Apple CEO visits Valve, speculation ensues

If you were the CEO of Apple — the world’s wealthiest company — Tim Cook, and you visited Valve, one of the most loved game developers, then you’d expect people to talk, right? Well that’s exactly what’s happening, and the theories are both magical and steamy, and if any of them develop into a product, it might turn the games industry on its head.

Since the launch of the App Store back in July 2008, Apple has been slowly moving back into gaming. Although they don’t develop games, many of Apple’s Keynotes — which in the tech industry, are the stuff of legends — feature demos of games that play nicely with their devices. Apple once had a strong gaming presence. The Apple II was a massive contender to the Commodore throne in the ’80s and, in collaboration with Bandai, Apple released PipPin in 1995.

Tim Cook’s visit to Valve’s headquarters is especially interesting, even more so considering the rumour of a Steam Box that surfaced last month. Apple has more than enough technology to release a console of their own. Mutli-touch controllers, voice activated gameplay, a hardware division qualified enough to rival any console maker, and even an integrated cloud service, would make an Apple console very exciting. Apple controls the App marketplace, and is the king of content, whilst being well funded by a 30-percent cut, so yet again, why would Apple meet with Valve?

During the past year, patents and insider tips have suggested that Apple is working on a fully fledged TV, with voice assistant and kinect-esque functionality. Though it’s not possible to say there is a connection between this and Valve, it is a giant nudge toward Apple’s return to home gaming. Currently Apple and Valve are mum on the idea of a collaborative project, though I’m sure sooner or later Apple will release a “magical” gaming product.

Just a quick blast from the past, a review of PinPin from the days when you could get an optional 3.5 floppy drive and t’internets could be browsed with Netscape.