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No, Valve, You Don't Need to Revolutionize PC Gaming
Let history be your guide
By Joshua Hawkins Joshua Hawkins Freelance Technology Reporter Full Sail University Josh Hawkins is a freelance writer for Lifewire who loves writing about the latest tech and gadgets that help make people’s lives easier. As an avid gamer and VR enthusiast, he also enjoys diving deep into the technology that helps bring those kinds of experiences to life. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 27, 2021 04:19PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Gaming Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Valve is supposedly working on a new handheld PC console that will let you play your favorite PC games on the go.Early code found in a Steam update points towards the device being codenamed the “SteamPal.”With Valve’s previous hardware history, there isn’t much confidence that this new console will turn out any different from the Steam Machines of the past. Westend61 / Getty Images Valve reportedly is building a handheld PC gaming system to take on the Nintendo Switch, but do we really need another attempt at revolutionizing PC gaming? Probably not. Reports are once again swirling that Valve is dipping its toe into the hardware game. According to ArsTechnica, the PC gaming giant is currently working on a handheld PC console codenamed "SteamPal." This isn’t the first time that the company has tried its hand at making hardware, and it has seen some success with the Valve Index in the VR realm, but pretty much every other attempt at making hardware has flopped in some way. "There's also the biggest factor in all of this: A Steam portable wouldn't be competing against the Nintendo DS or 3DS," Rex Freiberger, a tech expert and CEO of Gadget Review, told Lifewire in an email. "It would be competing against the Nintendo Switch, which is one of Nintendo's most accessible and most profitable consoles of all time. The innovative design has offered something for everyone, and I just don't think Steam can take any angle that's going to win a significant market share." Filling a Gap That Doesn t Exist
The idea behind these handheld gaming PCs seems to be an attempt to fill in a gap that currently only the Nintendo Switch fits within. The Switch, which has seen almost unparalleled success since its release in 2017, is the second best-selling console in US history. As such, it seems to have ignited this idea that we need more handheld gaming systems. Alienware The problem is, that isn’t exactly the case. While handheld gaming has its perks and has seen success, there’s much more to the picture than simply shipping a console capable of playing games on the go. Part of the Nintendo magic is the content that it offers. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have helped spur the success of the Nintendo handheld, something that a PC-based portable console won’t have going for it. Of course, Valve isn’t the first to take a swing at making a handheld gaming PC. We’ve already seen concepts of a similar type of device from Alienware, and several manufacturers like One-Netbook and GPD have started shipping handheld PCs made with gaming in mind. What’s notable about Valve stepping in, though, is the company’s storied history with trying to break into developing hardware designed to change how we play PC games. Learning From the Past
Of course, the most confusing part of all of this is why Valve keeps finding itself back in the hardware game, especially when you start to look at what it has done in the past. This isn’t the first time that Valve has tried to revolutionize how we play video games from the PC. A Steam portable wouldn't be competing against the Nintendo DS or 3DS. It would be competing against the Nintendo Switch... Back in 2013, Valve announced Steam Machines, pre-made computers that used SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system, to deliver PC gaming to your living room. The devices never took off—mostly because they offered disappointing specs and just weren’t that appealing to mainstream PC gamers—and Valve eventually removed them from Steam. A few years later, in 2015, Steam released the Steam Link, a small device that could connect to your home network and stream your PC games to a TV. It was also available as an app on mobile phones, but much like the Steam Machines, Steam Link never really took off. I remember purchasing one because I was genuinely excited about the possibility of being able to play my PC games outside of my room, but the connection was spotty at best, and the quality was a nightmare. "Steam Link was a failure," Freiberger explained. "There's really no other way to put it. It lacked real innovation and had no place in the market. I believe a handheld console would be the same way." Steam Machines and Steam Link aren’t something you hear much about these days. SteamOS, the operating system that Steam designed just for playing games, hasn’t received an update since July 2020. If Valve really wants consumers to buy into this new portable PC console, it needs to instill a bit more confidence in the players it is trying to cater to. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is a Steam Deck? Can I Play Nintendo DS Games on the 3DS? How to Install Windows on Steam Deck How to Transfer Data From a Nintendo 3DS SD Card How to Connect Steam Deck to a TV How to Connect a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to a PC Can I Play Nintendo 3DS Games on the Wii U? Why Aren't Game Boy Advance Games on Virtual Console? The 10 Best Games for Steam Deck of 2022 Is the Wii U a Portable System Like the Nintendo 3DS? The 7 Best Mini PCs for Gaming in 2022 What are the Different Types of Game Boys? How to Connect the Nintendo Switch to Your Laptop Which Is Better for Online Gaming? PC vs. Console The 8 Best Current Gaming Consoles of 2022 by Lifewire The 9 Best Handheld Game Systems, Tested by Lifewire Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies