When Valve announced its upcoming Steam Machine hardware last month, some eagle-eyed gamers may have been surprised to see that the official spec sheet lists support for HDMI 2.0 output, rather than the updated, higher-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 standard introduced in 2017. Now, Valve tells Ars that, while the hardware itself actually supports HDMI 2.1, the company is struggling to offer full support for that standard due to Linux drivers that are “still a work-in-progress on the software side.”
As we noted last year, the HDMI Forum (which manages the official specifications for HDMI standards) has officially blocked any open source implementation of HDMI 2.1. That means the open source AMD drivers used by SteamOS can’t fully implement certain features that are specific to the updated output standard.
“At this time an open source HDMI 2.1 implementation is not possible without running afoul of the HDMI Forum requirements,” AMD engineer Alex Deucher said at the time.
Valve is backing major technical efforts to run Windows PC games on ARM devices, the same chips that power your phone. It is not a Steam Phone yet, but the pieces are finally falling into place for PC games to go mobile.
Half-Life 3, the non-existent sequel to one of the most legendary video game series of all time, has achieved an almost mythical status. It’s been 18 years since Half-Life 2: Episode 2’s cliffhanger ending, without a word from Valve about a follow-up since. However, over the past year, rumors and theories have swirled about Half-Life 3 being announced before the end of the year.
PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance — if you've got the coin for it when you’re building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop.
The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now.
Linux usage on Steam has officially hit an all-time high, reaching 3.2% market share according to the Steam Survey results for November 2025. This is fantastic news for the open-source community, and it shows that the momentum driven by Valve’s hardware strategy isn't slowing down at all.
The numbers on Linux installations are finally starting to show some life, and despite what some people might say, it's not all down to just one or two major moves. But, undeniably, the rise of Linux gaming has something to do with it.
Clockwise from top left: the Steam Frame, the Steam Machine 2026, the Steam Controller 2026, and a Steam Deck. (Valve Image)
In a surprise Wednesday drop, Bellevue, Wash.-based Valve Software unveiled three new physical gaming devices intended to work with its digital storefront Steam.
Planned for release in early 2026, the devices are described as new parts of the “Steam Hardware family.” They include the Steam Machine, a small console intended for users’ living rooms; the Steam Frame, a lightweight VR headset; and a new Steam Controller, which features several new interfaces similar to those found on Valve’s Steam Deck.
“We’ve been super happy with the success of Steam Deck, and PC gamers have continued asking for even more ways to play all the great titles in their Steam libraries,” Gabe Newell, president of Valve, said in a press release.
“Our work over the years on other hardware and even more importantly on SteamOS has enabled Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame to do just that,” Newell said.
The Steam Machine is a 6-inch cube that’s designed to fit unobtrusively into a living room or entertainment center. It’s intended to quietly and efficiently run games from your Steam library, with a removable front panel for decorative purposes and an LED so users can readily tell when it’s on or off.
Like the Steam Deck, the Steam Machine runs on a Linux-based operating system that’s built around Steam. If plugged into a monitor and keyboard, it can be used as a standalone PC with a KDE Plasma desktop environment.
The Steam Frame is a standalone virtual reality headset that’s reportedly able to stream any game from users’ Steam library, with full controller input. It’s a PC in its own right, so it can be used by itself, rather than having to be hooked up to a desktop.
Finally, the Steam Controller “shares DNA” with the Steam Deck, and is described by Valve as “high-performance” and “ergonomic,” with magnetic thumbsticks, trackpads, a gyroscope, and buttons on the grips. In addition to being designed for the Steam Machine, the Steam Controller is compatible with PCs and laptops.
Announcing: New @steampowered.com Hardware, coming in 2026:Steam ControllerSteam MachineSteam Frame. Watch our jazzy announcement video and wishlist now: steampowered.com/hardware
Valve’s announcement on Wednesday came roughly 10 minutes after a series of rumors and leaks that went viral in the PC gaming community, apparently spurred by an accidental release by one of Valve’s partner companies.
No announcements were made regarding exact release dates or prices for any of the devices, but Valve did state it hopes to share those details after the first of the year.
This is a full-circle move for Valve, which had previously attempted to break into both the controller and living room markets with similar devices. Previous editions of both the Steam Controller and Steam Machine were released in 2015 and discontinued in 2019. Valve still sells its high-end Valve Index VR system, which first came out in 2019, though it’s out of stock at time of writing.
This is a seemingly strange time for Valve to revisit its hardware divisions, but the Steam Deck’s success seems to have reignited its ambition to reshape the face of PC gaming. Newell has been vocal for years about how he believes Windows is a poor environment for computer games, and Valve has made a number of moves in recent memory that all come back to trying to expand Linux’s presence in the scene. Through that lens, the new 2026 Steam Machine in particular seems like another quiet shot across Microsoft’s bow.
It’s an adventure to find tastes and components that give the body life and the plate colour. Here are 6 ideas to create a nutritious dinner. Making a nutritious diner is similar to creating an Read More ...
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