Final week PC Gamer’s Andy Edser highlighted an article tracing a seeming huge drop in Steam Deck gross sales. I am not solely satisfied by the maths concerned—which was carried out by Boiling Steam—however whether or not the numbers are correct or not, it does seize a number of the anxiousness round Valve’s {hardware} and what sort of future it might need.When Gabe Newell donated a smidge over $20 million to OpenAI again in 2018, he most likely did not anticipate that the trade arising from its tech would put an enormous dampener on his firm’s future {hardware} plans. The Steam Deck OLED copped a dramatic worth improve in Might, with the 1TB mannequin rising from $649 to $949 and the 512GB going from $549 to $789.”These new costs replicate the present state of part prices and different world logistical challenges throughout the trade as a complete,” Valve wrote on the time, alluding to the best way AI datacentres are gobbling up the majority of elements wanted for a lot of the {hardware} used to play videogames. In a single fell swoop, the Steam Deck OLED—which turns three in November—morphed from a terrific entry degree resolution for budding PC avid gamers, into one thing solely rich folks can afford.Newest Movies FromPC GamerWhen Valve launched that assertion in Might we did not but know the way a lot the Steam Machine would price, however anybody who hoped they may someway hack the elements disaster to ship an actually-affordable lounge PC have been, sadly, dreaming. As we now know, the Steam Machine is dear and anyway, in extraordinarily quick provide.As Andy Edser wrote in June simply after publishing his 62 / 100 overview of the field, the Steam Machine is “the most important sufferer of the RAMpocalypse so far”. What was predicted to price round $600 in November 2025 comes bearing a minimal $1,049 price ticket. I used to be with utmost certainty going to purchase one if the value was nearer to the previous. However on the present going charge, there’s simply no means, and I am certain there are droves who’re in my place.
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So I suppose it is not stunning that the Steam Machine’s “launch”—which was extra of a waitlist launch—has been a bit muted. Even Valve’s personal compatibility module hasn’t been up to date to replicate the Steam Machine’s existence: to see if one thing is appropriate with the machine it’s important to click on on the Steam Deck Compatibility field, which then exhibits a nested outcome for the Steam Machine. That is the case in each desktop and Large Image modes.Shopping Steam, more often than not you would not know the Steam Machine exists. Devs aren’t speaking about their video games being appropriate with Steam Machine both, like they more and more do the Steam Deck. Exterior forces appear to have demolished the viability of these items. It is unhappy, however true.Maintain updated with an important tales and one of the best offers, as picked by the PC Gamer staff.And but! The Steam Deck constantly seems in Valve’s record of Steam’s prime merchandise by income: final week it hit 14, and the week earlier than that, 9. That result’s influenced by the truth that Steam Deck is rather more costly than your common recreation, nevertheless it nonetheless proves that persons are shopping for them.However I had hoped the Steam Deck and Steam Machine would possibly mark a fast shift in how PC gaming is perceived. Gaming on a PC is immeasurably simpler in 2026 than it was even in 2016, however consoles are nonetheless thought of the simpler route by tens of millions of individuals. With the Steam Machine and Steam Deck, Valve had an opportunity to show everybody unsuitable.From the vantage level of November 2025 the timing appeared immaculate, given the existential crises dealing with each Xbox and PlayStation. It is wonderful how a lot distinction three months makes. Steam Machine having any longterm impact on the trade appears massively unlikely proper now.
What to learn subsequent
Prime Steam video games by income (July 21 – July 28)Steam releases its prime sellers charts on Wednesdays, so the chart under does not account for the sudden reputation of Mistfall Hunter, which launched on Thursday. The “darkish fantasy extraction ARPG” is at the moment third on the dwell concurrents record.
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Rank
Recreation
1
Counter-Strike 2
2
Dota 2
3
Palworld
4
Halo: Marketing campaign Developed
5
Apex Legends
6
DragonSword: Awakening
7
Murderer’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
8
Battlefield 6
9
Shift at Midnight
10
PUBG Battlegrounds
Counter-Strike 2 holds tight to primary regardless of the discharge of a brand new (albeit truly previous) Halo recreation and the 1.0 launch of Palworld.DragonSword: Awakening is mainly a non-gacha tackle Genshin Impression, so its reputation is to be anticipated. Shift at Midnight is yet one more a kind of indies that blends retail sim trappings with horror, although this time with on-line cooperative play.And whereas Meccha Chameleon is way from “a lifeless recreation” (it seems at 13 this week) final week was the primary time it did not seem within the prime ten since launch.Final week’s Steam deep cuts
(Picture credit score: Oro Interactive)Steam overview of the week”I now perceive why folks push folks in entrance of trains. It is tremendous humorous.”Alien Kink VR, taking the unsuitable learnings from Machine Occasion.
