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> The Steam deck doesn't just threaten the outdated hardware of the switch in terms of games and gaming performance, it threatens Nintendo's platform on its own

by vlunkr 5y ago

> The Steam deck doesn't just threaten the outdated hardware of the switch in terms of games and gaming performance, it threatens Nintendo's platform on its own turf. I really doubt it. - It doesn't include a dock or any external controller without paying more. This was the entire pitch for the Switch - It's more expensive and has worse battery life. Better graphics don't matter that much on a tiny screen. (Game Gear anyone?) - Valve has a bad track record for committing to their own hardware. Remember how everyone also thought SteamOS was going to be the big takeover and it barely even happened? - It runs linux. I run linux and love it, but running specific games, correctly interfacing with a variety of inputs and displays, it's just not going to be as smooth as a console with a dedicated OS. I'm guessing lots of people will install windows. - Their marketing is basically non-existent next to Nintendo. It's impressive how successful Steam is without really marketing, but that won't fly in the console space. Having a successful console launch is incredibly hard. Nintendo only manages it about half the time. - From what I've read, the emulation isn't perfect. Switch emulators even on desktop hardware can't necessarily handle every game well, why would the Steam Deck be able to?

ekianjo 5y ago
> - It doesn't include a dock or any external controller without paying more. This was the entire pitch for the Switch did you miss the fact that they now sell undockable Switch versions? > m guessing lots of people will install windows. You will be surprised. A lot of customization went in steamOS that wont be easily done on a windows build
jbluepolarbear 5y ago
Battery life is variable. Pokémon kills my switch in about 1.5 hours. It’s been shown that , depending on the setting, steam deck can rival switch in battery life. Playing a modern game at high settings and uncapped frame rate will kill your battery, but low settings and capping frame rate at 30fps will make the steam deck last much longer.
TuringTest 5y ago
> Valve has a bad track record for committing to their own hardware. Remember how everyone also thought SteamOS was going to be the big takeover and it barely even happened? You seem to be unaware that SteamOS was a a resounding success in its primary goal: to stop in its tracks Microsoft's plan to turn the Windows OS into a locked-down walled garden that would run only MS-approved software* (by threatening them to switch the majority of gamers to Linux). Microsoft has never attempted such thing again to the same extent, and even XBox games are largely PC compatible. That Valve has learned a lot about porting Windows games to Linux and they went through all the early labor pains, so that a few years later they have a robust and stable platform for their new competitive device, is just icing on the cake. * For a hint of this backstory, see https://www.pcworld.com/article/394953/why-does-the-steam-deck-run-linux-blame-windows.html https://www.pcworld.com/article/394953/why-does-the-steam-de... > it's just not going to be as smooth as a console with a dedicated OS. I'm guessing lots of people will install windows. This is a console with a dedicated OS (which just happens to be Windows retro-compatible, thanks to Valve's Proton layer). Given the success it looks set to have, publishers won't be able to afford not to optimize their future AAA games for the device.
- Talanes 5y ago
  A history of releasing projects where actual successful adoption of the product wasn't the real goal isn't the defense you think it is.
- Jasper_ 5y ago
  Simply standing out of frame in the background while Microsoft faceplants into the ground at 50mph does not make SteamOS a "resounding success", it just makes it a thing that existed, at best.
asddubs 5y ago
it's also way bigger and less portable
seba_dos1 5y ago
> - Valve has a bad track record for committing to their own hardware. They actually have a pretty good track record when it comes to long term support of their hardware. Steam Link and Steam Controller have been getting new features and updates even after becoming unavailable to buy, and from what I heard Index owners can't really complain either. You may be thinking about Steam Machines, but those weren't actually Valve's hardware at all. > I'm guessing lots of people will install windows. ...and they'll quickly go back to SteamOS, as running Windows on a device like that will come with quite a lot of suffering.
Duralias 5y ago
Got a Steam Deck (not only a flex, it is to give context to my answers) - I do wish I could take of the sides and plop the screen down like a Switch, mostly because it is cool. And it is less of a complete package without a dock, but if you don't want to play docked at least you aren't paying for e-waste. - The Steam Deck is an enthusiasts device, I think the price is great for the hardware. And if graphics doesn't matter then with this enthusiast device you can lower the graphics and get comparable to switch battery life, or tune it to be better. - The only hardware this applies to is the Steam machine, everything else is still supported, literally all of it is still supported with updates. - With the steam deck verified system, they make you well aware when you are about to play a unsupported/unchecked title, if you stick to "verified" and "playable" then you'll have a console experience, one with more optional knobs to play with. Also installing windows on this thing would ruin so much of it. - They have no marketing now, but after reservations are filled it does make sense to start having ads and maybe selling it in third party stores, we'll have to see. - Emulation can only get better, it is just ARM.
- vlunkr 5y ago
  > The Steam Deck is an enthusiasts device I think this is the key point here. It might seem like I'm hating on the Steam Deck but I'm really not. I'll probably get one eventually, but IMO it's in no way a threat to the Switch.
  - Duralias 5y ago
    Yes, it just isn't a competitor to the Switch. I do not get the reasoning of those that say that. The Steam Deck is like a Switch Pro, but not in the usual way the Pro naming is used, it is just more complex and for people who know what they are doing. It is the Switch tech-enthusiast edition.

by vlunkr 5y ago

ekianjo 5y ago

> - It doesn't include a dock or any external controller without paying more. This was the entire pitch for the Switch did you miss the fact that they now sell undockable Switch versions? > m guessing lots of people will install windows. You will be surprised. A lot of customization went in steamOS that wont be easily done on a windows build

jbluepolarbear 5y ago

Battery life is variable. Pokémon kills my switch in about 1.5 hours. It’s been shown that , depending on the setting, steam deck can rival switch in battery life. Playing a modern game at high settings and uncapped frame rate will kill your battery, but low settings and capping frame rate at 30fps will make the steam deck last much longer.

TuringTest 5y ago

> Valve has a bad track record for committing to their own hardware. Remember how everyone also thought SteamOS was going to be the big takeover and it barely even happened? You seem to be unaware that SteamOS was a a resounding success in its primary goal: to stop in its tracks Microsoft's plan to turn the Windows OS into a locked-down walled garden that would run only MS-approved software* (by threatening them to switch the majority of gamers to Linux). Microsoft has never attempted such thing again to the same extent, and even XBox games are largely PC compatible. That Valve has learned a lot about porting Windows games to Linux and they went through all the early labor pains, so that a few years later they have a robust and stable platform for their new competitive device, is just icing on the cake. * For a hint of this backstory, see https://www.pcworld.com/article/394953/why-does-the-steam-deck-run-linux-blame-windows.html https://www.pcworld.com/article/394953/why-does-the-steam-de... > it's just not going to be as smooth as a console with a dedicated OS. I'm guessing lots of people will install windows. This is a console with a dedicated OS (which just happens to be Windows retro-compatible, thanks to Valve's Proton layer). Given the success it looks set to have, publishers won't be able to afford not to optimize their future AAA games for the device.

Talanes 5y ago
A history of releasing projects where actual successful adoption of the product wasn't the real goal isn't the defense you think it is.
Jasper_ 5y ago
Simply standing out of frame in the background while Microsoft faceplants into the ground at 50mph does not make SteamOS a "resounding success", it just makes it a thing that existed, at best.

asddubs 5y ago

it's also way bigger and less portable

seba_dos1 5y ago

> - Valve has a bad track record for committing to their own hardware. They actually have a pretty good track record when it comes to long term support of their hardware. Steam Link and Steam Controller have been getting new features and updates even after becoming unavailable to buy, and from what I heard Index owners can't really complain either. You may be thinking about Steam Machines, but those weren't actually Valve's hardware at all. > I'm guessing lots of people will install windows. ...and they'll quickly go back to SteamOS, as running Windows on a device like that will come with quite a lot of suffering.

Duralias 5y ago

Got a Steam Deck (not only a flex, it is to give context to my answers) - I do wish I could take of the sides and plop the screen down like a Switch, mostly because it is cool. And it is less of a complete package without a dock, but if you don't want to play docked at least you aren't paying for e-waste. - The Steam Deck is an enthusiasts device, I think the price is great for the hardware. And if graphics doesn't matter then with this enthusiast device you can lower the graphics and get comparable to switch battery life, or tune it to be better. - The only hardware this applies to is the Steam machine, everything else is still supported, literally all of it is still supported with updates. - With the steam deck verified system, they make you well aware when you are about to play a unsupported/unchecked title, if you stick to "verified" and "playable" then you'll have a console experience, one with more optional knobs to play with. Also installing windows on this thing would ruin so much of it. - They have no marketing now, but after reservations are filled it does make sense to start having ads and maybe selling it in third party stores, we'll have to see. - Emulation can only get better, it is just ARM.

vlunkr 5y ago
> The Steam Deck is an enthusiasts device I think this is the key point here. It might seem like I'm hating on the Steam Deck but I'm really not. I'll probably get one eventually, but IMO it's in no way a threat to the Switch.
- Duralias 5y ago
  Yes, it just isn't a competitor to the Switch. I do not get the reasoning of those that say that. The Steam Deck is like a Switch Pro, but not in the usual way the Pro naming is used, it is just more complex and for people who know what they are doing. It is the Switch tech-enthusiast edition.