Announced today on their official site, Valve confimed that a hardware prototype is in the works and a beta will be launched.
300 lucky users will be able to test the hardware, if you’re interested in applying there’s a few steps you’ve got to take. Firstly, make sure you log on to Steam before October 25th and access your quest page to see if you’re eligible. If you are, then join the Steam Universe community group and agree to the terms and conditions. You’ll need at least 10 Steam friends and a public Steam Community profile, as well as being able to play at least one game with a controller in Big Picture mode.
If you complete all the steps, you’ll be “awarded a special badge” and be among the pool of people who the lucky few are chosen from. The list will be locked on October 25th.
“While these products are still in development, we need your help,” Valve wrote. “As always, we believe the best way to ensure that the right products are getting made is to let people try them out and then make changes as we go. We have designed a high-performance prototype that’s optimized for gaming, for the living room, and for Steam. Of course, it’s also completely upgradable and open.
“At Valve we always rely on real-world testing as part of our design process. The specific machine we’re testing is designed for users who want the most control possible over their hardware. Other boxes will optimize for size, price, quietness, or other factors.”
The company will be releasing more details about the prototype soon and noted that “nearly 3,000 games on Steam” will be available for the beta.
This announcement follows from the reveal of SteamOS that came on Monday. Their third and final announcement will hit on September 27th.
Source: Valve
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