Valve Says a Bigger Game Catalogue Will Help the New Steam Machine Succeed Where Its Predecessors Failed

Valve believes the new Steam Machine is positioned to succeed in ways the original models could not, and according to the engineers behind the project, the reason is straightforward. The software has finally caught up, and the new system will launch with a massive, ready to play game catalogue.

In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat explained that the first generation of Steam Machines struggled largely because SteamOS had limited compatibility at the time. Only a small number of games ran natively on Linux, and compatibility layers like Wine were not mature enough to support the larger PC library.

Aldehayyat said that Valve learned a critical lesson. The company needed to remove the friction for developers. With Proton, Valve now provides a compatibility layer that allows Windows games to run smoothly on Linux based SteamOS, effectively bridging the gap that previously limited adoption.

Pierre Loup Griffais echoed this sentiment, noting that the original Steam Machines already had many of the features players wanted, such as ease of use closer to a console than a traditional PC. However, the lack of games meant that developers had no incentive to build Linux ports. Since the release of the Steam Deck, Proton has matured significantly. As a result, the new Steam Machine will launch with a far larger catalogue than its predecessor.

Valve has also done significant work on SteamOS itself. Improvements made to support the Steam Deck now carry over to the desktop experience, including enhanced performance, ray tracing optimizations, and general system refinements. Griffais confirmed that these enhancements will benefit the new Steam Machine on day one.

Software Optimization Could Allow the Steam Machine to Exceed Expectations

Valve recently revealed the official specifications for the new system. On paper, it sits between the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 in overall capability. The system features a semi custom AMD Zen 4 processor with six cores and twelve threads, paired with an AMD RDNA 3 GPU with twenty eight compute units. It includes sixteen GB of DDR5 RAM plus eight GB of GDDR6 VRAM, two NVMe SSD model options, Wi Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and multiple display outputs.

Despite this modest hardware positioning, the system may be able to deliver stronger performance thanks to Valve’s continued work on SteamOS. Early tests indicate that some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, may not consistently hit four K at sixty frames per second. However, further optimization is planned, and developers may adopt Steam Machine specific presets or even native builds if the platform gains enough popularity. Similar optimizations happened with Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cronos The New Dawn on the Steam Deck.

The primary limitation is the eight GB of VRAM, which is already stressed by modern high resolution titles. This constraint is expected to become more noticeable in the coming years.

The first generation of Steam Machines failed not only because of software shortcomings but also because of inconsistent pricing across vendors. Valve is aware that pricing will be critical this time. Aldehayyat stated that the new Steam Machine will offer competitive pricing, although the final cost has not yet been announced. The system is expected to launch early next year.

With a stronger game catalogue, improved compatibility, and a more refined operating system, Valve believes it has addressed the shortcomings of the original lineup. The remaining question is whether the new Steam Machine can hit a price point that appeals to both console gamers and PC enthusiasts.

Do you think the new Steam Machine can earn a place in the living room this time around, or is the competition too strong? Share your thoughts below.