The release date for the Steam Machine has yet to be confirmed, but the system is now much closer to release, as Valve's upcoming gaming system was added to the official Khronos Vulkan conformant product database a couple of days ago.
The new entry, which lists the Steam Machine as "AMD Steam Machine", was added on May 23 and also provides additional details on the hardware, which is supported by Vulkan 1.4 via an open-source driver for AMD GPUs.
- CTS Version: 1.4.5.3
- Product Family: RADV_NAVI33
- Driver: Mesa/RADV
- CPU: AMD Custom CPU 1772
- OS: Linux 6.16.12-valve6-1-neptune-616-g37101e112292 x86_64
While the addition of the Steam Machine to the official Vulkan-conformant products database may suggest the system's launch could be imminent, this inclusion doesn't indicate precisely when it will launch. However, the addition to the database is one of the final steps that precede the launch of new hardware, so Valve is definitely gearing up to launch a system that former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra sees as PlayStation's true competitor in the future.
How much of a threat the system will be to PlayStation's dominance will mostly depend on its launch price, which has yet to be confirmed. According to reports, the price skyrocketed internally due to the current RAM price hikes, so current market conditions may force Valve to set a price higher than intended, which will inevitably impact the system's appeal.
The Steam Machine's price could be further inflated for some gamers if the launch units end up in the hands of scalpers, as happened with the launch batch of the Steam Controller. However, the company is preparing for this very real eventuality by implementing a queue system. Hopefully, it will be enough to prevent the same issue that has been plaguing almost every hardware launch since the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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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