Although the Steam Machine has yet to be released, the new Valve hardware has sparked quite a bit of discussion among gaming enthusiasts. While some believe it will end up being a niche system, others believe Valve's gaming system could send the console market into an upheaval, especially if it is priced right.
With the current RAM prices, however, it remains to be seen how Valve will handle this critical element (as well as its release date and scalper woes), and with things unlikely to improve anytime soon, it's looking less likely that the system could be released within the price range of a traditional console like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Despite so many unknowns regarding the system, it seems like Sony may not be taking any chances, as the Japanese company could be seeing Valve as a major new competition, according to former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra.
"They [Sony] see the last nail in the coffin with Xbox and the churn there (hope it turns around)." Ybarra said, commenting on the recent reports of PlayStation first-party games such as Ghost of Yotei and the upcoming Saros and Marvel's Wolverine not coming to PC. "Most important: they view Valve as a major new competitor. Valve will enter the living room and console market with Steam Machine and likely 3rd party variants of it all running on SteamOS. Valve doesn’t make many mistakes and Sony is smart to realize that."
"Shipping good exclusive games matters. It’s not rocket science." The former Xbox executive concluded, suggesting that the age of true console exclusives may have returned.
The gaming community, however, is not convinced the Steam Machine, with its very likely higher price point, will be much of a competitor to a cheaper console, highlighting how the system also won't have any "unique feature set". To which, Mike Ybarra replied: "7,000 games. The largest player set. 3rd parties will have lower and higher hardware options ($500 to $5000). A games return policy that allows you to play games up to 3 hours and return no questions asked. A family plan that lets you share your full library with all family members across PC and these devices. Free multiplayer." With Valve's gamer-focused approach and its status as a private company with zero external pressure, no one should underestimate Valve, Ybarra said.
If Sony indeed believes Valve will be its major new competitor in the future, it will be very interesting to see whether any of the Steam features that will enter the living room with the Steam Machine will affect the PlayStation 6 and the broader PlayStation ecosystem. Still, this, coupled with Xbox's approach for the next generation, should make for one of the most interesting console generations in years.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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