Valve is looking to compete with Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and even Meta✴ Quest by significantly expanding its range of devices next year. The company intends to produce its own hardware and certify the products of partners to form a comprehensive gaming ecosystem, The Verge reports.
Image source: Valve
Valve is preparing to release a virtual reality headset codenamed Deckard, a pair of Roy VR controllers, a traditional Steam Controller 2 gamepad codenamed Ibex, and a gaming console for connecting to a Fremont TV. Thus, the company is going to challenge Sony, Microsoft and Meta✴. These companies have firmly established their niches, but the success of Steam Deck exposed their vulnerability – consumers want access to a large library of games anytime, anywhere. While competitors figure out how to respond to this trend, Valve is building an ecosystem of SteamOS-based hardware, including devices created in partnership with other manufacturers.
Third parties will help ensure that today’s gamers can access Windows games without having to deal with the limitations of Microsoft’s operating system. Many PC manufacturers have already released Steam Deck competitors, but due to the lack of Valve support, these devices must install Windows, which does not allow games to launch, pause, and resume quickly. Most of these devices are equipped with AMD chips, offering high performance with low power consumption. Now Valve has published a document that reveals its future strategy.
The company intends to introduce the Powered by SteamOS label for third-party products. It will be received by devices running SteamOS, installed in close cooperation with Valve. There is also labeling for “Valve-approved controllers,” SteamVR and Steam Link devices designed to stream games from one device to another. According to unofficial information, such devices will be highly compatible. For example, Valve Steam Controller 2 can be used to control games in virtual reality, and VR controllers can be used for games on a set-top box.
Valve is not going to limit itself exclusively to x86 AMD processors, as on the Steam Deck. The virtual reality headset will use Arm chips, providing long battery life and reducing the weight of the device. More powerful AMD processors will be useful for a console designed to be connected to a TV.
More than ten years ago, Valve tried to launch the Steam Machines project, but then the ecosystem was not ready – the project failed, and the partners began releasing consoles on Windows. By the time Steam Deck was released, Valve already had a Proton emulator at its disposal, which allowed it to run Windows games without sacrificing performance. Perhaps now the project has a better chance of success.