Valve May Be Working On Handheld SteamPal Console

Valve May Be Working On Handheld “SteamPal” Console

Valve is seemingly creating a piece of hardware codenamed “SteamPal,” and rumors point to it being a Switch-like portable gaming console.

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The newest beta build of Valve’s Steam platform has revealed tags pointing to something called the “SteamPal,” a new hardware device that could be a gaming portable that runs PC games. Valve has had ambitions on producing hardware for quite a while, having introduced the Steam Machine concept in 2015. These prebuilt PCs released alongside the Steam Controller, a Valve gamepad that replaced the normal thumbstick with duel touchpads to simulate the accuracy of a mouse. While both pieces of tech had their fans, neither were mainstream successes.

Valve president Gabe Newell has also been cryptic in the very recent past about Steam coming to consoles. In a clip from a May Q&A that has since been deleted, the Valve co-founder said that PC gamers would know more about the company’s potential plans for Steam on consoles “by the end of this year.” Anything Newell hints at should be taken with a grain of salt, though, especially considering how long he teased the release of Half-Life 3 before Half-Life: Alyx ultimately made its way to VR headsets ahead of the canceled sequel. Still, with this newfound evidence and Newell’s comments, a possible behind-the-scenes story begins to piece itself together.

SteamDB creator Pavel Djundik was the first to notice several unusual strings in Steam’s code referring to what was previously referred to as “Neptune.” This new project, now codenamed SteamPal according to the files, has added references to power settings, menu options, an airplane mode, and many other things that a PC application would have no need for. There’s also now a list of compatible games for the so-called SteamPal, which would be important for sorting through the thousands of releases on Steam’s PC marketplace.

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Valve is possibly working on a handled Steam console called “SteamPal” (codename Neptune). Beta client update added plenty of references including controller bindings, new UI strings such as quick access menu, system settings (airplane mode, wifi, bluetooth) and a power menu. https://t.co/BwDWjWWb06

Currently, the Nintendo Switch dominates the handheld market, with most other companies looking to mobile streaming as the answer to letting players enjoy traditional console titles on the go. If Valve does end up releasing its own piece of portable hardware at the right price, it could offer significant competition to the Switch, especially if it combines smaller games playable on the hardware with the ability to use Valve’s existing Steam Link technology to better run large AAA blockbusters.

If the SteamPal is real, customers may be wary about Valve’s second attempt at Steam hardware. The rollout of the prebuilt Steam Machines left many balking at the overpriced single-use Linux PCs. The Steam Controller did not see the mass adoption that many PC gaming diehards hoped it would despite its high-tech focus on touchpads and gyro support. In both cases, Valve seemingly didn’t want to put its full muscle behind the hardware, but that’s exactly what the company needs to do in order to successfully create a portable console that goes the distance. There is certainly room for a Switch competitor, but it will require a consumer-friendly side of Valve that gamers have not seen in a long while.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/steampal-valve-handheld-consoles-portable-leak-steamdb-beta/

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