Valve made waves earlier this year when it announced Steam Machines, which seeks to bring the Steam digital distribution system to a traditional console instead of remaining a PC-exclusive. Valve explained it wouldn't be making Steam Machines, but will allow different manufacturers to create their own models of Steam Machines. Now, two of the first Steam Machines have been revealed, though the new consoles remain shrouded in mystery.

Engadget is reporting that iBuyPower are the first to publicly reveal their Steam Machine models, which are called Gordon and Freeman after the main protagonist of the Half-Life series from Valve. Several screenshots of the two prototypes were revealed, however, there does not seem to be much discernible difference between the two machines besides the light bar in the middle of the console. One is clear when not in use, and the other is black.

Not much is know about Gordon and Freeman, but some details were revealed about the brand new machines. It is known that the two models run on an early build of Steam OS, the operating system that Valve announced before they revealed the Steam Machines program. In addition, it was confirmed that both boxes are able to run each and every game on Steam at 1080p resolution and at 60fps. Besides that, it is unclear what sort of CPU or GPU run the Steam Machines and what other sort of tech specs are hidden underneath the hood.

Of course, these two consoles only represent one model of the Steam Machines, and many companies are expected to build their own models and begin releasing them sometime in 2014, though no exact dates have been discussed for the first Steam Machine launches. Valve is not going to be putting out their own version of the Steam Machine, so it will be interesting to see which models and manufacturers win over gamers when they launch.

With the new Steam Machines, along with Steam OS and the Steam Controller, Valve is making a bid to try and cement itself in the console gaming landscape. Steam is already one of the most popular platforms, so with that established fan base and the right console, there could be some serious competition for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U in the future.