Steam Machine Release Date Coming: 12 New Valve Partners To Be Revealed at CES

Digital Storm, iBuyPower and Piixl have revealed their upcoming Steam Machines, computers that will run development company Valve’s SteamOS gaming platform. The electronic distribution brand will announce 12 future partnerships via a press conference On Jan. 6at CES 2014 in Las Vegas, 8 p.m. EST.

iBuyPower, which is currently a known affiliate of Valve, has already created a $500 Steam Machine. CyberPowerPC has also announced two machines, one which will be priced at $700, and one which will cost $500. Alienware, Falcon Northwest, Origin PC, Gigabyte, Materiel.net, Webhallen, Alternate, Zotac and Scan Computers could also end up working with Valve on future Steam machine prototypes.

Medford, Oregon-based Falcon Northwest, which launched in 1992, creates high-end PCs. Popular Alienware and Origin PC produce mid-level computers that are targeted toward PC gamers. iBuyPower and CyberPowerPC make machines that are similar in quality and price, but iBuyPower currently has the closest finished product running the Steam platform.

Valve officially announced that it was developing a video game console near the end of 2012, saying that it would function as a dedicated unit running Steam to allow players to launch games and media. Initially, reporters and industry analysts labeled the devices “Steam Boxes.” In September 2013, Valve revealed some of its final products, which included a Steam Controller, during the final week of the month. In Dec. 2013, the company shipped 300 beta consoles to chosen testers for sampling. The company admits that "it has a lot to accomplish over the next year or two" regarding platform and controller enhancement and development.

What do you think about Valve's partnerships? Are you looking forward to the brand's Steam Machines? Leave a comment below.