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Steam Machine Predictions
For possible bragging rights - or to humble myself - I'll make some predictions about the pricing of the Steam Machine.
First, observations.
The Context
The Steam Machine is not top of the line hardware. In the same way the Steam Deck has become a useful minimum spec for many (especially indie) games, the Steam Machine seems aimed at being future-proof enough, but no more.
The competitive landscape for a console type object is, well, generationally uncompetitive. Xbox has all but ceased to exist as a hardware manufacturer, and even Playstation is beginning to pivot to multi-platform releases on PC. Nintendo has continued to find success, but is not really occupying the same competitive space as it once did in the Gamecube era.
The Playstation 5 and Xbox Series consoles are approaching the end of their lives, hard though it is to comprehend, given they've been out for only a year or two.
Windows is seeing a surge of unpopularity at a time when Linux is actually a viable alternative for more and more people.
What are my takeaways from all this? We are in a moment right now. If I were Valve, I'd be making every effort to pounce on this, by positioning the Steam Machine as an affordable alternative to the mainstream consoles.
The Package
I expect them to, as with the Deck, have a loss leading budget SKU, along with SKUs with modest upgrades to storage, faceplates, and digital pack in extras. Maybe to get a bundled controller you have to pick a higher tier SKU.
As with the Deck, they will not fragment the hardware from a performance perspective. Every Steam Machine will run games the same, because that provides that plateau effect that made PC gaming in the early 2010s so affordable.
The Customer
There are two primary types of customer they wish to attract. First, console players without existing Steam libraries. They can buy the low end SKU for a bargain price, use the controllers they already own, and spend the next five years filling out their Steam libraries and padding Valve's pockets.
Secondly, existing PC players on low spec hardware. In amongst their many interviews, Valve have mentioned that the specs of the Steam Machine are an improvement on a substantial portion of the Steam userbase. By providing a relatively affordable upgrade path, they widen the field of games that are playable for these users.
The Pricing
So - the price. I actually don't care to guess the specific pricing. Rather, I would say that they will sell it absolutely as cheaply as possible. That may not quite be at-cost, though that would still not surprise me for the budget SKU.
If I were Valve, I would be extremely tempted to spend some of my infinite money to neutralize the impact of the RAM pricing nightmare. If they have any reason to believe the RAM shortage will end, then taking a loss initially to provide that shock price point seems entirely worth it. To reiterate - this is a moment where Xbox is historically weak. There is market share for the taking. They will recoup so, so much money from game sales.
Oh go on then. I'll throw in a guess at £600 for the 2TB version, maybe £500 for the budget SKU. Of course the actual pricing is highly dependent on bundled accessories, controllers, etc.
They have said they don't plan to announce any games with the launch of the new Steam hardware lineup, but I would probably say that too, even if I was planning to. The excitement and word of mouth of another big tent-pole release (and bundling it in) would not be unhelpful.
And...
As an aside, the Steam Machine and every piece of Steam hardware is laser focused on solidifying their iron grip on the videogames marketplace. Everything is in aid of making their store accessible to an ever wider audience, and making it more enticing to stay within their ecosystem.
VR games, portable play, Android titles, the living room experience. Get it all without leaving your Steam library. And it's a great pitch for consumers - and on this front, a good one for developers too. Baseline specs for PC are only ever a good thing, getting your games in front of a bigger audience is a good thing.
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