Could Steam Replace Nintendo In Gaming's Big 3?

thats not 100%, like I explained before Valve are aming for pepole who want to be PC gamers but don't want a PC not for pepole who already have high end PC's also not everybody on Steam has a high end PC, I mean I'm on Steam every day and I have a crappy lap top that runs Vista.

Who said it's 100 percent? It's more than likely but anyone who already has Steam probably has no intention of wasting money on an inferior product or something they already have. The Steam Machine does nothing different, it's just convenience really. For those interested and lack the resources, patience or knowledge to build a decent rig then sure, I guess it's a relatively good idea.

Not the Steam Box. That thing is trash.
I think PC gaming, however, has already beaten Nintendo. Everybody I know who plays PC uses Steam. Steam is already in the big three.

Shouldn't the PC be above the big 3? they are the Masters anyways lol.

Steam passes the Big three (in terms of quality)

@black_arrow: I'm the only person I know who even own a Wii U. I know three people who game heavily on Steam.

Very unlikely.

I've never heard of Steam...

@voodoopenguin: and you know this because....?

Steam as a service is far and beyond what XBL, PSN and Nintendo offer, although PSN is catching up quite quickly. Aside from that, PC gaming offers unparalleled customization but then it just rests in preference.

This.

Nintendo still caters to a different target audience than the Steam Machine; the audience that wants Nintendo exclusive franchises, a more family friendly experience, and the "Nintendo" brand name.

Steam targets/caters to essentially the same demographic as PS4 and XBO. They're looking specifically at that group of gamers with this attempt at an "affordable" PC-like game console. If anything, I would be concerned about one of those two consoles/companies much more than I would about Nintendo.

Furthermore, what people like this almost always fail to take into consideration is that Nintendo does not need to "keep up" with the sales of their competitors and "win" a console generation. They simply need to remain profitable as a company.

Good points all around but I'd argue the point regarding the demographic reaching out to those who own next-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft is as pointless as those who own Nintendo's. Microsoft and Nintendo aren't new, they've been at it over a decade. Considering the recent sales numbers, both XBO and PS4 sold two million units respectively and in under a month, making them both the fastest selling consoles of all time. If the target demographic was that audience, it's not really going to make an impact as Steam has been around almost just as long.

Thanks. Although, I am not very clear on what you are driving at. Why is it as pointless? Would you mind elaborating a little bit more? My apologies.

I know Steam and Nin are aiming at two demographics but that doesn't mean one cant overtake the other and as for Nin reaming profitable well currently they are selling at a loss

Sorry, should've explained the matter a little better. My point was that neither PC nor console gaming are new, they've been around for decades really. By now, they have their established fan-bases and audiences and perhaps a few will jump over to consoles or some will switch to PC gaming but if a massive change were to take place, it's not going to happen now as the base has been established.

Overtake the other in what respect? Nintendo is very much aware that they don't attract a mainstream audience and they don't care. That much was evidenced through their lack of care for E3 this year and simple, stream-lined focus on first-parties. I think the minor loss they seem to have over the Wii U is merely due to rushing the product and failing to promote any boundary shattering ambition with the console. Compared to the PS4/XONE sure, the Wii U is doing poorly but the true indicator of success or failure comes not in a single year but over the course of several.

In addition, while it's on the handheld side of things, it still holds up their profit better than Microsoft or Sony ever did this gen or last thus far. The 3DS and Wii sold like mad cakes, giving the company more than enough leverage to take a minor loss for a bit with the Wii U.

Oh, okay. Yeah, I totally agree with you. I really was simply making the point the IF (a very big if) anyone would be concerned, it would be MS and Sony more so than Nintendo. But the reality is, none of the "Big 3" should be concerned at this point. The Steam Machine is the new blood and the underdog as far as the game console race goes, and it's going to be an uphill battle for it.

Yes, they are selling the Wii U at a loss. Nintendo as a whole, however, is still profitable as company, if I am not mistaken.

I can't afford to buy new consoles anymore. if anyone thinks I'm shelling out $500 for a game system they're off their rocker.

Nintendo still has some of the best titles out there though...Pokémon, LoZ, Metroid, DK, Mario, etc

@jonny_anonymous: One of its purposes is for people to experience PC gaming without the tinkering, yet the tinkering is one of its promotion/marketing points.