It looks like the Steambox that has been widely reported by many sites is in fact a real thing.

This time we have an official confirmation by a Valve engineer, Ben Krasnow, who talked about a Linux-based Valve console scheduled for 2013. German site Golem.de attended a special event, and it seems a bunch of other products are planned by Valve as well.

“The Hardware Lab also has a few secret projects that will be published in 2013. We have a good group of electronic and mechanical engineers, and we look forward to “build some cool stuff.” Krasnov said. (Rough German translation)

It is being said that this console will be announced by them sometime this year, but there’s no specific timing given for it. It’s not clear whether they will hold a separate conference or announce it at E3.

The console will run Linux, and based on the recent comments by Gabe Newell on how Windows 8 is something of a “catastrophe” and they don’t want to be dependent on it, this is not surprising at all. Valve engineer Krasnow has been working on the hardware with Jeri Ellsworth since 2011, the German site reports.

The Game Developers Conference will be held between March 25-29 this year. That is one of the best events to announce the console as well.