Last month we reported the Steam might be expanding its digital gaming service, Steam, into a fully-fledged console. Well, today’s rumour takes a new twist, as Apple CEO Tim Cook has been spotted visiting Valve’s headquarters.
Valve famously came to prominence 10 years ago after the hugely successful PC Shooter Half Life – but more recently they have been concentrating on their digital download PC Game store, Steam.
Steam has been a bit of a surprise success story for Valve and now accounts for more than half of all PC games sold during the 5 years – it is the go-to place to buy PC games, as a lot of bricks and mortar stores choose not the stock less popular PC Games.
Cook’s visit came to light last week and has obvisouly got tech toungues waggling that Apple and Valve might be going into business together, with hope that they will make a new gaming console.
Now, it’s nothing new that Apple wants to try and take on Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony when it comes to gaming – but they’ve only really cornered the casual market with titles like Angry Birds and Draw Something.
Many tech commentators have always thought that if Apple added a controller to the Apple TV, you’d essentially have a new console based on iOS – but today’s rumour suggest that Apple might be thinking even bigger.
Last months’ rumour centred around the idea of a steam box – a new way for Steam users to play games without have to fork out thousands on a high-end gaming rig.
The company also posted a “help wanted” ad for someone to join their “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,” the job listing reads.
But, Valve head honcho Gabe Newell, said the box at the centre of the rumour was just a tool to test TV mode on Steam’s up-and-coming update where games will work on TV’s resolutions.
Cook’s visit could be for any number of reasons; it could be to do with latest line Macbook or even Steam support on iOS – whatever the case it’s certainly pointing to something very interesting.
Valve has always been associated with hardcore gamers – but add Apple’s ability to market a product and you’ve got something that could be really special. With Valve’s library of OSX-ready games already in place thanks to Steam, the tracks are already laid.
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