Valve is reportedly working with AMD on a new Steam console. It is rumored to use RDNA 4 and challenge PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Recent leaks suggest that Valve is working with AMD and developing a new Steam console designed to compete directly with the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X/S. This initiative aims to establish Valve as a significant player in the home console market.
Valve New Steam Console Plans
According to industry insider eXtas1s, Valve is teaming up with AMD, using their fancy RDNA 4 technology to power this new console. That sounds pretty high-tech, right? In a follow-up video, eXtas1s talked more about it, but the video’s in Spanish.
Here’s what the Google translation says:
It turns out that Valve is openly working on drivers for the AMD 9070 graphics cards. These cards are currently designed just for desktop devices. These AMD 9070s are the first to feature RDNA 4 technology and FSR 4. So yeah, that’s the scoop! This RDNA 4 architecture is currently designed only for desktops. It’s expected that, many years down the line, it might make its way to portable devices, but right now, it’s strictly desktop. Valve is already working on it; in fact, from what my friend has heard, Valve is putting a lot of effort into the drivers for these RX 9070 GPUs with RDNA 4. And the question he raises in his tweet, which we all might be wondering, is why Valve is so interested in collaborating on this. This specific kind of graphics card and this particular AMD architecture, especially knowing that most of the graphics used on Steam are from NVIDIA, raises an interesting point. One of the main reasons this might be happening—and here’s the juicy part, especially after the recent Xbox news—is that Valve, the company behind Steam, is internally working on desktop consoles that will be branded with the SteamOS license. It looks like Valve might be considering AMD's 9070 graphics card as the main core for their desktop console. The codename for Valve's Steam console is currently Fremont, but we don't know what it's actually going to be called. It's also possible that they could use this graphics card to create some sort of external GPU for the Steam Deck 2, or it might just be for third parties to build their own stuff.
In case you understand Spanish, you might catch more details!
This development follows earlier reports that Valve is working on a suite of new hardware, including a Steam Controller 2 and a VR headset. These efforts suggest a comprehensive strategy to expand Valve’s hardware ecosystem.
Now, here’s the thing: Valve’s previous attempt to enter the console market with the Steam Machines did not achieve widespread success. However, the company found greater success with the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device that has been well-received for its performance and versatility. Building on the Steam Deck’s success, Valve appears determined to re-enter the home console market with renewed vigor.
Moreover, Valve isn’t as big as Microsoft or Sony when it comes to making hardware. Even their Steam Deck isn’t available everywhere, which shows they don’t have the same budget for massive marketing and production like Xbox or PlayStation do.
Because of this, the new console would probably be pretty niche—meaning it’s not for everyone but more for a specific group of gamers. It’s likely to focus on expanding Steam OS, Valve’s own operating system. They’re already pushing Steam OS onto other devices like the Asus ROG Ally, kind of like how Xbox is trying to make its ecosystem work on different platforms.
All in all, while Valve has not officially confirmed these developments, the prospect of a new Valve Steam console has generated considerable excitement. If these rumors hold true, the gaming community can anticipate a compelling new option in the console market.
By providing a platform that offers the flexibility and extensive library of PC gaming in a console format, Valve may attract gamers seeking an alternative to traditional consoles. This move could also influence game developers’ strategies, particularly concerning platform exclusivity and game optimization.
