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I've seen the future, and it is Steam. Maybe. Possibly. Honestly, it's hard to tell whether Valve's announcements will actually become a reality. Let's go over what we know.

Valve is working on SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system focused on Steam access, networked game streaming like the Nvidia Shield, and a Big Picture-style interface. It is also pursuing a Steam Machine platform that will consist of several different gadgets from different vendors, presumably based around certain standards to run SteamOS and certain games. Finally, Valve is also making a game controller with two touchpads featuring new haptic feedback technology and a touch screen. The Steam Machine platform and Steam Controller will be given to 300 beta testers, who get the Golden Ticket trading card on Steam and get their elderly grandfathers to finally get out of bed to tour the chocolate factory.

But let's also go over what we don't know.

We don't know what the Steam Machines will be. We don't know what they'll do. We don't know what price point they'll have or if they'll be facing off against current-generation systems ($200-300), next-gen systems ($400-500), media hubs ($50-100), or gaming computers (all the money you can spend). We don't know what games will be playable natively on SteamOS beyond the handful of Linux titles on Steam. We don't know what games Steam Machines will run without streaming from another computer. We don't know how much the controller will cost.

So, after a week of buildup and a triple countdown that was kicked around and overanalyzed by Valve fans by the thousands, we have a confirmed OS, a semi-confirmed game system/computer, and a confirmed gamepad. And no clue about what they'll actually do or how they'll work yet beyond "Linux" and "haptics."

A year from now, Valve might stand as revolutionaries in the couch-based, HDTV gaming world just as they stand as revolutionaries in the PC digital distribution world. These impressive claims could certainly pay off. Right now, though, all we're seeing is promises, claims, and a loose framework around which future products will be based.

There's an Apple joke I could make here, but I'm not sure what it is.

Okay, for all of my sarcasm, I'm cautiously optimistic about what Valve is working on, and considering the gaming landscape, it's probably doing the best thing it could be doing by introducing new hardware. It hasn't carved a niche, but it has started placing the explosives for the initial excavation. They're cannily laying the groundwork and building up hype for SteamOS and Steam Machines to be the big gaming platform of next year.

However, I am disappointed that there was no official "Steambox" announcement and no word on Half-Life 3. But put that aside and look at what SteamOS and the Steam Machines might offer. Better yet, look at what the Steam Controller might offer first, because it shows exactly how Valve could have a huge success on its hands.

Continue Reading: Can Valve Revolutionize Gaming?