Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director Michael Douse says Valve is positioned for a Steam Deck-level success with the new Steam Machine, precisely because it isn't very high-spec.
Valve hasn't revealed pricing details for the new Steam Machine, but hardware and performance wise, it's been roughly likened to a middle point between the Xbox Series S and a base PS5 or Xbox Series X. That's a little surprising given the fact that those consoles came out five years ago and are themselves upstaged by the more recent PS5 Pro. That said, it also suggests the eventual price tag will be more forgiving in these trying economic times.
According to Douse, that'll be key to the PC/console's success, in the same way the Steam Deck revolutionized the handheld PC space with the most affordable version priced at a reasonable $399.
"Value (sic) are probably betting on the fact that anyone who wants more demanding PC hardware on their TV is part of the audience who know how to turn any PC into a Steam Machine," said Douse on Twitter. "Genuinely no point making a high-spec Steam Machine."
It's true that performance-minded PC gamers are generally equipped with the know-how to build a much more powerful PC than a comparable home console but at a cheaper price. Plus, appealing to the masses is generally good business advice, and it seems to have worked for the Steam Deck, which has since inspired more powerful competitors from companies like Asus and Lenovo.
"The Steam Deck gave birth to an entire handheld market that helped define the features of the Switch 2," said Douse. "I imagine the same will happen with this. Much more powerful third party Linux-based PCs for the TV by folks like ASUS and Lenovo, plus Ayaneo et al."
Possible that living room will not be dominated by a handful of branded machines rather that the war for the livingroom will be storefronts, with many many manufacturers putting out the hardware. In that sense Valve & Xbox have the upper hand. (Support for 3rd party hardware).…November 13, 2025
Douse added that there's "massive opportunity" in the pre-built PC market, specifically for use similar to consoles in the living room, but that currently there's no "precedent" or "entry point" with pre-built machines ranging from $500 to $5000 and above.
"If Valve can once again normalise and thus create that entry point there is potential for big growth in that new market, and thus potential to move fast and shake up," said Douse.
"Possible that living room will not be dominated by a handful of branded machines rather that (sic) the war for the livingroom will be storefronts, with many many manufacturers putting out the hardware. In that sense Valve & Xbox have the upper hand. (Support for 3rd party hardware). Xbox strategy make sense now?"
It sounds to me like Douse is suggesting the future of living room, TV-based gaming won't be nearly as reliant on hardware manufacturers as storefronts like Steam, Epic, and Microsoft. So, basically, PC master race? Sure, why not?
Here are the best PC games you can play right now.
