- According to Jason Schreier, Valve considers the Steam Machine a success.
- The company never wanted to compete with PlayStation and Xbox or sell millions of units.
- Valve’s actual aim is to expand SteamOS across different kinds of hardware.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the memory crisis was responsible for killing much of the hype around the Steam Machine. The Valve console, which ended up costing $1,050 for its 1 TB version, was going to be priced several hundred Dollars lower than its eventual MSRP.
But, with memory makers refusing to even negotiate with the company, Valve decided to price the Steam Machine above $1,000 while declining to subsidise the product. As it turns out, the living room PC has been anything but a failure for the company so far.
Why it matters: Despite giving the console an unappealing price tag, Valve has achieved its initial target thanks to a dedicated fanbase and realistic expectations.
In a new YouTube video, insider Jason Schreier stated that Valve considers the Steam Machine a success because it has different goals compared to traditional console makers. While recounting Valve’s 14-year journey towards the living room PC, the journalist revealed that the Steam Machine was never meant to compete with PlayStation or Xbox.
This thing has proven to be a success for them, and that is because Valve’s goal here is not necessarily to make hardware that sells millions of units and competes with the PlayStation and Xbox.
Schreier explained that the company’s goal with the console is to expand SteamOS, increasing its proliferation across different kinds of hardware in a bid to prevent a closed Windows ecosystem controlled by Microsoft. With all of the Steam Machine units continuing to sell out despite the high price, Valve is certainly making slow progress in achieving this target.
The insider also unveiled that the company doesn’t wish to dominate the market with Steam Machine; instead, it wants other manufacturers to build their own living room PCs powered by the Linux-based SteamOS. Hence, Valve’s ethos doesn’t include locking players to a specific hardware, as it would rather grow its digital platform in the long-term.
With the Steam Machine selling out in regions like Japan despite the $1,050 price tag, it’s safe to say Valve is more than happy with its performance so far.
Do you think the Steam Machine has proven to be a success for Valve? Would it have sold better with a lower price tag? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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