Valve just filed a trademark for the term "Steam Frame", and it seemingly ties to plans for new computer hardware. Does that mean we're finally getting a Steam Deck console? Maybe, but I suspect it'll actually be something a bit more bananas.
Shared to r/GamingLeaksandRumors by user rowletoo, the Steam Frame trademark is "intended to cover the categories of computer game consoles for recreational game playing; video game consoles; video game accessories, namely, controllers for video games."
That's one hell of a word soup, but it effectively boils down to the Steam Frame being computer hardware. Yes, that is vague, and doesn't really answer whether we're looking at a gaming handheld sequel to the Steam Deck OLED, a standalone SteamOS machine, or even something linked to Valve's rumored "Deckard" VR headset venture.
STEAM FRAME trademarked by Valve - computer hardwarefrom r/GamingLeaksAndRumours
Reality is that we don't even know if the Steam Frame is an actual product yet. Sure, there's a chance that there is a box in development at Valve HQ that wears the name badge, but I wouldn't immediately assume it's a console. If the gaming PC giant was that predictable, we'd probably already have a Steam Deck 2 right now, so I'm willing to bet it's working on something a bit more out there.
I could make a million guesses at what the Steam Frame is, but I like the idea of it being a souped-up Steam Deck dock designed to pair with a future handheld. In theory, Valve's next portable device could be paired with an eGPU to deliver improved performance, making it a viable console competitor, while also leveraging additional features such as VR support for the rumoured Valve Deckard.
This idea isn't really that outlandish, especially given that you can already hook up handhelds with Thunderbolt 4 to external GPUs for a boost. However, Valve could help normalize the setup with whatever the Steam Frame actually is, providing a setup experience that embraces PC upgrading sensibilities while offering hybrid convenience on par with the Nintendo Switch 2.
It's worth noting that just last month, benchmarks for something called "Valve Fremont" popped up at Geekbench, boasting a custom AMD CPU and Radeon RX 7600 GPU. That sounds awfully like a potential Steam Machine to me, so Valve could be working on multiple pieces of hardware with different use cases.
Of course, Valve hasn't remotely confirmed any new hardware as of yet, so I'd take any related rumors and speculation with a grain of salt. I'm still going to throw in my two cents by saying that if Fremont is a compact PC, then it's more likely that the Steam Frame is something else entirely. I'd like to believe Valve is looking at new ways to change how we play our silly little video games, and I feel like the handheld scene could be in for a second revolution.
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