100°

Valve doesn't need to compete with Nintendo Switch 2 right now, suggests poll

There have been plenty of comparisons online between the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2, but does Valve really need to compete?

gold_drake10d ago

i love how people think this would be a fair "fight"

SegaSaturn66910d ago

Steamdeck plays Switch games better than the switch hardware.

I see no reason why this won't continue with the successors. Switch will sell more, sure. But those who game on PC always come out ahead both in enjoyment and value for their money.

Neonridr9d ago

you think a Steam Deck is going to emulate a Steam 2 when it's arguably more powerful than it?

Interesting..

Vits9d ago

We're going to have to wait and see. Currently, there's no technology that would allow a Steam Deck 2 to achieve a performance leap over the Steam Deck 1 similar to what the Switch 2 offers over the Switch 1, without sacrificing the device's portability.

We'll either need AMD to seriously improve the efficiency of their cores, so we can get something with the rasterization power of a Radeon 8060S but without the power consumption of an Xbox Series S, or Valve would have to invest heavily in a translation layer for ARM. Neither of these paths is easy to achieve, so we probably shouldn't expect a Steam Deck 2 for at least a 3 or 4 more years.

Inverno10d ago

Considering that other companies have shat out multiple PC handhelds already while Valve hasn't even mentioned a successor tells me they aren't looking to compete with anyone. They went for a console experience and that includes holding off on new hardware til there's a generational leap.

--Onilink--9d ago

None of those other companies can realistically compete with Valve either. Valve can sell the hardware for a minimal gain and still know they are for the most part, just having every user still use Steam.

Every other handheld has to make its profit entirely on the hardware, which is why most of them went for an even more PC enthusiast market/price point

That is the one point where Nintendo does compete with Valve, or Sony with their rumored handheld or even more so MS, if they release a first party handheld (with a decent version of handheld windows)

10d ago
Amenalien9d ago

What many people don't get is that most of Steam Deck users have a high-end or at least a good enough PC alongside the Steam Deck. Yes, we like better graphics and higher refresh rates and we get them in our PC, we are not relying on the Steam Deck for them. We use the Deck for other reasons and in other eventualities, where we are willing to compromise on all these things, because we still get to enjoy them when we can/feel like it in the PC. Thus, a direct comparison with a sole device like the Switch is misplaced. Of course you need the Switch 2 to be strong if there is no stronger alternative to play your games in. By the way I got a Switch on day 1 and I loved it, it's just that I'm not really playing it anymore.

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90°

NACON Revolution X Unlimited Controller Launched with LCD Display and FPS Mode

"NACON Revolution X Unlimited is a premium device with a premium price - stacked with features like an LCD screen and built with Hall Effect tech for longevity."

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techstomper.com
Amplitude6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

THIS IS HUGE. Do you know how long i've been waiting for an XBox style controller with rear paddles, a touch pad and gyro? This is enormous. I spent 400 dollars on a custom PS5 controller with rear paddles just so I could have that - but it broke and i've been devastated ever since. Even that controller didn't let me use keyboard macros as buttons (specifically the rear paddles) because it didnt have XBox Elite support in Steam (obviously). This is the greatest controller feature list of any controller on the market. Finally. Finally! Ordering one soon.

hiawa234h ago

Got mine and absolutely love it.

80°

Forgotten PS1 RPGs Nobody Played

Few consoles have ever felt as good a home for RPGs as the PS1. But not every RPG could go on to have the insane success of Final Fantasy.

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culturedvultures.com
220°

Steam Deck Community Is Appalled That The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered Is Verified

The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered just dropped, and it's Steam Deck Verified! Well, the users aren't satisfied with its performance.

Inverno1d 12h ago

People need to understand that the reason it's verified is cause it runs on proton. If anyone actually bought this thinking that an U5 game was going to run smoothly on hardware too weak for it then idk what to tell ya… well I do know what to tell ya but it isn't something nice.

Eonjay1d 11h ago

It wouldn't put it on a consumer to know that Verified means 'it boots up'. Perhaps they should be more upffront on the product page to better mangage expectations.

Inverno1d 10h ago

Maybe, but I've played games on my Deck that say it's verified but run like shite. If I can come to the conclusion that hardware limitations is something that will effect a games performance then so can everyone else. People don't need to be spoon fed, they need to use some common sense.

JEECE1d 10h ago

That's why the real argument here is a broader one that the criteria for "verified" should be changed to better factor in performance. The steam deck site uses this general explanation for verified games: "The game works great on Steam Deck, right out of the box." Given this description, the criteria to meet "Verified" status should factor in performance. So no, it isn't that people should expect U5 games to run well on Steam Deck. It's that U5 games shouldn't meet the criteria for "Verified."

Tacoboto1d 10h ago

It's not like Valve produces a more powerful unit themselves that can run this game in an acceptable way (if reports are as bad as the headline suggests).

Deck Verified should mean and imply that it will not just open but run in that acceptable way on the one hardware they make where that label is of any relevance. And for future hardware that is more powerful, or new OEMs, that label will mean that the game not only runs, but will run better than the baseline.

FPS_D3TH1d 9h ago

How is it the consumers fault for not looking deeper into this sort of technicality. This is still misleading the consumer.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 9h ago
Profchaos1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

There seems to be a misconception about what the deck is capably of.

Not sure what people expect its a portable PC did people expect it to run every new PC game for the next decade. It's not a bespoke console where Devs will target that SKU and optimise for it specifically the thing about pc gaming is that eventually you'll be forced to upgrade or be left behind.

The steam deck hardware was fantastic for running last gen games but modern games are now starting to push into a new level of requirements (finally!!!).

I think the verification system for the deck does need an overhaul though as it's not the first game to be approved which clearly shouldn't

CrashMania1d 7h ago

Yeah exactly, it's a PS4ish level device, dunno what people expect tbh.

anast1d 5h ago

It's not running PS4 games, not even close.

BlueDaBaDee1d 1h ago

@anast Pretty sure this was a PS4 game, and it's running it. Better than the PS4 even. https://youtu.be/hb9JeNYfXI...

PanicMechanic1d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

@Anast

"It's not running PS4 games, not even close"

Stop being a dumbass. I've played and finished spiderman remastered, miles morales and Days Gone at a near perfect 40fps on the steam deck.

Cyberpunk 2077 also runs great on the steam deck. In fact, it's a better experience on SD than on ps4

Shiore2u1d ago

Anast has been on a roll lately with the dumb comments. More so than usual. Some event must have transpired recently to cause him to overcompensate so much.

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anast1d 5h ago

I already said this on an article trying to sell it for the Steam Deck.

PanicMechanic1d ago

If you’re a steam deck owner, you would know the ProtonDB rating (platinum, gold, silver, bronze) is the accurate measure of performance on the SD. If something is verified, you would know that doesn’t mean stable 30fps or 60fps is guaranteed.

A savvy SD owner will download and make use of the decky plugin in steamOS. But you have to own a steam deck in the first place to understand this

SegaSaturn6691d 3h ago

Baldur's Gate 3, FF7Remake come to mind as well. I love the device but it struggles games from the modern age.

dazzysima1d ago

Verified should mean that it runs on Proton and doesn’t dip below 30fps at any point.

But that would mean a huge drop in sales so no dice…

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