Valve has recently announced the Steam Machine, marking a monumental moment for both PC and console gaming. The company’s upcoming hardware seeks to challenge the existing dominance of PlayStation and Xbox in the console space, effectively beating the latter to the punch of a PC-console hybrid.
This has also raised concerns regarding Microsoft’s future direction since the gaming giant has been quite vocal about releasing a hybrid between PC and consoles for the next generation.
Many believe Valve will prove to be quite a problem for Microsoft moving forward, but former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra does not agree. In fact, he believes this could be a major opportunity for Xbox.
Taking to Twitter, Mike Ybarra commented on a story regarding Microsoft’s position in a post-Steam Machine gaming world. He noted that while most might think Valve’s hardware leaves Microsoft in a difficult position, the reality is quite different.
According to Mike Ybarra, Microsoft’s new direction perfectly aligns with Valve’s position in the hardware market. He states that the gaming giant must now simply focus on producing solid games and embrace Valve as a hardware partner instead of creating third-party hardware devices.
The former Blizzard president says that it would be a mistake for Microsoft to attempt a hybrid Xbox/PC device moving forward. Instead, he believes the gaming giant should now focus on maximizing sales across the Xbox Series S|X consoles and PC (including Valve’s Steam Machine).
I think this is great news for Xbox and their new direction. There is no better partner in PC gaming vs. Valve – embrace them and their hardware + platform. – Mike Ybarra
Ultimately, the gaming giant would continue on the path of becoming a games’ publisher if it moves forward in this direction. Recently, Xbox head Phil Spencer also congratulated Valve on its announcement, suggesting the company is keen on supporting the device.
As such, it will be interesting to see how the Steam Machine and next-generation Xbox coexist in the coming years since both hardware devices offer a similar experience on paper.
