Valve heading into the computer hardware business

According to a recent job listing on Valve Software’s website, the company may be “diversifying” into the hardware game.  In the new listing, Valve is looking for an Industrial Designer that will help the company extend their reach from software into hardware as well.

In the job listing, Valve explains:

“Valve is traditionally a software company. Open platforms like the PC and Mac are important to us, as they enable us and our partners to have a robust and direct relationship with customers. We’re frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we’re jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There’s a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked.”

Earlier this year Valve called foul on rumors that pointed to the company working on a “Steam Box” console.  Given the company’s recent opinions offered on the state of Windows 8, competition offered by EA’s Origin, and popularity of a console like the Ouya, perhaps the ever-changing games industry has forced Valve to start exploring a console of their own.