both user-friendly and simple, and works with other controllers besides mouse and keyboard.
5.) You Don’t Need to Pay to Play Online!
This… is a big major point that I somewhat touched on earlier. With STEAM, you don’t have to pay for online. Sure, the fees for Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus aren’t astronomical, but this is where PC gamers cringe and I can’t blame them. Why should gamers have to pay for the privilege of gaming online? Isn’t it enough that we’ve paid for the game, paid for the platform we’re playing it on, and are paying fees to be online? For the Steam App to truly be a selling point on consoles, even if they run out of Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus, they should still be allowed to use STEAM since their consoles are connected to the internet. I am aware that for Microsoft and Sony, a subscription fee for online gaming has become the status quo of this generation. Steam Machines make no such demands of gamers. Steam’s interface known as the Big Picture Mode as mentioned earlier is simple too, and features all the bells and whistles found on the PS4 and Xbox One.
6.) STEAM Machines Support PS4 & Xbox Gamepad Controllers besides the standard Mouse & Keyboard
If you are like me and still somewhat skeptical or not sold on the Steam Controller and prefer to stick with what you know, then that’s perfectly fine. Steam Machines don’t limit you like the PS4 and Xbox One do by letting you use any controller you like for your gaming. Sure, if you’re using your Steam Machine in the living room as you should be, then you’re probably not envisioning slapping a plank on your lap and putting a keyboard and mouse on top of that. If that idea doesn’t appeal to you, then you can just plug in an Xbox 360 or Xbox One wired controller and it’ll work straight away. The Xbox 360 wireless adapter also works with Steam Machine, allowing you to use any Xbox 360 controller or accessory like a racing wheel wirelessly on it. The PS4 controller will work with SteamOS as well, however as of now, you will need to remap it by going to Settings > Controller in Big Picture. If you want it to work via Bluetooth, you might need to install a free tool like DS Input Mapper or Sixad. As it stands, Steam Machines offer far more versatility than the current-gen game consoles. This brings me to my next point.
Alternative Solution
The Sofa Surfer will change the way PC games are played. Now with Steam's Big Picture Mode and the on-going trend of Steam Boxes as well as living room computers, people are going to run into a problem. How will gamers play PC games on the couch if they prefer mouse and keyboard as their primary method of playing. The Sofa Surfer helps resolve this issue. In short, it's basically a powered table that you rest on your lap. It provides a USB hub to connect your mouse and keyboard as well as a nice surface area for players to move their mouse. Please support the Sofa Suffer on their KickStarter page.
7.) STEAM Machine can be used as a PC
The moment you turn on your Steam Machine, it will go straight to ‘Big Picture Mode’, which is Steam’s gamepad-friendly equivalent to the PS4 or Xbox One dashboard. This makes Steam Machine a touch competitor since it offers a comfortable, console interface for a machine that’s more powerful than rival consoles. Under the surface of Steam’s dashboard, SteamOS is essentially a re-skinned version of the popular Linux distribution, Debian. With a few clicks, you can easily leave the SteamOS interface, go to the desktop, and use your Steam Machine like any Linux PC. This will allow gamers to be able to install proper functioning browsers like Chromium and Firefox. While there are no dedicated SteamOS apps yet for YouTube or Netflix, you can simply access them as well as any other online streaming services using the browsers. You can also use the desktop to organize and manage your collections of pictures, music, videos and documents just like on a PC if you wish.
Valve’s baby is more powerful, more versatile and has a bigger launch line-up than any games console ever launched. With more than 1500 launch games, free online play and the best prices around, what is holding the STEAM Machine back? Is it simply a case of no one being interested in the Steam Machine, or because no one really knows what to think about the mysterious device? Microsoft and Sony already has a long history of building up their fans, so it may be hard at first for STEAM Machines to pull away gamers from their favorite consoles. Whatever the case, by making Steam more accessible cross-platform, the platforms gamers own will not matter because it will bridge the gap. It will boil down to what gamers’ preferences are. Microsoft and Sony should pay attention, because the Steam Machine holds plenty of advantages over the Xbox One and PS4. This is why they should highly consider looking into investing in a Steam App. As it stands currently, many console gamers are unaware of the advantages of Steam machines. Together, let's make the Xbox One and PS4 have the best of both worlds: console and PC. Thank you for reading. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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