Since Valve, along with collaborator Xi3, decided to show off a prototype Steambox at CES, the "living room PC" has been in the minds of gaming fans everywhere — and understandably so. Valve's machinations could very well shake the industry at its core and change the landscape forever.
While we still do not know when it will be out or how exactly it will work, we might have an idea on its price already.
In an interview with The Verge, Valve CEO Gabe Newell reveals their target pricing for Steambox built by partners. Newell sees three tiers of price ranges that specific to each hardware specification, a "Good, Better, Best."
Valve's goal for the "Good" platform tier is "free" device, but realistically would likely start at $99 and eventually go down. The "Better" is a mid-range unit that should be around $300, and the "Best" is the top-tier device that will only be limited by how much someone is willing to spend on it.
It's just like choosing which device is best suited to your gaming needs like a PC, but in a more conventional set-up box. And you know what? I like it! The only concern I see now is games compatibility. I mean, can the $99 model play what the $300 model can but in a lower graphical setting or not at all?
Hopefully, these questions and more will be answered as we go deeper into 2013. Valve's director of marketing Doug Lombard did say that we should hear more about Valve's first official foray into our living rooms in the coming months.
Would you want the Steambox to be released in a tiered price range or will it just confuse consumers? If they did do something like this, how do you see Sony and Microsoft reacting?
