Valve Unveils New Steam Devices: Controller, Gaming Console, and VR Headset
Valve Corporation has unveiled three new products: a virtual reality headset named "Steam Frame," a new controller known as the "Steam Controller," and a traditional console-like gaming unit dubbed the "Steam Machine."
The company plans to launch these three products in early 2026, targeting the same regions where it currently ships the Steam Deck. Specific release dates and pricing will be confirmed at a later time.
Gabe Newell, President of Valve, expressed his immense satisfaction with the success of the Steam Deck. He noted that PC gamers continue to demand more ways to enjoy their extensive game libraries on the Steam platform. Newell affirmed that the company's long-standing efforts in developing other hardware, and crucially, the SteamOS operating system, have enabled the launch of the Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame to achieve this goal.
The Steam Machine features a six-inch cube design and offers over six times the processing power of the Steam Deck. It is specifically engineered to enable PC gaming on television screens. The device includes a 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, two DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 ports, one USB-C port, and four USB-A ports. It will be available with 512GB and 2TB storage options and comes with a built-in power supply, eliminating the need for an external power adapter.
The Steam Machine also incorporates a built-in wireless adapter designed for connecting to the Steam Controller, negating the need for players to plug in a USB receiver. Valve promises a 4K gaming experience at 60 frames per second with FSR technology, thanks to separate desktop-class AMD CPU and GPU components. The company assures that the device remains cool and operates silently, even when running the most demanding games.
Furthermore, the Steam Machine will be powerful enough to stream games to other devices, including the Steam Deck, Steam Frame, or any other Steam or Steam Link-enabled device. Steam will also introduce a "Steam Machine Verified" program, similar to the Steam Deck's, which will inform Steam Machine owners about each game's compatibility with the device.
The new Steam Controller appears to blend design elements from both Xbox and PlayStation controllers. It features "View" and "Menu" buttons, similar to the Select and Start buttons on an Xbox Series X/S controller, but distinguishes itself with analog sticks positioned at the bottom, akin to the PlayStation DualSense controller. The device also includes two large trackpads at the bottom, allowing players to control the mouse cursor in PC games that utilize this input. Additionally, it incorporates "grip-enabled gyro" technology, known as "Grip Sense," where gyro aiming can be activated or deactivated by gripping the controller's handles.
The controller comes with the "Steam Controller Puck," a wired adapter that serves a dual purpose: acting as a wireless transmitter for fast and stable connectivity, and as a magnetic charging dock for the controller. Valve states that the controller will feature "next-gen magnetic thumbsticks" utilizing TMR technology, designed to enhance feel, responsiveness, and long-term reliability. These thumbsticks also support capacitive touch for motion controls.
The device also includes four programmable buttons on the underside and infrared LED lights, making it easier for the Steam Frame to track. Valve describes this as "perfect for playing all your non-VR games on a giant virtual screen."
Finally, the Steam Frame is a "streaming-first" VR headset that can operate wirelessly, similar to Meta Quest headsets. It comes with two handheld controllers that also resemble Quest controllers. The headset includes a plug-and-play 6GHz USB wireless adapter, which Valve claims "provides a dedicated link for both VR and non-VR streaming." The adapter features two wireless transceivers, one for audio and visuals, and the other for Wi-Fi connectivity, which the company states makes the connection more stable.
Valve employs foveated streaming technology in this device, which uses eye-tracking to enhance detail in the area the player is looking at, resulting in "over a 10x improvement in image quality and effective bandwidth." Although the Steam Frame is primarily designed for streaming VR and non-VR games from a Steam PC or Steam Machine, Valve emphasizes that it is a "PC" in its own right, running SteamOS with a Snapdragon 8 Series processor and 16GB of RAM, enabling it to independently run some less graphically demanding games.
As with the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, a "Steam Frame Verified" program will be launched, allowing players to identify which games in their Steam library will run independently without the need for streaming.
Valve previously released its own VR headset, the Valve Index, in 2019, bundled with the game Half-Life: Alyx. However, unlike the Steam Frame, it required a wired connection. The Steam Machine is also not Valve's first attempt to bring PC gaming to living rooms. In 2015, the company announced a series of devices, also named "Steam Machines," which were small form-factor PCs designed to run SteamOS on a TV, aiming to provide a console-like experience. These devices were announced concurrently with the original Steam Controller, which featured a trackpad with haptic feedback instead of an analog stick.
The previous Steam Machines did not have a fixed hardware configuration but relied on a set of minimum specifications that PC manufacturers could use to produce and launch their own devices. At least 14 companies showcased prototypes of their Steam Machines at CES 2014, with prices ranging from $499 to $6,000. Ultimately, the earlier Steam Machine project did not achieve the desired success, with an estimated fewer than half a million units sold from products that reached the market seven months after their launch.
Valve also released the Steam Link in 2015, a device that connected to a TV and allowed players to stream Steam games from their personal computer to the device, enabling them to play on the television. However, this, of course, required the player to already own a gaming PC.