Updated
Updated · Polygon · Jul 17
Steam Cloud Saves Shift Gaming Time From PS5 and Xbox to 3 Devices
Updated
Updated · Polygon · Jul 17

Steam Cloud Saves Shift Gaming Time From PS5 and Xbox to 3 Devices

1 articles · Updated · Polygon · Jul 17

Summary

  • Steam Cloud saves have become the main reason the writer keeps using the Steam Machine despite price and hardware drawbacks, because they let play move seamlessly between TV, desktop and Steam Deck.
  • That flexibility changed actual habits: games started on Steam Machine continued on vacation via Steam Deck, while a half hour of Kaz on handheld shifted instantly to keyboard play on the TV setup.
  • The same setup also lets the writer give up the television without stopping a session, echoing the Wii U and Switch pitch but extending it across any Steam-capable device.
  • PS5 and Xbox Series X now see considerably less use, as their cloud or remote-play options are described as weaker than Valve's save-sync ecosystem for moving between devices.

Insights

Can closed console ecosystems like PlayStation and Xbox effectively compete with Steam's play-anywhere promise?
Is Valve's new Steam Machine a niche PC or the real future of living room gaming?
Amidst a global RAM shortage, is Steam's ecosystem truly worth its thousand-dollar hardware price tag?