I’ve never been afraid to admit that I’m a console guy. I’m writing this on a 5090-loaded PC, yet I can count on one hand how many games I’ve played on it for more than a few hours — and I’d have some fingers left over. While I certainly see the appeal of building and maintaining a rig for folks who love to tinker or min-max all the pretty numbers, all I want to do is play video games. But that’s why the announcement of Valve’s new Steam Machine is a literal game-changer for me.
The Steam Machine is an all-new PC/console hybrid device designed to build upon the success of Steam Deck, Valve’s wildly successful portable device released in 2022. Joining it are a new and improved Steam Controller and a VR headset dubbed the Valve Frame, which seems poised to replace the aging Valve Index headset.
I’m here for all of it. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see Valve finally going all-in on the concept of a multi-device ecosystem. The Steam Machine, especially, is hitting every note for me right out of the gate. 4k? Love it. 60 FPS? Good enough for this console peasant! Small and sleek? Gimme. My preference for consoles aside, I’ve always loved Steam as a platform, and now I’ll be able to enjoy it while eating too much Chinese food on my couch. This is a dream for someone who is already living the all-digital gaming life.
It has a bit more personality than I’d expect, too. I’m loving the customizable light bar that can share information about my download progress — or just cycle through colors when I have impromptu raves with my cat at 2 AM. And those faceplates, which are presumably sold separately, are delightful. Anything that lets me add a bit of fun and flair to my setup is a win in my book.
I’m not a massive VR enthusiast, but as someone who finally bought Half-Life: Alyx on sale earlier this year, I’m also thrilled to check out the Steam Frame VR headset. It looks like an incredibly comfortable and premium option that may get me to invest in VR more seriously. I find it frustrating and cumbersome to get Steam VR working wirelessly with my Meta Quest 3, so having a modern, dedicated Steam-based headset that seamlessly connects me to my games is killer.
And that cohesion is what makes the entirety of Valve’s new lineup so compelling to me. It’s relieving to see that the company is dedicated to building a strong collection of first-party devices optimized to run SteamOS in an age where similar competitors are pushing their fragmented ecosystems across a wide variety of manufacturers and platforms. I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t want every device I own to be “a Steam.” I want Steam devices made by Valve that are designed to run a full-featured version of SteamOS well. And yeah, that’s what it looks like I’ll be getting soon.
At the same time, these devices don’t sacrifice the versatility that PC players want — but whether you engage with it is left up to you. If you’re a console gamer who wants a console experience, you’ve got it. Use the Steam Controller on the Steam Machine with SteamOS and Steam it up just like you’re using a PlayStation 5. If you’re a PC player who wants to go deeper with it, you can go all out with Windows, use any of your third-party accessories, and tinker to your heart’s content. This is how it should be.
Whether we’re at our computer desks with a PC, on our couches with a Steam Machine, in a hotel room with a Steam Deck, or in a whole new world within the Steam Frame headset — I’m feeling optimistic that we may finally be witnessing the birth of a platform that blurs the lines to create a one-stop ecosystem for everyone. I guess we’ll see if those hopes become a reality when the Steam Deck, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame launch in early 2026.
