Valve may actually believe that it has little choice but to move forward with the rumored Steam Box. Rumors suggest that the company is frustrated by the lack of innovation, and by jumping into this space they are hoping to be able to make a difference.

Valve apparently sees an opening to create a new type of computer experience that is being overlooked. While the company has been linked with the development of the so-called Steam Box hardware for some time, it would seem they are getting more serious; the latest job posting on the Valve web site indicates they are seeking an experienced Industrial Designer. This posting tells us that the Steam Box is much more real than the company is saying.

It isn’t clear what kind of timetable Valve is projecting for the release of the Steam Box, but it could be much sooner than you would expect due to the fact that they already have the “Big Picture” mode for Steam; and it is really just a matter of getting it all together.

We will have to see if this really happens and what kind of impact it might actually have.