Steam has recently launched 'Big Picture' which changes the steam UI into a console style design specifically designed for TV's. However this required you to attach your computer to your tv and this could be time consuming and too much effort for gamers.
At E3 2013 Xi3 created a gaming PC called the Piston which is funded by Valve, creators of Steam, and allows you to utilise Steams big picture mode with a small gaming pc. It's size is the main attraction being a quarter of the size of a regular pc. The Piston includes a controller and will provide competition for mainly console gamers. However PC gamers may not be as reluctant to swap keyboard to controller and perhaps the lack of power the Piston contains. But according to techrader 'there's no reason the Steam Box can't be modified and upgraded. It's an open system, meaning many Steam Boxes will let you pull out your graphics card and replace it with a shinier version when the time comes.'
The Steam box prices are also supposed to be cheaper than buying a gaming pc which should attract a wide audience on a budget.This could attract online console gamers to joining steam's online community.
Audiences would love the idea of sitting in their living rooms using a controller to control their console and download games in seconds. Steams online community and number of games is much larger than PSN and Xbox Live and EA Store doesn't have the usability of steam's big picture living room style UI.
We could then see people completly abandon the physical copies of games by buying their games from steams online store. However this requires reasonable pricing and internet speed which is what the future holds. We already see a rise in this market and steam are trying to utilise this by combining big picture mode with a steambox console of their own.
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/why-valves-steam-box-is-a-console-killer-1124160
http://www.cnet.com.au/valve-xi3-and-the-steam-box-should-consoles-be-scared-339343035.htm
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