New Valve Job Listing Adds to Steam Box Rumor

By Landon Robinson | 13 April 2012 | 9 Comments

A new job listing at Valve has added to the rumor that the company is working on a Steam Box game console. More specifically, it’s after an electronics engineer to assist in the development of hardware that will “enhance” the gameplay experiences Valve is known for.

Their primary role will be to “work with the hardware team to conceive, design, evaluate, and produce new types of input, output, and platform hardware”.

“Join our highly motivated team that’s doing hardware design, prototyping, testing, and production across a wide range of platforms.

We’re not talking about me-too mice and gamepads here – help us invent whole new gaming experiences.”

While many have suggested that Valve is stepping up to the plate and making a game console, many are under the impression that they’re more interested in peripherals. If anything, the company’s recent controller-related patents seem to imply that same thought.

On the other hand, the job listing recommends knowledge of “power supply management” and “ARM / X86 system design”, which suggests a product more in line with a console or PC.

This is not the only job that points to Valve’s interest in creating hardware, as their own Jeri Ellsworth has mentioned previously that they’re building “our R&D dream team”.

And what’s her specific job? Working on next-gen hardware for Valve.

To learn more about the Steam box and its collective of rumors, read up on Lawrence’s article on the thing. It’s wonderfully informative…you know, for an article on speculation.

[via Valve]

9 Comments

Posted by Eric on 13 April 12 at 11:03am

FIRST!!!
- Posted by dweemis on 14 April 12 at 5:47am
  
  fuck off back to ign
  - Posted by Mugenite on 14 April 12 at 6:52am
    
    +1
Posted by LimeDude on 13 April 12 at 1:34pm

I love Steam (who doesn’t) and I fully support Valve in their decision of entering the console market.
Posted by Custard320 on 13 April 12 at 5:18pm

it seems no matter what valve has done it is amazing, but giants do fall. Could this be it??
Posted by Undying Zombie on 13 April 12 at 10:39pm

As much as I love Valve, I think it would be not a smart idea for them to develop into consoles. My guess is this is more towards peripherals. While going with making a console can be lucrative if everything goes well for them.. it can also be really really bad for them.

.. and with them having three other companies to compete with at the gate ( technically 4 if you include OnLive ) … that is not an easy task at all. Unless they have some really big.. juicy games at launch of their console. They would have to rely on die-hard Valve fans… you know.. the ones that will buy anything as long as its by Valve.
Posted by Stoltmeister on 14 April 12 at 4:07pm

Dont right it off until you see what they have in store it could be amazing… :)
Posted by Protektor on 14 April 12 at 9:17pm

PCs in the living room have always failed in the past. If Valve tries to go the PC console route then I don’t see it doing well for them at all. If it isn’t a PC box in the living room then your looking at XBox (not 360) all over again. Microsoft had to throw tons of money at that and buy up several development houses. I don’t see Valve having that kind of money to throw at a PC console. It won’t be an ARM based console because that would mean that none of the titles on their system currently, would work with it.
Posted by Chaz on 15 April 12 at 12:50pm

They could be cool and include both ARM and x86. You know, because they can.