Meet Alienware's Alpha console, a Steam Machine without SteamOS (for now)

Why the living room

But the question has to be asked: What role does PC gaming have in the living room, and why SteamOS Azor first provides a very high level answer.

"SteamOS is obviously been designed around one single use, whereas Windows is a multi-use operating system that can be custom tailored around any one particular use--as we're doing [with Alienware Alpha's console mode]," he says. "But Valve has a lot more control developing SteamOS, ensuring it's singularly focused with one use model. That's why it's a very important initiative for us, and one we're still fully supporting as soon as it's ready. It's a more sustainable way of delivering a reliable living room experience. We can build our custom [console UI] interface over Windows, but we don't know what Windows 9's going to be. Are we going to have to redo all that work in Windows 9

"That's why we feel that over the long term, SteamOS and the Steam gamepad are going to be the best solution."

But beyond that strategic view, Alienware views Steam Machines as a way to bring the vast PC gaming ecosystem to a new audience--and more specifically, the slew of indie PC games that offer full gamepad support, but have no presence on traditional consoles.