So Microsoft is watching VALVe's Steam Machine plans with "Great Interest"

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/26/microsoft-watching-valves-steam-machine-plans-with-great-interest

I see lots of good stuff coming out of this competition is good.

Here are things I think might happen in the next few months and the next few years from Microsoft due to competition.

1. Microsoft might step up their game dramatically on Windows and make it even more developer friendly for video game developers to develop video games on and sell them on.

2. Microsoft might try to push advancing DirectX even more than it has before so OpenGL ends up being behind it. I am pretty sure Microsoft has the cash to spend on research and development (R&D). Nvidia spends $1 billion dollars (USD) or $10 billion dollars (USD) on research and development (R&D) of computer graphics I don't know which one is true cause the translation got messed up so if someone finds the actuall cost please post it in a comment.

3. Microsoft might actually end up releasing DirectX as a full open source graphics API due to Linux, SteamOS, OpenGL, and AMD's new API Mantle being competition or as I said in #2 advance DirectX to a great new height possibly release DirectX 12 in 2015 or DirectX 12 before next year ends?

So what do you think? Comment away.

IGN is as reliable as a Tabloid. I don't believe a word they say. However, if it is true, compettion is always welcome in the VG business, but it's always at the consumer's expense.

I know IGN is not so reliable but Phil Harrison did say Microsoft is watching VALVe greatly.

Of course they are. Valve/Steam is a big player in the gaming industry and have made a lot of noise about ousting the MS gaming hegemony. In fact, Steam Machines could potentially be a significant threat to Xbox as well if they go over well.

That said, I doubt they (MS) will do anything differently until SteamOS and Steam Machines have proven themselves as a threat. It's too expensive for companies like MS or Sony to actually react unless there's evidence that they need to. IMO it's gong to be a quite a while before any of this has a tangible impact on the industry.

Well I do have a feeling Microsoft is feeling threatened by VALVe right now I mean VALVe and Steam are the biggest competition on PC and Steambox and SteamOS coming to the living room and convincing console gamers to purchase the Steambox will make Microsoft angry. Microsoft knows VALVe is a threat to them. They know how well video games on PC sell on Steam. They know video game developers are mad at Microsoft's restrictions.

So I believe Microsoft is gonna step it up further they know VALVe pushing Linux and OpenGL is gonna be huge. With VALVe pushing Linux and OpenGL this can be the opportunity to push Linux and OpenGL than in the past no one had the power like VALVe does.

I'm hoping to see copious amounts of lube usage in M$'s future.

Go get em Valve!!!

Yeah, Macrohard is seeing VALVe moving in with something that can actually topple their video game OS monopoly. Right now Windows is the only option for PC gamers as well as M$ controlling a big chunk of the console market. Now VALVe's stepping up to consumer demands, giving the people what they want and MS is seeing that they could lose OS sales and console sales to this 1-2 punch by VALVe.

However, MS has seen a recent change of management, so I don't think they're going to be stupid about this like they were with Win8 and Xbox One. I'm a bit excited to see what they develop in response to this. It's been far to long without any healthy competition for MS.

Yes this seems like a reasonable line of thought. They are just watching. Personally I have no way to call the steam box, I mean Valve has traditionally made very sound decisions. However only time can tell if it has any real appeal.

Right now Valve and Microsoft aren't competitors outside of Gabe Newell's public rhetoric, though. If anything they have a symbiotic relationship. Valve will only be a threat to Microsoft if they can successfully convince big developers/publishers to move toward OpenGL/Linux, which is going to be a slow process. If it succeeds it will force Microsoft to cooperate on creating a unified and/or open platform, which is good for all of us consumers.

Yep, it's a good opportunity and I hope it is successful. If anyone can pull it off it's Valve. That said, it's just as likely to fall flat on its face as it is to succeed. Time will tell.