Tech blog The Verge is reporting a rumor that the popular online gaming service Steam, is getting ready to build a console system for their service, which could be a problem for XBox 360 and the Playstation 3.  Valve co-founder Gabe Newell even recently told Penny Arcade: "Well, if we have to sell hardware we will."

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Information that was gathered speculates that Steam is shooting for a strategy like Google's for Android. Let others who are suited for building and marketing hardware, do that work, and Steam will focus on the software end of things, giving the gamer the best experience it can. Information has leaked that during CES, Steam was shopping around specs for such a machine, that included an Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GPU, with 8GB of ram. It would be able to run regular PC titles as well as be loaded with EA's Origin Game service's software.

Other info suggests that there won't be the need to a developer's kit, which is usually needed for consoles, and the console maker charges heavily for. Plus, no licensing will be required either. This would make for easy development for game developers, with a known cycle of new hardware coming every 3 or 4 years. That means the costs would be lower for developers and that means lower cost games.

Reading the whole story on the Verge website, gives you the complete picture. Everything from biometrics that will be incorporated to to patents of possible features. If the rumors are true, then Steam is ready to take on the consoles and make a mark for itself. So don't get too attached to your XBox 360 or your PlayStation 3, as there may be a new player in town.

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