Valve: 'We will make gaming hardware if we have to'

Valve has suggested that it would make hardware as a last resort.

Valve boss Gabe Newell said that his company would be on hand to develop and sell hardware directly if innovation dried up.

"Well, if we have to sell hardware we will," Newell told Penny Arcade.

"We have no reason to believe we're any good at it, it's more we think that we need to continue to have innovation and if the only way to get these kind of projects started is by us going and developing and selling the hardware directly then that's what we'll do.

"It's definitely not the first thought that crosses our mind; we'd rather hardware people that are good at manufacturing and distributing hardware do that. We think it's important enough that if that's what we end up having to do then that's what we end up having to do."

Valve is currently working on DOTA 2, which is in the beta testing stage of development.

Valve hinted at a 2011 release date for DOTA 2 during an interview with Digital Spy at Gamescom.

The developer has since confirmed that the game will be released in its current form, following a shorter beta testing phase.

Watch a teaser trailer for DOTA 2 below: