Redakcja Choose TV
Valve has been trying to find its place in the gaming hardware market for years. Following the success of the Steam Deck, the company is reportedly working on a new Steam Machine, which is a compact gaming computer based on the SteamOS system. The problem is that even before the official presentation, concerns about the device's price are emerging. Recent price increases for the Steam Deck OLED show that the manufacturer is not immune to rising costs of memory and data storage. If a similar trend affects the Steam Machine, the new hardware could prove to be significantly more expensive than Sony and Microsoft's consoles. This raises questions about its chances of success.
The price may exceed 1000 dollars
According to well-known insider Brad Lynch, initial estimates regarding the price of the Steam Machine are higher than those for the Steam Deck. The specific amount has not been disclosed, but speculation online even suggests 1200 dollars. For comparison, the PlayStation 5 currently costs about 650 dollars, while the PlayStation 5 Pro is around 900 dollars. This would mean that the new Valve hardware would be significantly more expensive than both consoles. In such a situation, the mere presence of the Steam platform and its vast library of games may not be enough to convince the average consumer.
Valve does not have the advantage that Sony and Microsoft possess
The biggest challenge for Valve may be the business model. Sony and Microsoft can sell consoles with minimal margin or even below production costs, as they later earn from subscriptions, services, and game sales. Valve does not have an equivalent to PlayStation Plus or Game Pass. Of course, the company earns from game sales on Steam, but it does not have such an extensive ecosystem of subscription services. If it does not decide to subsidise the hardware, the Steam Machine may turn out to be a product aimed primarily at PC enthusiasts rather than the wider console market.
If the leaks are confirmed, the Steam Machine could be one of the most expensive gaming devices available on the market. For PC fans, this might not necessarily be a problem, but in competition with the PlayStation 5 or Xbox, the high price could turn out to be the biggest obstacle for Valve's new hardware.
source; digitaltrends
