Valve’s Summer Plans: Steam Machine and Steam Frame Are Coming, Come Hell or High Water!

Hold onto your hats, folks! Valve is still pushing forward with its plans for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, declaring they’ll be launching this summer. In the midst of crazy price hikes and component shortages, Valve is sticking to their guns like a cowboy at a shootout.

What’s the Scoop?

Despite not having a concrete release date, Valve recently confirmed the release while also unveiling their shiny new Verified program. This system is all about sorting Steam games based on how well they perform on Valve’s snazzy hardware and their compatibility with Proton. Basically, it’s what allows those fancy Windows games to strut their stuff on Linux without breaking a sweat.

This Verified program first made its grand debut alongside the Steam Deck. Now, it’s rolling out to accommodate the new hardware. They’ve let slip that if a game is a smooth operator on the Steam Deck, it’ll also groove on the Steam Machine. That’s like a best friend guarantee!@

What About Developers?

Now here’s the kicker: developers are being nudged to use the Steam Deck for testing, since Steam Machine dev kits are MIA. According to Steamworks docs, it’s like, “Hey, no Steam Machine dev kits available? Just make sure your game plays nice on the Deck, and you’re golden!” So if it’s a smooth ride on the Deck, you’re in the clear with the Machine!

Meanwhile, the Steam Deck dev kits dropped into developers’ laps before its launch in February 2022, and the Steam Frame kits are already circulating. So, it’s a tad funny how Valve seems to be hoarding the Steam Machine kits like a squirrel with acorns. What’s up with that?

But don’t you worry if your pocket’s feeling light. Valve’s determined to drop these gadgets, even with the rising costs that seem to be a part of everyday life now, thanks to, you guessed it, the AI industry. Memory prices are going through the roof, and even the Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 are feeling the burn with steep price hikes!

As it stands, Valve hasn’t slapped a price tag on the Steam Machine, but whispers have been floating around that it won’t be cheap. Our buddy Jacob Ridley from that place with many PC gamers kind of mentioned something like $529 for a 512GB model back in the day. But oh snap, that number has climbed up to $899 recently! And let’s be real, with prices soaring, it might just keep going up.

Valve’s own Lawrence Yang chimed in, stating that everyone is in the same pickle when it comes to prices and availability. He points out that it’s a struggle getting components, but they’re giving it their all to keep things affordable while still delivering quality. So, fingers crossed!

So, keep your eyes peeled for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame! With summer on the horizon, it seems like Valve is hell-bent on bringing these machines to life, regardless of the hiccups along the way.