*** Valve Steam Machine ***
- Thread starter kakarott
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I'm not sure they can and those recent rumours allude to that. I'd imagine Microsoft are potentially in similar contract binds with Helix - although they are so unpredictable right now it's hard to know what they are doing. I'd imagine there's some small wiggle room where like Valve you can delay for a few quarters, but beyond that becomes difficult.
I'd also be stunned if Nintendo doesn't have a Switch 2 Lite or Switch 2 OLED at some point as I think those did fantastic numbers.
Steam Deck 2 I don't know, but again I'd be surprised if Valve aren't thinking about a release in a few years.
Again I think this is just the new normal and Valve's box is as much a victim of that.
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I think the new consoles will launch still.
People know what is coming and can save, it's not like it's a surprise. So if you really want one, it's just a bit more saving. You've also got the people with money who will just pay whatever (see the 5090). Sony can bundle games to take the sting away a bit as well, although I am surprised we haven't seen this being done with the ps5. Then when costs do come down eventually, Sony can drop the price and get free PR of "good guy Sony, dropping prices like what used to happen".
People know what is coming and can save, it's not like it's a surprise. So if you really want one, it's just a bit more saving. You've also got the people with money who will just pay whatever (see the 5090). Sony can bundle games to take the sting away a bit as well, although I am surprised we haven't seen this being done with the ps5. Then when costs do come down eventually, Sony can drop the price and get free PR of "good guy Sony, dropping prices like what used to happen".
I really don't see it as a console and I don't think Valve do either; it's a living room PC first and foremost. I think they know better than to even try competing directly in that space (at the moment at least), the only way the others make it work is by restricting how people use it e.g. you can't buy digital PS games anywhere except the PS Store, you can't add generic storage to the Xbox, you can't play online on any of them without a subscription as this keeps the revenue coming in. The PC gaming and Steam ethos is largely the opposite of that, you do whatever you want with your hardware, use whatever controllers you have lying around, and buy your games from Steam or GMG or DodgyCDKeyReseller. It's the same reason they didn't subsidise the price of the Steam Machine, they're not going to get that money back in game sales etc from a significant number of systems sold. I'd happily buy a subsidised one at a lower price but I'm not about to start buying more games to play on it when I already have a huge Steam library, so that's money they'd never get back.Sales of the PS5 and Xbox have collapsed:
PlayStation and Xbox Console Sales Collapse Following Damaging Price Rises
May was a catastrophic month for PlayStation and Xbox sales in the U.S., driven by price rises that have clearly had a significant impact on consumer interest in buying a new console.www.ign.com
That is why it is a boring product. Not a bad product but boring.
Valve just don't really care about making a huge success of the Steam Machine. Seems like they just want to try and recoup their costs and move on. It is not a big push from them to enter the console space (I know it's technically a PC but come on it is a console) but it could have been and that could have been really exciting. Imagine if they had launched the Steam Machine at the same price as a PS5, they included the controller, Half Life 3, made hundreds of thousands of them and sold them at retail stores. Imagine how huge that could have been. That would most certainly be the biggest console launch in decades. It is basically impossible now due to hardware costs but imagine if Valve had managed to release it a year ago. They would have been able to do all those things potentially but as it stands today the Steam Machine is just a huge missed opportunity.
I think you're perhaps also overestimating how recognisable the Steam brand is; mention Valve or Steam to the average person (including casual gamers) and they haven't a clue in my experience, yet everyone knows what an Xbox and PlayStation are. The marketing push they'd need would to improve that awareness would be huge and that only adds to the cost of the launch.
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@lovelyhead
How are you finding SteamOS, what sort of hardware do you have it running on?
I'm thinking of building something up to run it from spare parts.
How are you finding SteamOS, what sort of hardware do you have it running on?
I'm thinking of building something up to run it from spare parts.
@SnakeEyes for a spare parts PC, I'd look into Bazzite which I think has a wider range of hardware compatibility. SteamOS is still a bit of an unknown quantity. Bazzite is also more cutting edge with regular updates to drivers, etc. I've run Bazzite myself for a few years now and it's been great. Basically gives the same experience as SteamOS
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@Bluecube I did get bazzite up and running on a basic thin client to stream from the gaming PC utilising Sunshine and Moonlight.
It was a means for playing some games on the sofa.
It worked well but I found it a bit clunky with regards to needing the wireless keyboard and mouse to navigate getting into Steam Big Screen.
Just figured SteamOS might be more plug and play with just a controller.
It was a means for playing some games on the sofa.
It worked well but I found it a bit clunky with regards to needing the wireless keyboard and mouse to navigate getting into Steam Big Screen.
Just figured SteamOS might be more plug and play with just a controller.
My version of Bazzite boots straight into Big Screen without even loading up the desktop. Unfortunately, it's been so long since I installed this version, I've no idea what one it is nor if it's even available to download so I'm unable to recommend it!
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I am using it on the Steam Deck. I have the Steam Deck docked and use it as my main daily driver PC. If you are planning on using it with a computer you are building yourself I don't think my experience would translate well to your experience.
I also have a gaming PC which runs windows 11 and automatically launches into big picture mode. This would be my preferred OS for gaming on a proper gaming PC as it just works. Nvidia works, GSync ultimate works and all games just work.
FWIW Bazzite, SteamOS and CachyOS (Handheld Edition) are essentially all doing a very similar thing; bundling a load of packages like the kernel, Valve's Gamescope compositor (lightweight, gaming mode), Proton software layer for emulating Windows code etc into a one install-able image. SteamOS is typically older versions of those parts and has less stuff included, where as Bazzite & CachyOS include more software by default. Bazzite has a slight difference in terms of being build on Fedora Linux rather than Arch Linux like SteamOS & CachyOS.
Personally I've found SteamOS to be faster in-terms of installing and start-up, but they end-up all doing the same job and looking the same. If youi're only ever downloading Steam games and don't intend to do anything else then SteamOS is arguably good enough to use on non-Valve hardware now.
In terms of hardware if you have an AMD, or Intel build you should have a relatively good time with any of them although there are still things like WiFi cards, or bugs that can catch you out. Nvidia isn't supported in Gamescope and therefore you can't currently install without issues. Bazzite warns you as much on the download pages.
Any of them largely work very well with just a controller, but you still get games which have annoying UI, or launchers that can break the controller experience. Borderlands 2 is an example where the splash screen that you can't navigate past with just an XB controller. You need trackpads, or keyboard and mouse to type '-nolauncher' into the properties. Stuff like this unfortunately still happens from time-to-time so every so often you might need to grab a kb&m, or have a small keyboard like the Logitech K400r around in-case.
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