When the Steam Machine was first announced, Windows 8 was new and the Windows Store was shaping up to be a possibility. Windows could make their store a walled

When the Steam Machine was first announced, Windows 8 was new and the Windows Store was shaping up to be a possibility. Windows could make their store a walled garden, such as others have done on mobile, and effectively lock Valve/Steam out. At the same time, Valve announced new initiatives for broader games support on Linux, which the Steam Machines run on. In every way the Steam Machines were presented not as a platform for making money, but as a strong signal to consumers that Valve would not go down without a fight. In that regard, I see the initiative as a huge success.