BBC: Nvidia Preps PC Game Streamer

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The BBC reports Nvidia is set to challenge Valve's upcoming Steam Machines with a "a new gaming device" able to stream games from high-end Nvidia-powered PCs to TVs using GameStream technology.

Shield Reportedly the unnamed device also runs Android games natively via Tegra K1 chipset. Recently shown off at the Google I/O 2014 with an Unreal Engine 4 demo, the Tegra K1 features an ARM-based CPU and a 192-core GPU.

Also mentioned is a "budget-priced separate controller," making one wonder if the device is either a regular STB-style console or a tablet.

The first Nvidia take on game consoles, the Project Shield, already features GameStream allowing gamers to stream games from PCs carrying compatible Nvidia GPUs. However the bulky handheld device failed to set the world on fire like its makers' hoped it would.

Valve's upcoming Steam Box gaming PCs/consoles will also feature a similar game streaming system.

However analysts suggest an Nvidia take on the games console market might not be too successful. "Sony's PlayStation Vita already offers the best core console gaming experience on the move, and take-up of that device has been all right but not great," Parker Consulting tells the BBC. "There are another number of devices that have tried to extend the Android mobile gaming experience, but experience has shown that people above a young age seem happier to play on a standard smartphone or tablet rather than travel with multiple devices."

Go Nvidia Readies New Android/PC Games Machine (BBC)