Valve announces Steam Machine to challenge consoles and lower-end gaming PCs
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · May 1
Valve announces Steam Machine to challenge consoles and lower-end gaming PCs
13 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · May 1
The move follows SteamOS growth as Linux's Steam share rose from under 1% in April 2021 to above 5%, while Windows fell from more than 96% to over 92%.
Valve gained traction by running Windows games on Linux, while SteamOS expanded to third-party handhelds and some manufacturers began shipping devices with it pre-installed.
The launch comes as Microsoft pushes users from Windows 10 to Windows 11, whose higher requirements and mixed reputation may create an opening beyond the Steam Deck.
As hardware shortages stall Valve's next move, can Microsoft's Windows 11 overhaul win back gamers before the Steam Machine arrives?
Beyond market share, is Valve's ultimate goal to create a PC gaming ecosystem completely free from Microsoft's platform control?
Valve has nearly solved game compatibility, but can it overcome the final hurdle of anti-cheat software blocks from major developers?