Steam console

IGN released an interesting interview with Doug Lombardi

"Though there are certainly gamepads out there for PC players to use (the Xbox 360 controller, for example), Lombardi states that Valve is very much interested in producing its own. "It's actually something that, I mean there's nothing to announce yet, but it's something we're definitely looking at. You hit the nail right on the head; there's a lot of games coming out right now on Steam that might be better [with a controller]. Everyday Shooter is a perfect example, right? It's something that we're looking at. It's something that these games are showing us there's a need there. They're proving to us that, oh wow, this is pretty cool. If there was a controller set for these things, they'd be even better. It's something we're looking at and something we're going to start talking to those people who specialize in those areas about."

Steam has already created a service similar to Xbox Live, and in a way is turning the PC in to their own console. What kind of controller could they invent? With all the new innovative methods of control being taken advantage by the Wii, I assume that there looking at all the possibilities.

By combining different methods like Johnny Lee has shown can be done, and other unique ideas like this mouse patent, Steam could potentially come up with an actual gamer device for the PC that replaces ye old mouse and keyboard.

While joysticks and gamepads are common in a PC gamers arsenal, most games are played with a mouse and keyboard. Even flight sims like Freespace favored the mouse and keyboard over a joystick. It's odd when you think about the fact that the mouse and keyboard were never designed for games yet PC users tend to favor them over any other control.

Microsoft's mouse patent has potential. The mouse can be replaced, but gamers are still going to need the keyboard in some form or another, so a new motion activated device would need to allow easy typing access. A company like Steam would want to create a controller as similar to the consoles as possible so porting is easy.

Imagine Microsoft's patent on the right, but with one on each hand, and analog joysticks accessible by both thumbs. On top of that there should be 4 buttons in a cross pattern accessible by the thumb, with buttons on the palm section for your fingers. You can imagine that it's just like the Xbox controller above, except separated like the wiimote and nunchuk, and with all the functionality of the wiimote and nunchuk.

This would allow developers to port any console game to the PC and vice versa with out any discrepancy.

Not only does this bring the PC in to the next generation of video game control, but also to a new generation of desktop control. Grabbing objects on your desktop, physically rotating them, activating different commands with different gestures. (imagine deleting content by pretending to throw it over your shoulder)

Another option is providing head tracking, shown here:

This can be done by equipping a headset with some sort of tracking. Perhaps sold in a bundle, this can create an extremely different PC experience. One where your peering in to windows like it actually was a window. Where you can organize your icons in a manner where you can put related material "behind" icons and all you have to do is move your head to see around it.

This could all be easily be done, but it would need to be done by a company like Steam. If Logitech brought out these controls and no one bought them because there were no games available, then no one would make games for them. If Steam could work with developers to port some titles over as well as create their own content through Valve, they could really turn the PC in to their own console.