Valve Is Aiming For Its New Steam Machine To Succeed Where The Original Failed

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Valve is planning a new Steam Machine for release next year, but this isn’t their first try at bringing PC gaming into the living room. They previously launched a line of Steam Machines in 2015, but sales were disappointing and the devices were discontinued. This time, Valve believes a stronger selection of games and a simpler process for developers to adapt their games will be key to success.

After seeing the challenges with the first Steam Machines, we realized we needed to better support our developers. That’s why we created Proton – it’s a tool that allows games designed for Windows to run on Linux systems,” explained engineer Yazan Aldehayyat in an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun.

According to engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais, the main issue wasn’t the technology itself, but the lack of games available. They had successfully created a system that let users control their TV, start games directly, and install and uninstall them without needing to worry about drivers or system cleanup. However, without a strong selection of games to play, the system didn’t fully succeed.

Griffais noted that developers needed to know people would actually play their games on the Steam Deck to make the porting process worthwhile. Valve focused on building a device that could run games smoothly and deliver strong performance. In a separate conversation, Griffais explained that Valve’s goal was to improve the PC gaming experience in the living room, an area where consoles have traditionally been more popular.

Valve plans to release the Steam Machine in 2026, along with a new Steam Controller and the Steam Frame VR headset. While the price hasn’t been announced yet, Valve aims to make it affordable, and some industry analysts predict a price around $400 could be ideal.

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2025-11-14 17:09