Valve Steam Machine to launch with thousands of Verified games

Valve is making waves with its new Steam Machine, poised to deliver a powerful living room gaming experience. As gamers eagerly await details on the Valve Steam Machine release date and price, new information has emerged about its impressive verified games library. According to PCMag's report on Valve's statements to Game Developer, the upcoming Valve Steam Machine will launch with a massive library of Verified games on day one.

Unlike the original launch years ago, or even the Steam Deck's early days, players won't have to guess which games work. Valve confirmed that the new system benefits directly from the existing Steam Deck ecosystem, meaning thousands of titles will be ready to play the moment you plug it in.

For gamers in the UAE who have been eyeing a console-like PC experience without the hassle of building a rig, this could be the answer—though it likely won't come cheap.

The Massive Day-One Steam Machine Verified Games Library

The biggest hurdle for any new hardware is the game library, but Valve has a shortcut this time. Valve designer Lawrence Yang explained that there is a simple rule of thumb: if a title is Verified on Steam Deck, it will be Verified on Steam Machine.

This is a huge advantage. When the Steam Deck launched, the list of verified games was slim. Now, there are over 20,000 playable or verified titles. Because the Steam Machine uses the same SteamOS operating system but with fewer hardware constraints, the library of Steam Machine Verified games is effectively instant. This includes everything from indie hits to major releases like the upcoming Life is Strange game.

Valve also noted it will place "fewer constraints" on developers seeking Verified status for the Steam Machine. The handheld Steam Deck requires games to be legible on a small screen and work perfectly with specific controller inputs. The Steam Machine, connecting to a TV or monitor, bypasses many of these screen-size limitations.

Power and Performance of the Valve Steam Machine

While the Steam Deck is a marvel of efficiency, the Steam Machine is being positioned as a proper powerhouse. The report indicates the hardware is "several orders of magnitude more powerful" than the handheld Deck. This suggests it will target higher resolutions—likely 1440p or 4K—rather than the Deck's 800p target.

It also bridges the gap between console and desktop. While it supports controllers for that sofa experience, it fully supports mouse and keyboard inputs. This makes it a viable option for strategy games and shooters that feel clumsy on a gamepad, potentially rivalling high-end laptops like the new Dell XPS models for desk setups.

Rumoured Pricing and UAE Availability for the Valve Steam Machine

This performance comes at a premium. While official pricing hasn't been confirmed, rumours suggest the 512GB model will cost around $950 (approximately Dhs 3,490), while the 2TB model could hit $1,070 (approximately Dhs 3,930).

If these prices hold true, the Steam Machine will be significantly more expensive than a PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X. For UAE gamers, you also need to consider that local retailers often add a markup to imported hardware, and shipping heavy electronics from the US or Europe can be costly.

We don't have a confirmed release date yet for the Valve Steam Machine, but given the advanced state of the verification program, an official reveal could be close. We will update this page as soon as we have confirmed UAE pricing and availability details.

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