A significant number of employees who were working in the hardware and android departments of Valve were fired today Gamasutra is reporting. There is little information given about the reason the company made this decision as the employees were asked not to comment. Among those let go was a hardware engineer, Jeri Ellsworth, who had been tasked with making the controller for the already announced 'Steam Box." Also within the newly unemployed is Valve's (now) former director of business Jason Holtman. Who had been with the much loved development powerhouse since 2005.

There are probably one of two reasons why something like this would happen; 1: Valve has decided the Steam Box is not feasible at this moment, 2: They are simply just not impressed with the current models they are makings and have decided to try a new approach. At least those are the only two that come to mind for me at this moment. Yet with what little information we ever get out of Valve and their inner workings for all we know these people may have simply drunk the fizzy lifting drinks and didn't give back the ever lasting gobstoppers. It seems the the biggest surprise out of all of this is the departure of Jason Holtman. Holtman had been one of the company's main of contacts for developers using Steam to sell their games. Does his exit mean agreements broke down between Valve and developers for the now potentially in danger Steam Box?

How do you people interpret this? Is the Steam Box in jeopardy? What could this mean for the future of Steam on your phone?

Soure: Gamasutra, Develop