New Steam Machine

[one-armed dwarf]

Basically, a console-form Steam Deck. Looks like a gamecube

 

 

https://store.steampowered.com/sale/hardware

 

 

Not for me, but console PC definitely seems like a wave that's happening now, with Xbox doing the same

[retroed]

I like the look of the Steam Machine.

[Maryokutai]

Yeah, that's a cute box. Except for the controller, only a mother could love that one.

 

Definitely interested in this. Not going to say this is a sure purchase but depending on hardware power and price point, maybe.

Wouldn't want to be at Microsoft right now though.

 

Edit: I wonder if this'll finally be the time and they're going to release this alongside HL3.

[one-armed dwarf]

It would be nice if Linux could become a more mainstream OS for gaming, with better nvidia driver support. I'd really like to just dump windows, for all sorts of reasons

 

Also it seems likely enough a new Half Life will come out. They used it to sell the Index, so it would make sense for this next hardware push. Also, i mean, the same leaks about HL3 leaked this new hardware so there's that

[mfnick]

I’m very interested in this. Allows different stores not just Steam too.

 

All depends on the price. 

[Maf]

It looks cool and could be a good entry point for people that don’t want to all-in on PC but also don’t like handhelds. Watched the first 10mins of the DF video and seems a bit underpowered so if playing on TV, might not be the place for all the blockbusters. But for back compatibility and indie games old and new that aren’t on consoles or come out on Steam much earlier, seems like a really good console. 
 

I don’t have much need for it. Already own 2/3 Steam machines and I’m stretched thin already for the amount of platforms. The most interesting part will be how does it disrupt the console space. Because despite Steam basically being 50% of the gaming market itself these days, their products never seem to hit big. Even the Steam Deck got outsold by the Switch 2 in 10% of the time. But with Xbox seemingly making a similar move maybe this is the right time for something like this. 

[Maf]

 

[one-armed dwarf]

I think I might get the controller. Mouse and keyboard is awkward for TV, but too many PC games need mouse control. Just seems like a neat compromise there. 

 

They talk about the controller here, after the intro where Dan is talking shite

 

 

[Jimboxy]

2 hours ago, one-armed dwarf said:

gamecube

Gabe Cube

[Maryokutai]

I watched the first half of DF's video and I'm a bit surprised it's lagging behind PS5 and Series X in terms of specs. You'd assume a gaming box releasing in 2026 would outperform, even if only marginally, systems released in 2020, especially as Valve can likely eat a couple of bucks per system, not unlike classic consoles with their walled gardens (I highly doubt that a lot of people would pick this up and exclusively use the Epic Game Store on it, for example).

 

This makes it a bit less attractive to me because I was mostly looking at this from the point of view of it replacing my Xbox at some point. On the other hand, if it is competitively priced (say lower than the Steam Deck) it might still have its place as a cheap alternative to get access to some of Sony's games and those PC-exclusive indies I've glanced at enviously from time to time.

[retroed]

 

Should have been used in a release trailer. 

 

The more I think of the Steam Machine, the more I want one. As someone who primarily uses the Deck and Switch 2 these days, I can see me binning off Sony and Microsoft in the future.

 

[Pikman]

The problem with us all being interested, is that none of us will be able to get one 😅

 

I am too, looks like a great way to access the immense Steam library. 
Plus… could it maybe be a way into VR that has enough games to make it worthwhile?!

[Maf]

I don’t think it’ll happen straight away but if Valve replaced Xbox under the TV and Xbox just sticks to 3rd party publishing, I’d be fine with that. The Series X is great but the business that owns it has gone so far down the drain.
 

Although that would be an incredible feat I don’t think will be managed with this device. 
 

That said, the fact Phil Spencer openly tweeted about it says a lot about what their device is going to be like, and historically being first+cheaper pays off really well in video game consoles 

[DANGERMAN]

Phil might be after a job 😅

 

Price willing I'd be tempted. I'll likely get a controller, I don't use my original Steam controller anymore but there was a point I used it a lot, and I'm not a huge fan of the Xbox controller I currently use (I did almost buy one of those Doom ones) 

 

The Steam Machine, I've been toying with building something anyway, so this solves that and will likely be a better machine than I'd have been willing to build. It's barely going to be doing 4k, but I used to like putting my pc through the TV to play certain things and can't with my current one. It's probably unnecessary though with them both being in the same room, but I do think it'd get use 

 

The VR headset, same as the Occulus, it's not that I'm not interested, but I don't currently have the most space. Maybe one day 

[HandsomeDead]

I guess they're sticking to something more standardised this time and following Steam Deck's model.  But I guess it'll be produced in limited quantities again.  I dunno if it's going to try to truly go up against mainstream consoles.  Maybe they don't need to.

[Maryokutai]

Unlike these other companies who throw everything under the bus to make good quarterly numbers I think they're playing the long game here. There's only so many people you can reach on PC with Steam and they're likely close to what the peak is there, so slowly introducing other options that are more appealing to the console-centric audience is a good way of enlarging the Steam bubble over time. And them not going all-out on a mainstream device designed to compete with a PS5 is sensible, too, because that could backfire immensely if it didn't hit as they would like to.

 

My tiny console brain also just put 2 and 2 together and I realised that should I get one of those (very price dependent) I'd actually get better performance out of it than promoted considering I'd be using it on a 1080p screen. That's one benefit I don't have on consoles – a quality mode targeting 4K that runs poorly will always run poorly no matter the display resolution.

[DANGERMAN]

something I will say as Steam user, and someone who has a Steam Deck at that. The difference between a "proper" console and a Steam Machine is the library isn't solely for that. There's plenty of games that either aren't, or aren't really, playable on Steam Deck, be that because of a software issue or they just dont run well (or control well). With a console, everything on it should run on your machine for its entire life.

 

There's the odd exception like Cyberpunk on the last generation, and obviously not everything runs well, so in that regard they're similar, but Steam isn't curated for these machines and it could catch people out.

 

That said, Steam has a proper refund policy, so if you're worried buy your games through there rather than 3rd party I guess

[Maf]

The real test is can it play Arkham Knight, maxed out at 4k/60. If so, buy 

[retroed]

 

 

One Steam Machine and one Steam Controller, please.

 

 

[Pikman]

Do you reckon it will 'just work', more like a console or still need loads of effort, more like a PC?
I want the former and would love access to the nice Steam library with minimal effort!