this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2025
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Can everyone please stop claiming and speculating that Valve's new hardware will be loss leaders? If you watch LTT and Gamers Nexus's first videos on the announcement, they actually spoke with Valve's engineers. And the Valve representatives already said that the new hardware WILL NOT BE LOSS LEADERS.

There isn't even evidence that the Steam Deck was a loss leader. All GabeN said was that the lowest cost launch model was priced "painfully", which doesn't necessarily mean it was sold at a loss, it could easily have been sold at a very tight margin.

And no, low margins does not meet the definition of a loss leader. A loss leader is a product sold below cost, in that every unit sold actually costs the seller money.

I get the desire to speculate on new hardware. It's fun and it helps pass the time until we hear more info from Valve. But there's limits to what is reasonable. Valve has already stated that the new hardware won't be loss leaders, so hoping and/or claiming they are isn't reasonable.

Sorry for the rant, but all of the comments that seem to have only skimmed headlines are quickly getting to me

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[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 50 points 1 day ago (5 children)

It can't be a loss leader.

The steam machine is, hardware-wise, just a regular Mini-PC. Valve even lets you put whatever OS you want on there. So if this was a loss leader, that would mean that non-gamers and even small businesses would buy these, would install Windows on them and use them as office PCs, with Steam probably not even installed on the PC.

With the Steam Deck, the form factor made it impractical or at least really weird to use them as office PCs. The steam machine doesn't have that issue.

[–] Datz@szmer.info 5 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I was thinking that they might require a Steam account to order, the same way they stopped scalpers for Steam Deck, but there'd be ways around that.

It'd be hilarious if you needed something like "profile level 10" to order though.

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

Ohhh only allowed to buy steam level / 10 whole numbers only. I could get 9. Woot.

[–] Stefan_S_from_H@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Was it confirmed that you can install Windows? The video said software, I don’t remember that you could install any operating system. It comes with an Arch Linux.

[–] Stefan_S_from_H@discuss.tchncs.de 19 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

I found an answer on the Steam Machine page: Yes, Steam Machine is optimized for gaming, but it's still your PC. Install your own apps, or even another operating system. Who are we to tell you how to use your computer?

[–] qaz@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

They said that you can change it if you want, but did they say they will provide Windows drivers for their semi-custom Ryzen chip?

I just realized that “another operating system” can mean so many things that aren't Windows.

We need to be patient and wait until some crazy people defile their Steam Machine for Internet points.

[–] Goodeye8@piefed.social 3 points 15 hours ago

I'm pretty sure that is up to AMD and not Valve.

[–] rbos@lemmy.ca 1 points 8 hours ago

It'd be interesting seeing Microsoft in a position where the vendor isn't automatically making their drivers for them. It's a massive advantage they have.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 hours ago

It'd be really funny if it's designed specifically not to meet Windows 11's arbitrary requirements. You can install Linux though! :D

[–] Joelk111@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Hearing that is so refreshing. Microsoft/Google would never put something like that on their website because you are the product.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

You can install Windows on the Steam Deck (psychos), so I imagine it'll be like that.

[–] Tattorack@lemmy.world 9 points 21 hours ago

"Hello chat! Today's challenge is to make the Steam Deck lose 20% of its performance. I can't wait to get started!"

[–] Tattorack@lemmy.world 5 points 21 hours ago

Look at their website. It pretty explicitly states you can do with the Gabe Cube whatever you want. Including changing the OS.

[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago

You can install OSX on there /s

[–] entwine@programming.dev 2 points 9 hours ago

Lol this reminds me of that time the US Air Force built a giant compute cluster using PlayStation 3s. Idk if Sony sold those at a loss, but they certainly didn't see any game purchases coming from the US Department of Defense

[–] Joelk111@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Exactly, but I don't see anything keeping them from selling the Frame at a loss or tight margin. What else are you going to use that with but Steam games?

Even the Steam Controller is useless without Steam Input, but I'd argue it won't necessarily sell more games. Maybe they could include it with the Steam Machine for "free" to bump the price of the machine up enough to not make sense for a company, but still sell it at a tight margin to sell more games.

[–] overload@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I see what you mean, but this device is a little overtuned for an office PC, at least GPU wise.

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 5 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

There are quite a few office jobs that benefit from a decent CPU. Anything to do with images/photos/video/rendering for example.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 4 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Plus PCs cost fuck all compared to staff, may as well get them efficient tools if they will be using them a lot.

[–] IMALlama@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

You're 100% correct at a sane company. At my employer the hardware team is incentivised to cut costs and impacts to productivity are someon else's problem. Corporate metrics lead to some pretty hilarious situations.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 1 points 10 hours ago

You get what you measure