Valve Would Consider Making Wearable Computing Hardware

In a new interview with Penny Arcade, Valve’s co-founder and managing director, Gabe Newell, revealed that in addition to growing a fetching new beard, he has recently become interested in wearable computer prototypes. In fact, Newell feels so strongly about the potential of the devices that he stated he could envision a future where Valve designs and sells their own hardware, if existing manufacturers don’t enter into the space.

“Well, if we have to sell hardware we will. We have no reason to believe we’re any good at it, it’s more we think that we need to continue to have innovation and if the only way to get these kind of projects started is by us going and developing and selling the hardware directly then that’s what we’ll do.”

“It’s definitely not the first thought that crosses our mind; we’d rather hardware people that are good at manufacturing and distributing hardware do that. We think it’s important enough that if that’s what we end up having to do then that’s what we end up having to do.”

Newell defiantly doesn’t sound like he is very keen in turning part of Valve into a wearable computer manufacturer, but it’s a pretty strong statement to say that they will consider going down that road if existing hardware companies don’t step up.