Final week PC Gamer’s Andy Edser highlighted an article tracing a seeming large drop in Steam Deck gross sales. I am not fully satisfied by the maths concerned—which was performed by Boiling Steam—however whether or not the numbers are correct or not, it does seize a number of the nervousness round Valve’s {hardware} and how much future it might need.
When Gabe Newell donated a smidge over $20 million to OpenAI again in 2018, he in all probability 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 value improve in Could, 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 element prices and different international logistical challenges throughout the trade as an entire,” Valve wrote on the time, alluding to the best way AI datacentres are gobbling up the majority of parts wanted for many of the {hardware} used to play videogames. In a single fell swoop, the Steam Deck OLED—which turns three in November—morphed from an important entry degree resolution for budding PC players, into one thing solely rich individuals can afford.
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When Valve launched that assertion in Could we did not but understand how a lot the Steam Machine would value, however anybody who hoped they may by some means hack the parts disaster to ship an actually-affordable front room PC had 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 evaluation of the field, the Steam Machine is “the most important sufferer of the RAMpocalypse up to now”. What was predicted to value 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 suitable with the machine it’s important to click on on the Steam Deck Compatibility field, which then reveals a nested consequence for the Steam Machine. That is the case in each desktop and Massive Image modes.
Searching Steam, more often than not you would not know the Steam Machine exists. Devs aren’t speaking about their video games being suitable with Steam Machine both, like they more and more do the Steam Deck. Exterior forces appear to have demolished the viability of this stuff. It is unhappy, however true.
And but! The Steam Deck persistently seems in Valve’s checklist of Steam’s high 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 far more costly than your common sport, but it surely nonetheless proves that individuals are shopping for them.
However I had hoped the Steam Deck and Steam Machine would possibly mark a speedy 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-about the simpler route by hundreds of thousands of individuals. With the Steam Machine and Steam Deck, Valve had an opportunity to show everybody flawed.
From the vantage level of November 2025 the timing appeared immaculate, given the existential crises going through each Xbox and PlayStation. It is superb how a lot distinction three months makes. Steam Machine having any longterm impact on the trade appears vastly unlikely proper now.
What to learn subsequent
Prime Steam video games by income (July 21 – July 28)
Steam releases its high sellers charts on Wednesdays, so the chart beneath does not account for the sudden reputation of Mistfall Hunter, which launched on Thursday. The “darkish fantasy extraction ARPG” is presently third on the reside concurrents checklist.
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 really outdated) Halo sport and the 1.0 launch of Palworld.
DragonSword: Awakening is principally a non-gacha tackle Genshin Influence, so its reputation is to be anticipated. Shift at Midnight is one more a type 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 useless sport” (it seems at 13 this week) final week was the primary time it did not seem within the high ten since launch.
Final week’s Steam deep cuts
Steam evaluation of the week
“I now perceive why individuals push individuals in entrance of trains. It is tremendous humorous.”
Alien Kink VR, taking the flawed learnings from Machine Occasion.
