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Hardware, storefront and ecosystem news for Valve.
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A delayed next generation of consoles is "better for us", says The Blood of Dawnwalker director, as price rises continue to plague the industry
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Blood of Dawnwalker, believes a delayed next-generation console launch would benefit developers like Rebel Wolves due to current component shortages and rising prices. He highlights the increased complexity and cost of developing for new hardware, suggesting that focusing on current-generation consoles is more manageable. The game is set to release on September 3rd for current-gen platforms, with future installments potentially targeting next-gen hardware.
Dev defends short games after criticizing Steam for making it easy to refund them: "I will never stretch out a game…
Developer Mateo Covic defends the creation of short games and argues against the perceived pressure to extend playtime solely to avoid Steam's refund policy. While acknowledging the exploitability of the refund system, Covic maintains that games should be released when they are ready, regardless of length, and that short, fun, and affordable games have a valid audience.
It's Monday, and the Steam Store is currently struggling just like the rest of us
The Steam Store is currently experiencing significant issues, with store and community pages showing a 'Very Slow' status. Multiple regional servers are overloaded, and the Steam API is intermittently offline. The problems are affecting users on PC and mobile devices.
New Steam Machine red light warning isn't anything to worry about — an overzealous overheating warning is…
A solid red light warning on the Steam Machine, indicating overheating, is often a false alarm caused by a bug in the current BIOS. Valve support has confirmed that the device's temperatures can be normal even when this warning light is displayed. A forthcoming BIOS update will increase the temperature threshold for the warning and throttling to 100C for both CPU and GPU.
Morning Tech Bits
Valve has updated the Steam Machine's firmware to address false overheat warnings that would interrupt gameplay. The update raises the temperature threshold to 100°C, resolving the issue for affected users. Separately, Apple is reportedly planning an M7 Ultra chip with a substantial amount of unified memory.
You can now use the Steam Controller with your PS5, Xbox, and Switch thanks to an open-source puck
An open-source project called OpenPuck allows the Valve Steam Controller to be used with PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles. This modification uses a Pro Micro NRF52840 board and custom firmware to enable cross-platform compatibility, effectively mimicking official controllers.
Data analysis suggests that Steam has made $11B in the first half of this year already
Data analysis from Alinea Analytics suggests Valve's Steam platform has generated $11.1 billion in revenue in the first half of the year, a 14.5% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth is attributed to a surge in players in China, successful co-op releases, publishers returning to Steam, and increased sales of both new and back catalogue games. However, the analysis also warns that this growth may exacerbate discoverability issues for smaller studios and new intellectual property.
Steam Machine compatibility checks are here, though not every game on the store enjoys a rating
Valve has introduced Steam Machine compatibility checks to game store pages, allowing users to see how titles perform on the SteamOS platform. While many games are rated, some, like Black Myth: Wukong, are still listed as unknown due to ongoing evaluation or performance concerns. Users can also run SteamOS on alternative hardware like the Lenovo Legion Go S.
404 Page not found
The article indicates a '404 Page Not Found' error, humorously comparing the situation to the non-existence of Half-Life 3. It prompts users who followed a link to report the issue to Eurogamer.net for correction.
Palworld barges Dota 2 aside as PC player counts skyrocket following the game's 1.0 release
Palworld has seen a significant surge in player counts following its 1.0 release on PC and consoles, reaching over 489,000 concurrent players on Steam. This impressive relaunch figure places it above Dota 2 and highlights the success of the survival-crafting game, despite not reaching its early access peak. The game is available on PC and consoles, with sales boosted by a limited-time discount.
Valve is switching up its Steam Machine error codes to be more helpful, starting with its scary red overheating light
Valve is updating the Steam Machine's BIOS to address inaccurate red LED error codes, particularly those related to overheating. The fix will adjust temperature thresholds to 100°C for both CPU and GPU, preventing false alarms that previously triggered at lower temperatures. This change aims to provide more accurate warnings and prevent unnecessary performance throttling or shutdowns.
Steam Is Breaking Revenue Records, But New Games Account For Just 21% Of Sales
Steam reportedly generated $11.6 billion in revenue in 2026, breaking previous records. This surge is attributed to a significant increase in players from Asia and the sustained popularity of older, classic games, which account for the majority of sales.
Dutch consumer group suing PlayStation argues the end of physical discs just proves its point: 'Sony alone decides what a game costs and even how long you are allowed to use it'
A Dutch consumer group, Stichting Massaschade & Consument, is suing Sony for €400 million over its 30% PlayStation Store tax, arguing that the upcoming discontinuation of physical discs by 2028 will give Sony complete control over game pricing and usage. The group compares Sony's practices to those of Apple and Steam, highlighting concerns about consumer ownership and lack of alternatives.
Steam's "no questions asked" refund policy makes it "super easy for players to abuse this rule", says indie developer
An indie developer, Mateo Covic, has voiced concerns that Steam's "no questions asked" refund policy is being abused by players, leading to a significant number of refunds for his game, Paddle Paddle Paddle. Despite positive reviews, Covic argues that players can complete games within the two-hour window and still receive a refund, which he believes is unfair to developers. While Covic is not advocating for the removal of refunds entirely, he suggests that the current system makes it too easy for players to exploit the policy.
Valve has rewired Counter-Strike 2's bomb to make it more spectacular, but potentially less deadly
Valve has updated Counter-Strike 2's bomb detonation mechanic, introducing a shockwave that dissipates around corners, offering players a better chance of survival if they position themselves strategically. The update also includes new weapon and sticker collections, the Cache map replacing Overpass in the active-duty pool, and five community maps. Separately, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has seen a resurgence in player count after being de-absorbed from CS2.
Steam has raked in an estimated $11.1 billion gross revenue so far this year, says market analyst—its…
A report from Alinea Analytics indicates that Steam generated an estimated $11.1 billion in gross revenue in the first half of 2026, marking its highest-ever six-month period. This growth is attributed to factors like increased game prices, successful new releases, and the return of third-party publishers like Ubisoft to the platform.
Handheld gaming PCs are cooked
The market for handheld gaming PCs is facing significant challenges due to rising component prices, particularly memory. Devices like the ASUS ROG Ally and Steam Deck are becoming less affordable, with even budget options like the Steam Deck OLED seeing substantial price increases. This trend, coupled with the strong performance of consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2, suggests a potentially shrinking market for high-performance handheld gaming PCs, possibly relegating them to a niche for enthusiasts with deep pockets.
After 17 years, a developer has finally revived the dream of Hannah Montana Linux, an open source operating system…
Developer Noah Cagle has revived Hannah Montana Linux, an open-source operating system based on Debian and KDE Plasma. The updated OS features a pink and purple theme, custom icons, and a remastered wallpaper, aiming to be a fully functional daily driver. While capable of running games through compatibility layers like Proton, gaming on Linux is noted to be better with AMD GPUs due to Nvidia's driver support.
Steam refunds are "not for people to play games for free," says dev of short game who criticized Valve's…
Mateo Covic, developer of the short game Paddle Paddle Paddle, has criticized Steam's refund policy, stating it's exploitable and allows players to play games for free. While supporting the refund system overall, Covic argues that the current 'no questions asked' policy within two weeks and under two hours of playtime is too easily abused. He clarified his intention was not to remove refunds but to address players who enjoyed the game and left positive reviews before refunding it.
Doom dev Id is now "about the same size we were when making Doom 2016" after layoffs
Id Software has addressed recent layoffs, stating that the studio remains adequately staffed to continue developing games and technology. Despite significant job cuts impacting over half the team, the developer confirmed its current size is comparable to when it was developing Doom 2016. The studio emphasized its commitment to its core philosophy and supporting affected employees, while looking forward to future projects and QuakeCon.
