Valve Joins Linux Foundation In Anticipation Of SteamOS And Steam Machine Launch [VIDEO]

Ahead of the 2014 Steam Machine, previously known as the Steam Box, game publisher and creator of the Steam digital distribution platform, Valve Software, has taken one step further to show its commitment toward the Linux community.

On Dec. 4, Valve announced that it is will be the latest company to join the Linux Foundation, a nonprofit organization established to nurture, support and expand the Linux open source community.

This ultimately has been a long time coming, considering Valve’s push to bring Steam to Linux via its desktop client. In 2013, Valve took that support even further with its announcement and release of SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system that Valve is hoping will bridge the gap between the PC and the living room experience of traditional consoles such as the next-gen Sony (NYSE:SNE) PlayStation 4 and the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox One.

Building on that momentum Valve subsequently announced the development of its Steam Machine living room system platform, which will feature SteamOS, along with a radically new controller design.

Unlike the current batch of next-gen Xbox One and PS4 consoles, Valve hopes to bring its Steam Machine platform to the market sometime in mid-2014 from a variety of vendors at different price points to suit individual user needs.

“Joining the Linux Foundation is one of many ways Valve is investing in the advancement of Linux gaming. Through these efforts, we hope to contribute tools for developers building new experiences on Linux, compel hardware manufacturers to prioritize support for Linux, and ultimately deliver an elegant and open platform for Linux users,” Valve's Mark Sartain said.

While Valve’s hardware partners haven’t been officially announced, Valve is confirmed to reveal its Steam Machine partners at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, commonly known as CES, in January, according to an IGN report.

This latest move by Valve appears to be a signal to developers and Valve’s software partners that they are serious and dedicated to bringing the Linux open-source environment to the forefront of video game development through its Steam Machine platform and SteamOS.

Along with Valve, Cloudius Systems and Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA), a non-profit backed by AMD (NYSE:AMD), ARM (NASDAQ:ARMH), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Samsung (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) and others are also joining the Linux Foundation.

What impact do you think Valve will have on the Linux Community with SteamOS, the Steam Machine and this latest announcement? Let us know in the comments.