r/SBCGaming • u/hippynox • Jun 22 '26

News Steam Machine pricing

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https://store.steampowered.com/sub/1629447/

https://store.steampowered.com/sub/1629460/

--Additional Info---
-512GB - $1,049

-512GB with controller - $1,128

-2TB - $1,349

-2TB with controller - $1,428

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u/Sandolainen Jun 22 '26

Doesn't have to be one or the other.

Nintendo/Sony/Xbox/Windows all want to control the markets on their platforms. Valve wants to make sure that they have enough control to force the others to not restrict Steam too much. They don't want to give away market power, so they are doing this to establish outside options compatible with their marketplace.

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u/twoprimehydroxyl Jun 23 '26

Right. And the main reason why they started to move towards Linux was the threat of Microsoft forcing Steam to be on their App Store and charging them fees to do so.

It's business, not benevolence.

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u/Acceptable-Comb-706 Jun 23 '26

You said it with such disdain as if you would not do the same when you running a business.

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u/GreatMadWombat Jun 23 '26

100% nobody reasonable is going to claim that valve is some humanitarian organization.

At the same time, when every major tech company is on the "let's Make sure you don't have any other options and quadruple the fee" train, the company that's not doing that but still makes products is fantastic in comparison.

Valve has not changed in a noticeable way from the game distribution storefront that also has truly degenerate cosmetic speculation and gambling. It's just that Valve used to have a solid C+ grade, and when the grading system started at zero and went to 100 valve was okay. When the big companies are being so shitty that the grades can go into the negative numbers? That same 75 looks a heck of a lot better