Games Archive

Valve has been trying to crack the living room for more than a decade, and the new Steam Machine is its best attempt yet. It’s a little bit PC, a little bit console, and a lot pricy — starting at $1,049, it had a lot to live up to. The Verge’s Sean Hollister has been testing the device, and shares his findings on whether the Steam Machine can hang with PlayStation and Xbox. He also explains why, despite a never-ending list of challenges, Valve is still trying to make this device work.

According to Aftermath’s Chris Person, Valve pointed to the Steam Deck’s recent price increase as an indicator. Following those changes, the PC handheld costs $789 for the 512GB version and $949 for the 1TB version. The Steam Machine, on the other hand, starts at $1,049.

It’s one of a few new tidbits in a splashy Entertainment Weekly profile about Xbox, which comes at a curious time for Microsoft’s gaming division with troubles including looming layoffs and studio closures.

The family-friendly Nex Playground game console is available in the UK and Ireland today, but perhaps the bigger news is “a unique BTS-branded music experience” that’s launching on the device later this year.

It costs $129.95, ships late July, and includes a few goodies beyond the dedicated chassis for Steam’s upcoming console. You can save $30 by buying the “Poverty Cube,” which ditches the extras, but you’ll have to wait until October to get it. Does this mean the Steam Machine itself is imminent?