Valve wary of Apple – Gabe Newell

Valve notes Apple’s potential to enter the gaming hardware market

Jeremy ProomeJanuary 31, 2013

Gabe Newell has said that the biggest threat lying in the way of Steam Box’s future is that of Apple.

The Valve co-founder explained the influence that Apple currently has, during a lecture to a class at the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs.

“The threat right now is that Apple has gained a huge amount of market share, and has a relatively obvious pathway towards entering the living room with their platform,” Newell said.

“I think the biggest challenge is that Apple moves on the living room before the PC industry sort of gets its act together,” added the Valve boss.

Newell added that there is a “dumbed down living room platform” emerging, and Apple can capitalise on that easily. Newell does however see Valve’s future hardware as standing out, thanks to its customisation options.

“It’s like one of those things where afterwards it will seem like it was very simple, when beforehand, everyone sort of denied that it was possible,” Newell said, speaking of Valve’s hardware ambitions.

During CES 2013, Newell was tight-lipped, but did reveal some details on the upcoming Steam Box.