By: Nick Gambino
Valve is trying their hand at a video game console for the first time since 2015. They just announced the new Steam Machine, a PC-console hybrid intended to compete with the majors – Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft.
Operating off SteamOS, this compact PC hardware works like a console, plugging directly into your TV and giving you access to your full Steam library. With upscaled 4k capabilities it has the potential of fitting right into the modern console lineup. It’s a lean, mean, Steam Machine. (If I don’t see some version of that phrase used in their marketing I’ll be sorely disappointed.)
Now if the Steam Machine sounds familiar to you, that’s because this isn’t the first time Valve has released a product with that name. They tried to sell another Steam Machine 10 years ago, but that foray was a total bust. They sold less than 500,000 consoles in the first few months of release. It was a total underwhelming response that sent Valve back to the drawing board.
What they came up with next was the 2021 Steam Deck, a handheld that could rival Nintendo’s Switch. This proved a popular gaming device and laid the groundwork for Valve to make their next big thing. That turned out to be a reimagined version of the Steam Machine.
Now we don’t have any information on when they plan to release the Steam Machine or even how much it’ll cost. Some analysts expect it to be priced around $1,000. That would be a bit on the high end, especially considering the graphics and processing power aren’t quite on par with the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5.
Apparently they plan to release a 512 GB Steam Machine and 2 TB version, so I’m not sure which would sell for $1,000. My guess would be the latter.
Valve seems keenly aware that in order to compete they need to offer an affordable gaming console, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they offered an entry-point model as well as a souped-up version for those who can afford it.
