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[SmokedMeat]

They would subsidize the cost of an open platform? With no other forms of revenue other than game sales?

Brilliant business strategy. Either way that's not a console, it's a mini pc.

It's their hardware, they subsidize the cost. You haven't noticed that after looking at Steam Deck prices compared to everyone else?

If you think it's a poor business strategy, let Gabe know. I'm sure he's open to business advice from an expert poster on GAF.

 

[cash_longfellow]

I mean…you can just plug your laptop into the tv and it's basically the same thing.

 

[Thirty7ven]

It's their hardware, they subsidize the cost. You haven't noticed that after looking at Steam Deck prices compared to everyone else?

If you think it's a poor business strategy, let Gabe know. I'm sure he's open to business advice from an expert poster on GAF.

You have no proof that they are selling it at a loss. They might about break even sure or make less of a profit then alternatives because they make money on software but I don't know a single person who has a steamdeck that doesn't also primarily play on PC.

Again this thread is about why Valve isn't making a console, and apparently Gabe also doesn't seem too invested in making one so.

 

[sinnergy]

The steamslab!

 

[Crayon]

It's been a while so i suppose the distro's are more refined.
It's funny Steam OS was availabe to download day 1 in 2015. On the download page it encouraged one to build your own PC. Flying in the face of their partner's building pc's.
Also Valve undercut the partners again with the Steam Link. You really don't need to buy a pc just hook this box up and use your exsisting pc on any tv/monitor you want. LOL!!!
What a mess!!!

I tried it maybe not as soon as it came out, but before 2.0 was out, which didn't take long compared to the wait for 3. SO2, which the one the steam machines released with at the alleged launch. SO2 was rough and badly limited, but the basic concept worked. You could load it up on a pc and toss the keyboard and it really did feel like you were kind of making it into a console. It was all little things, but the overall console-izing effect was there.

The launch I don't see as a failure looking back. I don't consider that a normal launch as I think of it. It was almost a scam and misleading. They had been working on steam universe features and decided to throw it all in a box and see what happened? Or even better... *not* throwing it in a box and seeing what happens. Not that anyone really got ripped off. The alienware alpha and the zotac ones were available with windows. And if you bought the steam machine version, you can't feel burned by a bad os when you can just replace it. This is a whole nother topic though. I could go on too long about my little conspiracy theory.

 

[Crayon]

Again, Valve is a small company as these things go. They have under 1,000 people for all the shit they do, maybe with exception of Service Desk support or something.

It's a miracle they can support all their current stuff as it is. And they can't expand fast (or much at all) due to their corporate structure.

You know, I can't believe I never thought about that but supporting it once it's out in the wild. If they can't stay on top of bug reports etc, it's not going to be a good os. That could def be the when/if they are waiting for.

 

[Elder Legend]

They already have one. It's called custom PC building.

 

[MidGenRefresh]

They would subsidize the cost of an open platform? With no other forms of revenue other than game sales?

Brilliant business strategy. Either way that's not a console, it's a mini pc.

This is exactly what they're doing with the Deck.

 

[SmokedMeat]

You have no proof that they are selling it at a loss. They might about break even sure or make less of a profit then alternatives because they make money on software but I don't know a single person who has a steamdeck that doesn't also primarily play on PC.

Again this thread is about why Valve isn't making a console, and apparently Gabe also doesn't seem too invested in making one so.

I think in a world where they're as big as a Sony or Nintendo, maybe they go for it.
That's not the case though, and with handhelds being more popular than consoles, and this being a new market for PC there's much larger sales potential.

You're probably right though, as there might just not be enough of an audience for another Steam Machine. Especially since nothings stopping anyone from just building their own.